| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 150[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Abidjan | |
| Languages | |
| French,Hebrew | |
| Religion | |
| Judaism |
Thehistory of theJews inIvory Coast dates back at least 50 years. A small Jewish community has emerged in the capital city ofAbidjan. Most Ivorian Jews are either localconverts or foreign-born residents.[1]
The emerging Jewish community in Ivory Coast has its roots in theInternational Kabbalah Centres that have been established throughout Africa. A group ofKabbalah practitioners led by Cornet Alexandre Zouko decided to begin practicingOrthodox Judaism. Under Zouko's guidance, members of the community began to learn how todaven and observe Jewish holidays, as well as studiedHebrew. Unlike many African Jews who live in poverty, the emerging Jewish community in Abidjan is primarily middle class. The community reached out to the organization Kulanu in 2014, a group that helps isolated and emerging Jewish communities in Africa and elsewhere. Kulanu donated aSefer Torah to the community, along withsiddurim,machzorim, and otherJudaica.[2][3]
According to theU.S. Department of State, there have been no known acts ofantisemitism in Ivory Coast.[1]
In 2017, a Jewish conversion panel traveled to Abidjan to finalize theconversion of 42 people to Judaism. Converts were immersed in amikveh and male converts werecircumcised.[4]
In 2018, aChabad house was established in Abidjan to primarily serve Israeli residents and visitors.[5] The Chabad house in Abidjan is the seventh community founded by Chabad of Central Africa, which maintains a presence throughout Central and West Africa.[6]
In December 2022, representatives of Jewish communities throughout sub-Saharan Africa met in Abidjan in order to create an umbrella organization to represent Jewish communities throughout Central and West Africa. The group announced plans to build a new synagogue in Abidjan.[7]
