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The first Jews to visit Vietnam likely arrived following the French colonization of the country in the late 19th century. In 1954, Vietnam achieved independence as a divided state, with a communist north and a capitalist south. During the Vietnam War, temporary Jewish communities were organized throughout South Vietnam, comprised largely of United States military personnel. After the defeat of South Vietnam in 1975, almost no Jews remained in the country.[citation needed]
Gradually, as the communist government began accepting economic reforms, the number of Jewish visitors to the country increased. In 1993, Israel established diplomatic relations with Vietnam, opening an embassy in Hanoi. Every year, the embassy holds an annual humanitarian mission that sends a convoy of doctors and support staff with supplies into Vietnam’s poorest mountain regions.[1]
As of 2007, there are some 100 “Do Thai,” or Jews in Hanoi and about 200 in Ho Chi Minh City. In 2006, Chabad opened a center in Ho Chi Minh City, which is considered to be the economic center of Vietnam. It is used largely by business people and tourists from Israel and the United States.[2]
[edit] References
- ^ Cassedy, Ellen "Economic opportunities lure Jews to land of Ho Chi Minh" Jewish Telegraphic Agency 9/30/2007 http://jta.org/cgi-bin/iowa/news/article/20070930vietnamjews.html
- ^ Cassedy, Ellen "Economic opportunities lure Jews to land of Ho Chi Minh" Jewish Telegraphic Agency 9/30/2007 http://jta.org/cgi-bin/iowa/news/article/20070930vietnamjews.html
