Jew(s) of Iceland

Since I came to Iceland I remember myself searching for any evidence of Jewish life here. Like many others Jewish-Israelis it is important for me to keep my tradition wherever I am, and for that I need little bit more then just myself. So, I decided to start my quest for "Kosher Iceland" to find about the Icelandic Jewish life. To my surprise I couldn't find any, and thinking about it, I didn't even recall hearing or knowing about any Jewish people living here beside Dorrit Moussaieff, Iceland's first lady which is married to Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, the Icelandic president.

Iceland's first couple

Anyway, celebrating Passover with the first lady doesn't sounds so bad, but after all, two might be enough for tango but it's certainly not enough for a real Passover meal...so the search had to continue.

Looking back at the history of Iceland, I discovered that Iceland was the first country to vote for the establishment of the state of Israel in the UN Resolution 181 on November 29, 1947 which was the decision to divide the country into two states, one Arab and one Jewish. The Jewish community accepted the plan, the Arab League rejected it and since we are in what is officially known has the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Iceland for that vote, we really needed it back then.

Beside that, Iceland for most of its history was indifferent regarding the Jews, they didn't hate us or liked us as far as I know although they refused to accept Jewish refugees during the horrors of World War II, and beside few Jews who came across the sea looking for business no others known Jews landed in the Icelandic shores.

In modern days, my arrival to Iceland had a huge impact on the Jewish population here since I'm alone about 20% of us, which makes me a "wave" of immigration of one man, think about it.

Few days ago I was introduced to a nice Icelandic lady who spoke to me in Hebrew (most Icelanders doesn't even know how to say "Hebrew" in their own language!) and told me she lived in Israel for 12 years up til 1989, it was very refreshing to find myself talking Hebrew again after almost breaking all my teeth trying to speak Icelandic, (a language which is even less useful then Hebrew...) the lady told me she personally knows 12 Israelis living in Reykjavik and she almost sure there are about twenty of us here. She told me that during the Jewish holidays most of them gather in one of their houses to celebrate together and since they don't have a synagogue it is very hard for them to arrange proper Bar/Bat Mitzva's to their kids and not to mention circumcisions for the male babies...I'm glad I past this one.





Happy with this new information, we exchanged phone numbers and she promised to introduce me to some of her Jewish friends next time I visit Reykjavik, so after all, there is still hope.

So until the next time, "La'Shana Ha'baa B'Yerushalayim!" For the next year in Jerusalem!

Getting head in Iceland

As this tiny, volcanic nation in the middle of the North Atlantic finds itself cut off from the outside world, Icelanders are wondering who, if anyone, will sail to their rescue.Their island country has never felt so alone. Its major banks have failed, its currency has collapsed, its stock market is suspended — and its leaders seem uncertain where to turn for help.

One thing is sure, Icelanders went back to their ancient Icelandic food traditions which includes eating sheep heads (Svið) by the thousands.


It's cheap, it has teeth, you can even try to kiss it!

If Icelandic food make your taste buds go wild,I'll warn you...you ain't seen nothing yet!

Next time in Iceland, make sure to get some head.