Vilna Shul is the last remaining immigrant-era synagogue building in the entire city of Boston out of over 52 that once existed here. Built in 1919, the congregation employed the only Jewish architect in the city, Max Kalman, and young men in the community helped with the construction. Congregants painted the walls and ceiling of their new synagogue with decorative murals, a long-standing tradition of Eastern European Jews. Three distinct sets of murals covered the walls of the Vilna Shul, although these paintings were later covered over with beige paint. Today they are some of the only examples of pre-war Jewish mural art in the United States. Today, the building serves as a cultural center, living museum, and meeting space.
Group tours available. Exhibition of art works with artists present and a live musical performance. 

Sunday only: 10am-6pm
18 Phillips St, Boston, 02114

The Vilna Shul, Boston's Center for Jewish Culture, Inc.
Architect: Max Kalman
Year: 1919

617-523-2324  | Not Handicap Accessible