were made to the building. Over the years, as Jewish immigration to Singapore increased, the Maghain Aboth Synagogue began to become overcrowded during services. Because of friction between the Sephardic and Ashkenazi communities over how the services should be carried out, Sir Manasseh Meyer decided to build a new synagogue which was completed in 1905, the Chesed-El Synagogue. By 1931, the population had grown to 832, according to a census record that the 832 Jews and larger number of Arab residents were the largest house property owners in the city. Japanese occupation By 1942, the same year Japanese occupation of Singapore started, the Jewish population had grown to a high of 1,500. During the occupation, many Jewish settlers were taken to POW camps located at Changi Prison and Sime Road. In the camp, the Jewish settlers were allowed to keep a kosher kitchen. Post-war After World War II ended, there was an exodus of Jews to Israel and Western countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. As a result, the community dropped to approximately 450 in 1968, even falling as low as 180 sometime in the 1960s. Recent history From the late 1980s, the Jewish community started growing due to increased economic development and a large Ashkenazi immigration rate to Singapore and as of 2015, the community had grown to a historic high of 10,456. Demographics As of 2015, there are 10,456 Jews in Singapore, many of whom are recent Ashkenazi migrants. Approximately 180 descendants of the "first wave" Jews, who are mostly orthodox, still exist, which the Rabbi of Singapore, Rabbi Mordechai Abergel, described as the only remaining indigenous Jews of Asia. Notable people David Marshall One of the most well-known Jews in the history of Singapore was David Marshall (1908–1995). He was the first chief minister of Singapore in 1955, serving for 14 months while being leader of the Labour Front. He also led the first Merdeka Talks to London in hopes of gaining independence from the British but resigned after failing. Following his resignation, in 1957, he founded the Workers Party of Singapore, which is currently Singapore's second largest political party. In his later life, he served as Singapore's ambassador to France, Switzerland, Spain, and Portugal. He died in 1995 of lung cancer. Sir Manasseh Meyer Sir Manasseh Meyer (1843–1930) was a British businessman and philanthropist who was a benefactor to the Jewish