An Indonesian synagouge in the town of Tondano, North Sulawes.

By Sam Kestenbaum April 27, 2017

Across the archipelago of Indonesia, a more intolerant strain of Islam has risen in recent years, which may cause challenges for a small community of Jews here.

Jews in this Muslim-majority country worship in secret, according to a recent AFP report, and can face faith-based intolerance. According to the AFP, the politics of Israel can play a role here in religious divides.

“Problems between Israelis and Palestinians are a liability for me — when someone is stabbed there, it makes me uneasy here,” Indonesian rabbi Benjamin Verbrugge said. Verbrugge is head of United Indonesian Jewish Community an outreach group for “Jews by choice and Jewish descendants,” according to the organization’s website.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

The UIJC estimate there are around 200 practicing Judaism who are “believed to be the descendants of traders from Europe and Iraq who came to Asia to trade,” the AFP reported

But much of the Jewish activity here has a more recent history worth noting.

According to a Dutch website associated with the Jewish Historical Museum, in recent years, small communities throughout Indonesia have shown “tremendous dedication and thirst to know the truth and to seriously return to the faith of their ancestors.”

Since at least 2012, a series of Israeli, Australian and American rabbis have acted as religious guides of sorts, including facilitating religious conversions to Judaism. These Jews from abroad were “moved by this strange wave of Indonesians celebrating Shabbat and praying to the G-d of Israel,” according to the website.

Email Sam Kestenbaum at kestenbaum@forward.com and follow him on Twitter at @skestenbaum

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount