About this talk

The Jewish communities in Sweden and in Norway date back to the 18th and 19th centuries respectively, when Jews were legally permitted to reside in these bordering Christian kingdoms. Join us as we explore the beauty of Norway and Sweden and talk about the countries' brief, yet important, Jewish history.

We will speak about the first Jews who settled in these lands and the growth of Jewish life in the first half of the 20th century. We will also compare the different fates of both communities during WWII. While Norway was under Nazi occupation, neutral Sweden served as a haven for many Norwegian and other European Jews escaping the Holocaust. As a consequence, today's Swedish Jewish community comprises around 20,000 members, which makes it the 7th largest in the European Union.

Our conversation will also cover the miraculous survival of an Oslo Synagogue during the war, the re-establishment of the Jewish community and the revival of Jewish life in Norway after the liberation. Finally, we will discuss modern-day antisemitism and views towards Israel in the Scandinavian societies today.

About Evgenia