It is known that before the Second World War, Jews made up the majority of the population of Jonava, ranging from 50% to 80% over almost two centuries. A synagogue complex stood in the densely Jewish-populated central part of the city. It is believed that a synagogue complex was built in the centre of the town in the early 20th century. At the beginning of the 20th century there may have been as many as 7 synagogues in Jonava. Only two synagogues have survived to this day, and they have been considerably altered. The synagogue at the intersection of Vilniaus and Sodų Streets was built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and was covered with white stucco, hence the name White Synagogue. Together with the nearby Red Synagogue, which was destroyed during the war, the unplastered, red-brick Red Synagogue formed the complex of the Jewish religious centre. During the Soviet era, the synagogue building was badly damaged when it was converted into a bakery.