Berdyansk kenassa, which by its architecture is considered one of the most interesting buildings of the city, was built in about 1899-1902 on the site where the old kenassa was located, on the initiative and with the active participation of brothers O. M. and M. M. Panpulovs, I. M. Ayvaz, B. I. Babai.
For the construction of the building donations were organized in all cities, which gave about 16,000 rubles. In total, the new kenassa cost about 25,000 rubles. The funds for electricity were left in Panpulov’s will. The treasurer of the committee managing the building was I. M. Aivaz.
The interior of the temple and its decorations were made with funds from local Karaites.
The altar was built by brothers O. M. and M. M. Panpulov. In the courtyard of the kenassa there is a beautiful iron sukkah, built at the expense of the famous Berdyansk businessman M. D. Burnaz.
The ceremony of solemn lighting of the new temple took place in the presence of hakham S. M. Panpulov and the entire local community. The kenassa was opened three times a week, and on Sunday — for viewing by excursionists arriving in Berdyansk. In 1912 S. I. Kulte, who took the place of his late brother, was the gazzan of the kenassa, and M. D. Burnaz was the gabbai.
According to the report of K. V. Khanatsky, in 1867 among the inhabitants of Berdyansk lived 141 townspeople-karaim. At the same time, probably, the building of the old kenassa was constructed, which was later destroyed,
and the new building was built on the site of the old one almost half a century later. Despite the fact that the Berdyansk Karaite community, consisting of 90-100 families, was considered one of the richest and had many large merchants, and the tobacco factory of S. Oxuz was famous throughout the district, by the beginning of World War I, most of the local Karaite community left for other cities, and no more than 35 families remained in Berdyansk, and therefore the social life was very poorly developed.
Since the 30s, the Karaim kenassa has been misused: like the Sevastopol kenassa, it houses the Spartak sports club.