Guernsey

Information

CJC Vice President: Darren Vogel

Demography

There are approximately 60 Jewish residents in Guernsey.

History

It is believed that the first recorded Jewish person from Guernsey was a man in London called Abraham, in 1277.

The Governor of Guernsey in 1482 was Edward Brampton, a Portuguese converso.

The rest of Jewish Guernsey history is much like that of Jersey.

During WW2, the local authorities collabored with the Nazis, resulting in the round-up of the Jewish community, small as it was. This collaboration was covered up for decades and only came to light recently.

The current congregation was established in 1962.

Community Life

There is no synagogue in Guernsey. Some Jews have associated with the larger community on Jersey.

The Jews of Guernsey are however in loose communication with each other and come together from time to time to mark significant Jewish events like Chanukah candle-lighting and to work with the Guernsey authorities to mark Holocaust remembrance which, exceptionally, takes place on the island on the day marked out by Jews in spring - Yom Hashoah - rather than the more common International Holocaust Memorial Day in January, as a result of local Jewish representation. More recently, local Jews have organised themselves to confront unacceptable anti-Israel sentiment arising from the October 7th Hamas massacres and the ensuing war. 

Kashrut

Education

Youth

Affiliations

Commonwealth Jewish Council