Namibiese Jode Namibische Juden | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Total population | |
| 100[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Namibia | |
| Languages | |
| English,Afrikaans,German,Yiddish,Hebrew | |
| Religion | |
| Judaism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| South African Jews |
Part ofa series on the |
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| History ofNamibia |
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Thehistory of theJews inNamibia (formerlySouth West Africa and before thatGerman South West Africa) goes back a little more than one and a half centuries. Non-existent in Namibia before the 19th century, Jews played an important if minor role in the history of Namibia since that point in time, despite their continuous small population.[1] The most famous Namibian Jew was "businessman, philanthropist and Jewish communal leader"Harold Pupkewitz (1915–2012).[2]
In the mid-19th century,Jewish merchants fromCape Town named the De Pass brothers became the first Jews in what is nowNamibia when they established a trading post on the Namaqualand coast. The De Pass brothers began the Pomona Copper Company inPomona, Namibia in 1861. After Namibiabecame a German colony in the late 19th century, more Jews established connections (such as business ventures) in Namibia. However, under German rule, only about 100 Jews lived in Namibia, most of whom lived inSwakopmund. After theGerman defeat inWorld War I, the newly createdLeague of Nations gaveSouth Africa a mandate overNamibia.[1] The Jewish population of Namibia (which had close relations with theJews in South Africa)[3] began increasing after this point, and there were 400 to 500 Jews living in Namibia (mostly inWindhoek) in 1965 (Jews were still less than one percent of the totalWhite population in Namibia during this time, though).[1]
Because theLeague of Nations mandate for Namibia was cancelled by theUnited Nations and the fact thatNamibia became independent, the Jewish population in Namibia dramatically declined since 1965,[dubious –discuss] with only 60 to 100[4] Jews living in Namibia today.[1] Despite this extremely low number of Jews, Windhoek "has a Hebrew congregation dating from 1917, asynagogue built in 1925, aTalmud Torah, a communal hall, an activeZionist movement supported by generous contributions, and the only Jewish minister in the territory." Other than at Windhoek, the only other place in Namibia today where Jews live in isKeetmanshoop, where about twelve Jewish families currently live.[1]
