History of the Jews in Eswatini
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The history of the Jews of Eswatini, formerly Swaziland.
Modern times
[edit]Before and during the Holocaust, Swaziland, as Eswatini was then called, welcomed a large group of German Jewish refugees who lived there for a few years.[1]
In 2002, Swaziland's prime minister, Barnabas Dlamini, said the country appreciates the contribution of its Jewish community: "The Jewish community is small, numbering in the tens rather than hundreds, but over the years it has had quite an influence on the development of our country, the names Kirsh and Goldblatt will be remembered long after their time" referring to two well-known Jewish Swazi entrepreneurs. Kalman Goldblatt who later changed his name to Kal Grant came from Lithuania and built his wealth through several trading stores and by developing the first townships in the country.[2]
In 2019 there is an estimated Jewish community of about 50 to 60 people. Eswatini/Swazi Jews have played an important role in the business and legal sectors of the economy.[3] The community consists of Israelis, South African Jews, and descendants of World War II refugees. Some Holocaust survivors settled in Swaziland. Jews have experienced hardly any anti-Semitism. A notable Jew was Stanley Sapire, Chief Justice of the Swazi Court of Appeal.[4]
The Jewish community, headed by Geoff Ramokgadi[5][6][7] in 2024, is affiliated with the African Jewish Congress[8] which is based in South Africa and advocates on behalf of the small and scattered communities of sub-Sahara Africa. It works to ensure that the Jewish community of Eswatini has international representation.[9]
In 2024 Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini invited Jewish investors to come and invest in Eswatini. He extended this invitation during a meeting with the American Jewish Committee in New York.[10][11]
Zionist Christians
[edit]Approximately 40 percent of the indigenous Eswatini population practices Zionism, a blend of Christianity and traditional Swati ceremonies and rituals that is widely observed in rural areas. Some adherents of Zionism self-identify as evangelical Christians.[12]
Ties with Israel
[edit]Eswatini has had official uninterrupted diplomatic ties and relations with Israel since 1968 soon after Eswatini gained full independence from Great Britain.[1][2]
In 1978 Premier Maphevu Dhlamini paid a state visit to Israel he was also the foreign minister and army commander and was accompanied by the Ministers of Finance and Justice and other top officials and will be hosted by Premier Menachem Begin and Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan and with Finance Minister Simcha Ehrlich.[13]
In 1979 Premier Maphevu Dhlamini and Premier Menachem Begin of Israel signed a treaty of cooperation providing for stepped-up Israeli technological assistance to Eswatini.[14]
In 2012 Israeli and Jewish leaders were received by the King of Eswatini when the Israeli Ambassador Dov Segev-Steinberg presented his credentials to King Mswati III at his official palace. The ambassador was accompanied by Rabbi Moshe Silberhaft, spiritual leader of the African Jewish Congress. Rabbi Silberhaft later inspected the two Jewish cemeteries in Eswatini.[15]
In 2017 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Swazi counterpart, Prime Minister Dr Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini (1942–2018) accompanied by his Agriculture Minister, Moses Vilakati met in Jerusalem. Netanyahu expressed his appreciation for Swazi King Mswati III's warm regards and ongoing admiration for Israel.[16]
In 2024 there was speculation that Israel would re-open a full embassy in Mbabane the capital of Eswatini, closed since 1994 and then based in South Africa, as a response to neighboring South Africa's deteriorating relations with Israel.[17][18][19]
Notable people
[edit]Natan Gamedze
[edit]Rabbi Natan Gamedze (born 1963, Swaziland, since 2018 renamed to Eswatini) is a Haredi rabbi and lecturer. Born to the royal lineage of the Gamedze clan of the Kingdom of Swaziland, he converted to Judaism, received rabbinic ordination, and now lectures to Jewish audiences all over the world with his personal story as to how an African prince became a Black Haredi Jewish rabbi.[20][21][22][23][24]
Nathan Kirsh
[edit]Nathan Kirsh (born 6 January 1932) is a South African/Swazi/Eswatini billionaire businessman. He heads the Kirsh Group, which holds a majority stake in New York cash and carry operation Jetro Holdings, owner of Restaurant Depot and Jetro Cash & Carry. The Group also holds equity and investments in Australia, Swaziland (now Eswatini), the UK, the US, and Israel. Bloomberg estimated his wealth at $6.09 billion in March 2019, ranking him at #267 on its "Billionaires Index". He was also listed on the UK's Sunday Times Rich List 2018, and was named as the wealthiest person in Eswatini by Forbes.
See also
[edit]- History of Eswatini
- History of the Jews in Mozambique
- History of the Jews in South Africa
- History of the Jews in Southern Africa
References
[edit]- ^ Feinberg, Tali. "Untold story of Eswatini's German Jewish connection". sajr.co.za. South African Jewish Report. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
- ^ JTA (20 March 2015). "Around the Jewish World Swaziland's Jews, Although Few, Have Boasted Eccentric Characters". jta.org. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
- ^ WJC. "Swaziland". worldjewishcongress.org. World Jewish Congress. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
- ^ JVL. "Swaziland Virtual Jewish History Tour". jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Jewish Virtual Library. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
- ^ Swaziland. "Ramokgadi hopes for more Swazi Jews The Swazi Observer, Swaziland - 29 May 2013". africanjewishcongress.com. African Jewish Congress. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
- ^ Jewish Telegraphic Agency. "Around the Jewish World Swaziland's Jews, Although Few, Have Boasted Eccentric Characters". jta.org. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
- ^ Maltz, Judy. "A Black Swazi Jew Defends His People in Hungary". haaretz.com. Haaretz. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
- ^ Swaziland. "9th Annual Congress - Swaziland June 2002 June". africanjewishcongress.com. African Jewish Congress. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
- ^ The Jewish World: eSwatini. "eSwatini". worldjewishcongress.org. World Jewish Congress. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
- ^ Full Story. "Premier Invites Jewish Investors to Eswatini". new.observer.org.sz. Eswatini Observer. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
- ^ EFT Reporter. "Eswatini Invites Jewish Investors to Stimulate Economic Growth". eswatinifinancialtimes.africa. Eswatini Financial Times. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
- ^ Religious Demography. "2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Eswatini". state.gov. U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
- ^ Jewish Telegraphic Agency. "Swaziland Premier to Visit Israel". jta.org. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
- ^ Jewish Telegraphic Agency. "Israel, Swaziland Sign Treaty of Cooperation". jta.org. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
- ^ World Jewish Congress. "Israeli and Jewish leaders received by King of Swaziland". worldjewishcongress.org. World Jewish Congress. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
- ^ Katz, Ant. "Swazi, Israeli PMs meet on expanding relations". sajr.co.za. South African Jewish Report. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
- ^ Anadolu Agency. "Is Israel moving its Eswatini embassy back from South Africa?". middleeastmonitor.com. Middle East Monitor. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
- ^ The Cape Independent. "Israel looks to move its Swazi embassy back to Mbabane from Pretoria". capeindependent.com. The Cape Independent. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
- ^ Nkambule, Mfanukhona. "Israel's Interest in Establishing Embassy in Eswatini". times.co.sz. Times of Swaziland. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
- ^ Rutman, Yisrael. "The Royal Jew From Swaziland". aish.com. Aish HaTorah. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
- ^ Halberstam, Yitta. "The Prince of Light: The Story of an African Prince Who Left Royalty and Fortune to Pursue a Torah Lifestyle". jewishaction.com. Jewish Action. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
- ^ Eller, Sandy. "Better Together: Learning with the Swazi Prince". mishpacha.com. Mishpacha Magazine.
- ^ Moriah, Rosalie. "Rabbi Natan Gamedze". ohr.edu. Ohr Someach. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
- ^ Cohen, Leon. "Power of Hebrew, passion for truth led African prince to become a rabbi". jewishchronicle.org. The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
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