Penangite Jews
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The Penangite Jews (Malay: Yahudi Pulau Pinang), or Malaysian Jews (Yahudi Malaysia), are terms used to refer to Jews living in Malaysia, mainly in the state of Penang. Yet, they can also be found elsewhere in the nation, especially in Kuala Lumpur. The Penang Jews consist mainly of Oriental Jews (the majority of whom are Baghdadi Jews), as well as European Jews (Ashkenazi Jews). There are also a handful of Chinese Jews from Kaifeng, China. The Kaifeng Jews fled their Chinese homeland mainly during the anti-religious Communist take-over of mainland China from the Nationalist Chinese in 1949.
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[edit] History
The first known Jew to settle in Penang was believed to have been Ezekiel Menassah, who emigrated from Baghdad in 1895, despite many historians' contradition (based on the dates given at the Jewish Cemetery on the island) proving that the Penang Jewish community's existence dating back to 1805. Menassah remained the only Jew in Malaysia for 30 years, and he continued to observe Jewish holidays and keep up with kashrut. After World War I, more Jews began to settle in Malaysia. Then during World War II, the Jewish community was evacuated to Singapore, fearing Japanese imprisonment and ill-treatment. By 1963, only 20 Jewish families remained in Malaysia. Penang's only synagogue closed down in 1976 because, according to the George Town, Malaysia - SE Asia for Visitors website, the synagogue "could no longer muster the requisite ten men above the age of 12 needed to perform religious ceremonies." [1] In other words, this suggests the decreasing number of Jews living in Malaysia, due to their migration to other countries in the 1970s and had made it impossible to perform Jewish ceremonies - such as bar mitzvah. Furthermore, since the Arab-Israeli conflict, many Malaysian Muslims sympathised with the Palestinians and demonised the Israelis, which resulted in many Jews fearing suppression and decided to emigrate elsewhere. Instead, the Penang Jews go to Singapore as the nearest destination to fulfill such requirements, and only gather in Penang for events such as attending Jewish funerals.
[edit] Penang Jews today
Today, there are about 100 Jews residing in Malaysia. Most of the Jews living in Malaysia are refugees from Russia. The Penang Jews are mainly educators and business people. On the island of Penang itself, there was once a tiny Jewish congregation, but it is said that there is no Jewish community left in Penang, most of whom have emigrated to Singapore. Richard Chang [2] is a popular contemporary Malaysian Jewish celebrity, but he is currently living in New York City. Alhtough the descendants of Penang Jews today are mainly seen in Singapore, they are also many of them in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom and United States (especially in New York) but their numbers are unknown. Although Israelis are forbidden to enter Malaysia at present (other than if they've provided special permit to enter Malaysia by the Malaysian government e.g. if it's a sports player playing for a sports event), Jews of other nationalities are welcome to enter the nation. Further details can be obtained from the APRICOT2001: KUALA LUMPUR website [3] or the Malaysia Airlines magazine. Although many Malaysian Muslims remain hostile towards Israel, the Jews are free to practise their religion without interruption or persecution - as the Malaysian constitution guarantees all the freedom of worship.
The majority of the Penang Jews speak Malay and English, whilst the others speak Yiddish, Persian, Hebrew and possibly Arabic.
[edit] Jewish cemetery
The Jewish Cemetery in Penang is believed to be the oldest single Jewish cemetery in the country, if not in the entire region of southeast Asia. The oldest Jewish tombstone is dated 1805 and the most recent being 1976. It is the only cemetery established solely for the once small and thriving Jewish community in Peninsular Malaysia, although there may be a few Jewish graves in other non-Jewish cemeteries. The Jewish Cemetery is located in George Town at the formerly Jewish Street (Jalan Yahudi) - now Jalan Zainal Abidin. The oldest legible gravestone in the Jewish Cemetery is predated 1805 with the latest being 1976. The cemetery in Penang also has one of the largest number of Jewish graves interred in one specific area, numbering around approximately 70 graves (The Northam Road Cemetery holds 95 graves), including that of a Jewish British officer killed during the Second World War. Five other "military" graves are reputed to contain the remains of six Jewish servicemen killed in action while fighting the Japanese in Malaya during World War II.
[edit] Notable Penangite Jews
- Charles Ephraim - leader of the Jewish community in Penang. [1]
- Richard Chang - Malaysian Jewish actor who is now living in New York.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ http://goasia.about.com/library/weekly/aa061001c.htm
- ^ http://www.kakiseni.com/articles/people/MDU3MA.html
- ^ http://www.apricot.net/apricot2001/about/malaysia.html
