The Jews, who deserted their traditional district as from the second half of the 19th century, started to settle at Karatas and its vicinity. While wealthy preferred the seaside, families with a lower income got a foothold at the Halil Rifat Pasa district. Lack of a synagogue which did not satisfy the ever-growing Jewish community’s need of prayer in this district earlier prompted the inhabitants living there to erect a new synagogue.

Although not known for sure, the date 1894 in an inscription donated to the synagogue by Moshe Levi, son of Nesim Levi Bayrakli, and two holy book covers bearing the dates 1896 and 1904 suggest that the synagogue was built in the 1890s.

Rosh Ha Har Synagogue was built in the central planned architecture and Ehal has a triple composition as in the other synagogues in Izmir. Although this synagogue regularly hosted prayers and ceremonies by the 1960s, it has started to be used only in the occasion of holidays due to the decrease in the Jewish population. The synagogue is located in the Halil Rifat Pasa Street.