THE JEWISH COMMUNITY ON THE CHANNEL ISLANDS

 

The Channel Islands are a group of islands in the English Channel, off the coast of Normandy, France. They comprise two separate political entities, the Bailiwick of Guernsey (which also includes a number of smaller islands) and the Bailiwick of Jersey.  Although they are not technically part of the United Kingdom (they do not send representatives to the Parliament in Westminster), they are British crown dependencies.

The Channel Islands were the only British territory occupied by Nazi Germany during the Second World War, and the few Jews that remained behind during the occupation, suffered the same fate as their co-religionists on the European continent.

Although there is a small number of Jewish families on the island of Guernsey, the only organised Jewish congregations have been exclusively on the island of Jersey.  Theses are:

Jersey Old Hebrew Congregation, St Helier After the synagogue of the above congregation fell into disuse, those Jewish families remaining on the island lived openly as Jews and continued to hold religious services in private homes. Subsequently following congregation was established. Jersey Jewish Congregation, St Brelade

Articles on the Channel Islands Community

The Rise of Provincial Jewry - Channel Islands by Cecil Roth, 1950. Available on JCR-UK as part of the Susser Archive.

References to the Jersey Jewish community in the Jewish Press 1843 to 1936, compiled by Harold Pollins

References to the Jersey Jewish community in the Jewish Press from 1961, compiled by Harold Pollins

Jewish Population Data (Jersey)

1847 1965 1990 2004

-  42 (Roth - The Rise of Provincial Jewry)  -  60 (Jewish Year Book 1966)  - 150 (Jewish Year Book 1991)  - 120 (Jewish Year Book 2005)

Jewish Population Data (Guernsey)

1990 2004

- 9 families (Jewish Year Book 1991)  - 7 families (Jewish Year Book 2005)

Other Channel Islands Information

Jewish Property and Heritage & Places of Local Interest 

Bibliography, Local Research Libraries and Other Sources

IAJGS Cemetery Project - Jersey Cemetery Information
 

Formatted for JCR-UK by David Shulman
Last Updated 2 August 2009