Thehistory of theJews ofEswatini, formerlySwaziland.
Before and duringthe 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 namesKirsh and Goldblatt will be remembered long after their time" referring to two well-known Jewish Swazi entrepreneurs. Kalman Goldblatt who later changed his name toKal Grant came fromLithuania 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. SomeHolocaust survivors settled in Swaziland. Jews have experienced hardly any anti-Semitism. A notable Jew wasStanley Sapire,Chief Justice of theSwazi Court of Appeal.[4]
The Jewish community, headed by Geoff Ramokgadi[5][6][7] in 2024, is affiliated with theAfrican 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 MinisterRussell Mmiso Dlamini invited Jewish investors to come and invest in Eswatini. He extended this invitation during a meeting with theAmerican Jewish Committee in New York.[10][11]
Eswatini has had official uninterrupted diplomatic ties and relations with Israel since 1968 soon after Eswatini gained full independence from Great Britain.[12]Foreign relations of Israel#Diplomatic relations
In 1978 PremierMaphevu 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 PremierMenachem Begin and Foreign MinisterMoshe Dayan and with Finance MinisterSimcha 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 theKing of Eswatini when the Israeli Ambassador Dov Segev-Steinberg presented his credentials toKing Mswati III at his official palace. The ambassador was accompanied by RabbiMoshe Silberhaft, spiritual leader of theAfrican Jewish Congress. Rabbi Silberhaft later inspected the two Jewish cemeteries in Eswatini.[15]
In 2017 Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu and his Swazi counterpart, Prime Minister DrBarnabas Sibusiso Dlamini (1942–2018) accompanied by his Agriculture Minister,Moses Vilakati met in Jerusalem. Netanyahu expressed his appreciation for Swazi KingMswati 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]
RabbiNatan Gamedze (born 1963, Swaziland, since 2018 renamed toEswatini) is aHaredi rabbi and lecturer. Born to theroyal lineage of theGamedze clan of the Kingdom of Swaziland, heconverted to Judaism, receivedrabbinic 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 (born 6 January 1932) is a South African/Swazi/Eswatinibillionaire businessman. He heads theKirsh Group, which holds a majority stake inNew Yorkcash and carry operationJetro 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'sSunday Times Rich List 2018, and was named as the wealthiest person in Eswatini byForbes.