The capital of Ukraine is overflowing with sights. But even sophisticated tourists, who have passed Rome, Paris, New York and Jerusalem, freeze in amazement in front of the building of «Choral Synagogue», located on Shota Rustaveli Street, 13. Whether it is the unusual for Kiev color and «design» of the building of the Beit Knesset, or the atmosphere that enveloped the main center of Ukrainian Judaism, but this synagogue really stands out against the background of other sights in Kiev, devoid of similar meaning, significance and history.
So, Choral Synagogue of Kiev was built in 1898. 
But, before this patron of the arts — the legendary sugar maker Lazar Brodsky, experienced a whole «war» for the right of Jews to gather for prayers and fellowship. The fact is that the modern Ukrainian capital during the period of existence in the «body» of tsarist Russia was not included in the «sedentary line». This means that any Jewish religious building was erected with the personal permission of provincial officials of the highest rank or the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Empire.
In order to get permission to build, Lazar Brodsky and Rabbi Evsei Zukkerman had to apply to the Senate, in St. Petersburg. 
To obtain the highest permission, the architect George Shleifer from the construction office of another Kiev legend, Lev Ginzburg, had to «disguise» the side of the synagogue as a residential building. According to the legend invented by the philanthropist, rabbi and architect, the cult building was given the features of an ordinary residential building.
Such a move lowered the heat of the confrontation and satisfied the authorities, so the permission was taken, and the opening ceremony of the most grandiose synagogue in the list of synagogues in Kiev was attended by all the provincial officials, who had previously done much to prevent the building from being built.
The Brodsky Beit Knesset in Kiev was given the size of Noah’s Ark and a clear rectangular shape by the architect. It was built in the neoclassical style fashionable for the end of XIX century with some features of Moorish, Gothic and Romanesque style. Special attention should be paid to the basement, finished with «wild stone» — an imitation of the masonry of a medieval castle. After restoration, the building was painted in its original yellow color, which matches the gray coloring of the basement and steps. Another feature that sets Brodsky’s synagogue apart from thousands of buildings is the minor images inscribed in almost every window.
The hardest times of this center of Judaism in Kiev came during the years of Soviet power. In 1926 the synagogue was simply closed. But the building, built with merchant Lazar Brodsky’s money, was too good to be destroyed, as was done to a number of Christian temples. At first it had been a clubhouse. Then a political school was organized in the walls of Brodsky’s former synagogue. In time, the premises were taken over by the School of Cutting and Sewing.
In 1955, the magnificent building was transferred to the Kiev Academic Puppet Theater. 
To meet the needs of the young audience several reconstructions were carried out. During one of them, the second floor was rebuilt and the facade was completed. In the same style, which the architect Georgi Shleifer set in his time to his brainchild.
In 1992 the synagogues of Kiev began to be returned to the Jewish community of the city. This was favored by a presidential decree and the work done by Vadim Rabinovich. The puppet theater moved to the fabulous palace on Hrushevskogo, and the Kiev’s sights were added to the list of synagogues. In 2008, the building celebrated 110 years of its existence and today it is a real educational and communicative — with God and people, the center of Ukraine.