- History of the Jews in Fiji
The history of the Jews in Fiji is intertwined with the settlement of the
Fiji islands by European explorers and settlers.Henry Mark, at the age of 20, was the first Jew to settle in Fiji in 1881. Mark was originally a native of
Australia and instituted an extensive commercial enterprise throughout the region. Mark would later be joined by Jews fromIndia , theMiddle East , and other localities in Asia.There are currently three
cemeteries in Fiji, located inMomi (private cemetery),Ovalau Island (Levuka), and Suva (old cemetery) with Jewish inscriptions on thetombstones , dating back to the first Jewish settlers in the 1800s.Nearly all of about sixty persons of Jewish descent live in the Fiji Islands live in the capital city of
Suva .Background
Fiji is a group of islands, scattered in thePacific Ocean . It encompasses 332islands , which expands over 18,000 sq. km. Today, the population of Fiji is 905,949 (July 2006 estimate) of which 48% are Fijian (natives), 45% Indians (Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians), and the remainder are of various ethnicities and nationalities with approximately 60Jew s.Present
Until the recent establishment of the Fiji Jewish Association there was little organized activity among the Jewish population. There still remains limited religious life among these Jews; however, the Israeli Embassy does hold an annual
Passover Seder , which accommodates 50 to 60 people.Kosher food is imported from Australia.Israel and Fiji enjoy full diplomatic relations. In May 2002, the then Fiji Prime Minister,
Laisenia Qarase , agreed with the Israeli Ambassador, H. E. Ruth Kahanoff that the two countries should strengthen their ties though they are so far apart geographically. While there is an Israeli Embassy in Fiji, the Israeli Ambassador inCanberra ,Australia represents Israeli interests in Fiji.ee also
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History of the Jews in Australia
*History of the Jews in New Zealand External links
* [http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vjw/fiji.html] The Virtual Jewish History Tour - Fiji Islands
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