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Jewish Life in the Czech Republic

Jewish history in the Czech lands spans over a thousand years. The Old-New Synagogue in Prague, built in 1270, is the oldest functioning synagogue in Europe. Prague was also home to the renowned Rabbi Jehuda Löw ben Bezalel, known as Maharal of Prague, whose legacy is deeply embedded in Jewish mysticism and folklore, including the legend of the Golem. During the First Czechoslovak Republic (1918–1938), Jews experienced unprecedented freedom and equality, contributing significantly to the country’s cultural and economic life. However, the Holocaust devastated the Jewish population, with only around 30,000 survivors returning to Czechoslovakia after 1945. The post-war Communist regime further suppressed Jewish life, presenting additional challenges for the community. After World War II, Jewish religious communities in the Czech lands were reestablished through a Provisional Committee representing returning members from various movements. The key factor in their restoration was the number of returning individuals interested in community activities. In areas with expelled Sudeten Germans and major cities, tensions arose with the arrival of Carpathian Jews. Many communities disbanded as members emigrated or moved to larger cities, mainly Prague. The Prague Jewish Religious Community (ŽNO) initially aimed to centralize Jewish affairs, but in September 1945, a congress of 46 communities established the Council of Jewish Religious Communities (RŽNO) under Arnošt Frischer. By 1947, 53 communities were officially recognized, with some growing due to an influx of Carpathian Jews. However, mass emigration to Israel and western countries in 1948 drastically reduced membership, threatening their viability. The Communist regime’s 1949 Church Law further restricted Jewish organizations, leading to a reorganization in 1952 that consolidated them under nine regional centers. By 1961, only three communities remained in Bohemia, and synagogal congregations replaced smaller communities. Some regained independence, such as Liberec in the 1970s. After 1989, RŽNO transformed into the Federation of Jewish Communities in the Czech Republic. Today, nine independent Jewish communities exist in Prague, Liberec, Děčín, Teplice, Karlovy Vary, Plzeň, Brno, Olomouc, and Ostrava. Today, the Federation of Jewish Communities in the Czech Republic (FJC) represents nine Jewish communities across the country, with approximately 3,000 registered members. FJC and its affiliated organizations continue to preserve Jewish heritage, foster cultural engagement, and provide essential services to the community.