Ethnic group
The
history of the Jews in Fiji
is intertwined with the settlement of the
Fiji
islands by European explorers and settlers. Most of these settlers arrive in Fiji via Australia and New Zealand.
[
citation needed
]
The population of Fiji is 905,949 (July 2006 estimate) with approximately 60
Jews
. In addition, there are close to 300 people of Jewish descent living in the Fiji Islands, principally in the capital city of
Suva
. There are currently three
cemeteries
in Fiji, located in
Momi
(private cemetery),
Ovalau Island
(Levuka), and Suva (old cemetery) with Jewish inscriptions on the
tombstones
, dating back to the first Jewish settlers in the 19th century.
History
[
edit
]
19th century
[
edit
]
One of the early settlers was a merchant by the name
Alexander Schmerrill Bowman
(Hebrew name Alexander ben Shmuel) who was born on 9 Jan 1847 in
Schneidemuhle
,
Prussia
, (modern-day
Pila
in
Poland
) and died 1909 in
Sydney
,
New South Wales
,
Australia
. Bowman was of the firm Bowman and Abrahams of
Levuka
and
Lomaloma
. When he settled in Levuka, the former Capital of Fiji, he married Sara Annette Solomon on 25 July 1877 in Levuka, Fiji. She was the daughter of Phillip Solomon and Catherine Cohen. She was born 27 September 1857 in
Auckland
, New Zealand, and died 1915 in Sydney.
[2]
Another well-known figure was 20-year-old
Henry Marks
who arrived in 1881 from Australia. Marks laid the foundation of what became one of the most extensive commercial enterprises in the Western Pacific.
21st century
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]
Until the recent establishment of the Fiji Jewish Association there was little organized activity among the Jewish population. There remains limited religious life among these Jews. The Israeli Embassy holds 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
, himself of partial Jewish ancestry,
[3]
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 in
Canberra
,
Australia
represents Israeli interests in Fiji.
See also
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]
References
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]
External links
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edit
]
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Sovereign states
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Associated states
of New Zealand
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Dependencies
and other territories
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