 |
The Virtual Jewish History TourBotswana
By Ariel ScheibApproximately 100 Jews live in Botswana today. Nearly all of the Jewish community live in Gaborone. The majority of the Jewish community is Israeli and work in agriculture, business and industry. On the High Holidays, a rabbi is provided for the community by the South African Jewish Board of Deputies. Because there is no established synagogue, services are either conducted in one of the congregants’ houses or in a communal center. Sometimes Friday night Shabbat services are held, with one of the congregants leading the prayers. Jews are buried in non-Jewish cemeteries. In 1993, Israel and Botswana renewed diplomatic relations after several years of disagreement. Israel is represented in Botswana by the Israeli ambassador in Zimbabwe. Contact Numbers: Sources: World Jewish Congress International Jewish Cemetery Project Maps: CIA. |
 |
