Tell me more ×
Mi Yodeya is a question and answer site for those who base their lives on Jewish law and tradition and anyone interested in learning more. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 8 down vote favorite

There was once a very thriving Jewish community available in Pakistan. There was a Synagogue in the port city of Karachi as well till 1985.

What is the current situation now? What if someone would like to meet a Rabbi to learn about Judaism in Pakistan?

share|improve this question
1  
This link might be of help. Not sure: jewishrefugees.blogspot.com/2005/09/… – avi Feb 21 '12 at 9:45
I very well aware of that link. Thanks anyway. What i am looking for is an expert Rabbi or an established Synagogue in Pakistan. – Maxood Feb 21 '12 at 9:52
5  
Islamic goverments tend not to be fond of rabbis but if you go to India you will find some – simchastorah Feb 21 '12 at 12:34
1  
actually NO!! since the so called Arab spring All of the community is held up in a Hotel under the protection of the current President who is today being replaced partly because of his support of the Jews after one rabbi was Murdered and the President insisted that it go to court because a Jew getting killed would not he got the death penalty but suddenly the Murderer escaped from prison and was never found as the revolution went on – simchastorah Feb 23 '12 at 12:48
1  
you choose a topic which I happen to know a bit about but with the exception of the president no one is fond of the Jews in Yemen no Tunisia until the burning of the Shul maybe and Morocco the king is but he is the exception to the rule as is Bahrain where there is a Jewish women in their parliament – simchastorah Feb 23 '12 at 12:49
show 3 more comments

1 Answer

up vote 7 down vote accepted

According to this site:

Magen Shalome, built by Shalome Solomon Umerdekar and his son Gershone Solomon, Karachi’s last synagogue, was demolished in the 1980s to make way for a shopping plaza. Most of the Karachi Jews now live in Ramle, Israel, and built a synagogue they named Magen Shalome. Some Jewish families do remain, but they prefer to pass themselves off as Parsis due to the intolerance for Jews in Muslim Pakistan. Their number is estimated to be around 200 persons.

According to wiki:

The original Ark and podium were stored by a non-Jew in Karachi; a Torah scroll case was taken by an American Jewess to the US. In 2004 she donated synagogue registers covering the period 1961-1976 to the Ben-Zvi Institute Library in Jerusalem. Two silver Kiddush glasses from Magain Shalome were donated to the Museum of the International Synagogue at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York in honour of the memory of the late president.

share|improve this answer
Here is a great link of the memorable Synagogue here: haroonhaider.com/2010/09/13/…. I really wish if i can meet some Jewish families in Karachi. :) – Maxood Feb 21 '12 at 15:52

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.