Bulgarian Jewish History
Archeological findings indicate the presence of Jews in what is today Bulgaria as far back as the Roman period. After the establishment of the First Bulgarian Empire in 681, a number of Jews persecuted in the Byzantine Empire are believed to have settled in Bulgaria. Jews lived a thriving life in Bulgaria until WWII. Post war years led to suppression of Judaism under the communist regime, which was relaxed again in the 1970s. Click here for more from the source, World Jewish Congress.
Hebrew University demographer Sergio DellaPergola estimated that as of 2011, Bulgaria was home to between 2,000 and 6,000 Jews, out of a total population of 7,101,510. Most Jews live in Sofia but there are smaller communities in Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas and Ruse.
Jews in Present Day Croatia
Historians can trace Jewish roots to present-day Croatia since the 7th century. In the 1500s, Jews were expelled, before beginning to return in the 1700s. They lived prosperously until Nazi occupation, when anti semitism was high and many Jews either fled or were taken to concentration camps. Since the war, anti semitism continued to exist, even during the break up of Yugoslavia. Today, approximately 1,700 Jews live in Croatia, an continue to suffer sporadic antisemitism, although they are assimilated into all aspects of Croatian life.
Source: Jewish Virtual Library
| City | Rabbi of Community | Phone Number | |
| Sofia, Bulgaria | Joel Yifrach | 359-888860576 | yoel970@gmail.com |
| Zagreb, Croatia | Kotel Dadon | 385-1-4851008 | kdadon@gmail.com |