Kosher and Jewish Life in Reykjavik

From the eleventh century, Icelanders have called the Jews Gyðingar, a derivative of Guð (God). The Gyðinga Saga, the Saga of the Jews, was written in the thirteenth century. It is a translation of the First Book of Maccabees and fragments from the writings of Flavius Josephus. The first Jews in Iceland were traders. Daniel Salomon, a Polish Jewish convert to Christianity, came to Iceland in 1625. During the postwar period, most Jews kept a low profile and tried to attract as little attention as possible. Most were not religious and kept to themselves. In some cases, Jews hid their origins and past from family and acquaintances. Between 50–100 Jews are living in Iceland today. In 2011, the community gathered for a Passover seder organized by Chabad, and also held Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur services in Reykjavik. These were the first formal services with a rabbi and a Torah scroll held in the city since the end of World War II, according to community members. According to the rabbi, it was the first time some of them had heard a shofar. The Jewish community has discussed applying for official recognition, which would make it eligible for state funding, but no decision has been reached.