The less than 1,000 Jews living on the small island nation of Taiwan today barely make a dent in its population of 23.5 million people. One of the smallest Jewish communities in Asia and perhaps the world, Jews in Taiwan have a far different history from its regional counterparts, particularly given its status in a religiously free and democratic nation. A place of little interest and limited access for Jewish business people before 1949, there were no Jewish dynasties that attracted Jewish workers, or made large contributions to help establish a synagogue at that time, unlike in China, Hong Kong and Singapore. Jews did not seek refuge in Taiwan during World War II; the island, as a Japanese colony, was generall not visited by foreigners. Significant Jewish presence and history began after 1949.

The community in early days was marked by military aid and a largely transitory population that waxed and waned with the economy; in later days, the community at large struggled to attract significant numbers and with finances as China’s economy boomed; however, those who stayed became further intermeshed with the local community, marrying locals and starting families. Whereas at the community’s beginning the population was largely transnational, it has today become further interwoven with local society and will soon spawn a generation of Taiwanese-Jewish leaders with far different cultural experiences and understandings from their parents. Each of the stages of the Taiwan Jewish Community’s history have shaped its current image and religious flavor and diversity.

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