The Past, Present, and Precarious Future of Jews in Sri Lanka
The Star of David in Serendib: The Past, Present, and Precarious Future of Jews in Sri Lanka While Sri Lanka is globally renowned for its Buddhist heritage and colonial tea estates, it harbors a Jewish history that is as old as the Bible and as modern as today’s geopolitical headlines. Today, the Jewish population is a whisper of its former self-estimated at roughly 300 individuals , mostly comprised of expatriates and business owners. However, this small number belies a massive cultural footprint and a contemporary presence that has recently become a focal point of national security and diplomatic dialogue. Modern Presence: The Chabad Network and the "Arugam Bay Alert" The modern Jewish experience in Sri Lanka is largely defined by the Chabad-Lubavitch movement , which established its first permanent outpost in Colombo in 2005. By 2025, the network had expanded to five locations, primarily serving the thousands of Israeli surfers and backpackers who frequent the isla...