Jews first settled in Eritrea in the late 19th century, emigrating from Yemen. Many Jews came to the country in search of economic and commercial opportunities. In 1905, the Asmara Hebrew Congregation was formed. During the 1930s, many Jews arrived in Eritrea fleeing Nazi persecution in Europe.

The last wedding celebrated at the Asmara Hebrew Congregation was in the 1950’s. During that decade the Jewish congregation numbered more than 500. On the High Holidays, Jews came from all over Africa to the synagogue for services. In 1948, many Jews left Eritrea when Israel gained its independence. Nevertheless, the majority of the Jewish community left the country in the 1970s during its thirty year battle with Ethiopia for independence. In 1975, the Rabbi and much of the community were evacuated. By then, only 150 Jews remained in Eritrea.

Asmara today has only one permanent Jewish resident, Sami Cohen, who has long maintained the cemetery and synagogue despite his family’s departure in the 1990s. The Cohen family immigrated to Eritrea around 1900. It is often difficult to get enough people together for a minyan, Israeli diplomats and UN officials occasionally make up the difference. The Jewish cemetery is located on a hill just on the outskirts of Asmara. The cemetery has not had a burial since 1996 and contains about 150 graves.

In January 2018, Dozens of gravestones were toppled and defaced in the Jewish cemetery, marking the first reported act of vandalism at the site. Photos of the destruction were shared with Jewish news outlets, though no arrests have been made.

Although, Judaism is not an officially recognized religion in Eritrea, Jews have never been persecuted in Eritrea.

Sources: “Eritrea’s last two Jews struggle with solitude,” kulanu.org.
Southern Africa Jewish Genealogy, jewishgen.org.
Ed Harris, “Asmara’s last Jew recalls ‘good old days,’” BBC News, (April 30, 2006).
“Gravestones vandalized at Jewish cemetery in Eritrea,” Times of Israel, (January 16, 2018).

Map: CIA Factbook.

Eritrea Virtual Jewish History Tour