The Czechs in Israel are people who have immigrated from the Czech lands, mostly from the former Czechoslovakia, as well as their descendants. Czechs in Israel are predominantly Ashkenazi Jews who made aliyah during the 20th century.
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| Czech-born residents 50,220 (2001 Census) 90,000 (2009 ONS estimate) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Jerusalem, Gush Dan and either places from Israel, especially Kfar Masaryk | |
| Languages | |
| Yiddish, Czech, Hebrew, Czenglish | |
| Religion | |
| Judaism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
History
editIn 1968, Israel relaxed immigration for refugees from Soviet-occupied Czechoslovakia, both Jewish and non-Jewish. Interfaith families and couples were granted the same rights and responsibilities as other immigrants.[1]
The Czech-Israeli journalist Ruth Bondy has written a book exploring the lives of Czech-born Jews in Israel. Bondy has written that Czech Jews in Israel have developed a reputation for being "square" and law-abiding.[2]
In the 1940s and 1950s, Jewish immigrants from Czechoslovakia, many of them survivors of The Holocaust, took part in founding twenty communities in Israel.
Notable people
editIn addition, a considerable number of people of Czech and Slovak origin settled in existing Israeli towns and cities. Israeli people of Czech descent include:
Cuisine
editThe "Little Prague" restaurant chain in Israel serves traditional Czech cuisine.[3]
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ "Israel Opens Gates to Czechs; Allon Explains New Immigration Functions". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 4 September 1968. Retrieved 2020-09-03.
- ^ "Dreaming of Dumplings in the Camps: The Forgotten Culture of Czech Jewry". Haaretz. Retrieved 2020-09-03.
- ^ "Dining: ...drink at Little Prague". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2020-09-03.
