Jewish life in the country dates back to the early 17th century, when Jews from Amsterdam and Hamburg were invited to settle in the country by Denmark’s King Christian IV. Many of the Jews in Denmark served as financiers for the royal family or in trading and manufacturing. Danish Jews achieved civic rights in 1814 and citizenship in 1849. A smaller proportion of Denmark’s Jews were killed during the Holocaust than in other countries, partly as a result of the efforts of the Danish Resistance which shuttled thousands of Jews to safety in Sweden.
The nation of Denmark is currently home to a Jewish community of 6,400 to 8,500. The country’s Jewish community is diverse, encompassing both religious and secular Jews and supporting several synagogues and community organizations as well as a school.
February 19, 2019