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Touro Synagogue

85 Touro Street, Newport, RI 02840
401-847-4794
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Ranked #9 of 57 attractions in Newport
Type: Religious Sites, Historic Sites
Description: Dedicated in 1762, this is the oldest synagogue in the United States.
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81 reviews from our community

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Date Rating
Oyster Bay, New York
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 23 May 2013 NEW

The Touro Synangogue is the oldest one in the United States. There is a 20-minute talk about the history of the congregation. During the talk, you are told about the first congregants, the presidents who have visited the synagogue, & lots of other interesting things. In addition, there is a visitor's center that has some interesting information.

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See 2 more reviews by KW11771 for Newport
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Senior Contributor
21 reviews 21 reviews
3 attraction reviews
Reviews in 16 cities Reviews in 16 cities
74 helpful votes 74 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 20 May 2013 NEW

We really enjoyed the visit to the Truro synagogue. The docent was Knowledgeable and friendly. We did not do the visitor center tour but it looked interesting as well.

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See 3 more reviews by Feliciab625 for Newport
Ocean Grove, New Jersey
Contributor
13 reviews 13 reviews
7 attraction reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
9 helpful votes 9 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 19 May 2013 NEW

The oldest synagogue is a wonderful addition to any trip.....the guide was very informed and told the tale of what the building was used for during various times, even as a hospital during the Revolution. You do not have to be Jewish to appreciate the history of this building, as it is the oldest Synogogue and the freedom of religion... More

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See 5 more reviews by peggy s for Newport
Encino
Top Contributor
84 reviews 84 reviews
26 attraction reviews
Reviews in 30 cities Reviews in 30 cities
20 helpful votes 20 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 28 April 2013

We went here mid week and found that tours were scheduled for the weekends only. Sorry we could not visit the Synagogue, but did get to see it from the outside.

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See 10 more reviews by 1momo1 for Newport
Salt Lake City, UT
Top Contributor
251 reviews 251 reviews
73 attraction reviews
Reviews in 99 cities Reviews in 99 cities
286 helpful votes 286 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 27 April 2013

Since we didn't have a photo with us we had no idea what we were looking for. The Synagogues I am familiar with are much fancier so we didn't realize when we arrived. This is located right by Patriot Park and consists of 2 buildings - the Ambassador John L Loeb Jr Visitors Center, and the Synagogue itself, which sits... More

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See 7 more reviews by Saxeygirl for Newport
Chelmsford, MA
Senior Contributor
41 reviews 41 reviews
11 attraction reviews
Reviews in 19 cities Reviews in 19 cities
17 helpful votes 17 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 15 April 2013

Touro Synagogue only does tours early Sunday afternoon -- if you are in Newport, GO! Wow, I had no idea how much our national character owes to Rhode Island. The half hour talk was very engaging...no one even fidgeted. So much history packed into such a short time.

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See 5 more reviews by russell-benoit for Newport
Deer Park, New York
Senior Contributor
22 reviews 22 reviews
5 attraction reviews
Reviews in 12 cities Reviews in 12 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 29 March 2013

The synagogue was amazing. I'm Christian, so I didn't know much about a synagogue. Megan was a terrific storyteller. She explained its entire history as the oldest one in the country. She kept us captivated. It was only $12/pp. well worth the money and time.

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See 3 more reviews by MonicaK614 for Newport
Brookline, Massachusetts
Senior Contributor
23 reviews 23 reviews
8 attraction reviews
Reviews in 12 cities Reviews in 12 cities
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 26 March 2013

Visiting Touro Synagogue was a privilege. The new visitors' center gave us a lot of historical context, and the interactivity of some of the exhibits made them a fun way to learn, The synagogue itself has been carefully restored and is a welcoming and very spiritual space. The guide shared a wealth of information and made the founders of the... More

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See 5 more reviews by mousebooks for Newport
Newport, Rhode Island
Senior Contributor
39 reviews 39 reviews
16 attraction reviews
Reviews in 10 cities Reviews in 10 cities
11 helpful votes 11 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 9 March 2013

It's sad but I find that I am the only local Newporter of all my friends who has ever been inside Touro Synagogue. From the outside it doesn't look like a synagogue at all - in fact when I first moved to Newport I thought it was just another colonial building. I went on a tour with my mother when... More

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See 11 more reviews by bimbels for Newport
New York City, New York
Top Contributor
138 reviews 138 reviews
40 attraction reviews
Reviews in 31 cities Reviews in 31 cities
37 helpful votes 37 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 23 February 2013

As the oldest remaining synagogue in the United States and a building inextricably woven into the fabric of American colonial history, this is a landmark not to miss. The woman who did our tour gave an amazing breadth of history, including Rhode Island's role in ensuring the U.S. was founded on the principal of separation of church and state.

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See 9 more reviews by slsnyc for Newport

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