History of the Jews in Malaysia
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| approximately 100 (2008) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan, Penang | |
| Languages | |
| English, Malay (Judeo-Malay), Hebrew, Persian, Arabic, Portuguese, Malayalam | |
| Religion | |
| Judaism |
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| Jews and Judaism |
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The history of the Jews in Malaysia dates back to the 1700s. Jews have lived in Malaysia either as immigrants or born in the country. The state of Penang was once home to a Jewish community, until the late 1970s, by which time most had emigrated. Growing racial and religious hostility in Malaysia as a result of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict has caused many Malaysian Jews to leave the country. The Malaysian Jewish community consists of Sephardic Jews who live discreetly amongst the Kristang people (Malacca-Portuguese), Mizrahi Jews (the majority of whom are Baghdadi Jews), Cochin Jews, and Ashkenazi Jews.