Switzerland

DISCOVER JEWISH SWITZERLAND

Switzerland has had a Jewish community since the 13th century when French and German Jews settled in the country. Until the 14th century, Jews were allowed to live in peace so long as they paid a special tax. After the Black Death, Jews were accused of poisoning the wells and hundreds were burned at the stake as a result. Most Jews were expelled from Switzerland throughout the 15th century and by 1622, all of Switzerland except for one district had expelled Jews. Religious freedom was finally adopted in Switzerland in 1874 and many Jews from Eastern Europe immigrated to the country through the remainder of the 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1897, the First Zionist Congress was held in Basel.

During WWII, approximately 23,000 Jews found refuge in Switzerland, which remained neutral, while more than 30,000 were denied entry. Today, there are about 17,500 Jew living in Switzerland with several synagogues in Zurich, Geneva, and Basel as well as several smaller cities.

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