Stockholm has had presence of Jews since the 18th century. Sweden stands out as one of few European countries unaffected by the Holocaust, and has great collections of Jewish objects.
Understand
While Jews have resided in Stockholm since the height of the Swedish Empire in the 17th century, Judaism was prohibited until 1774. Jews got full civil rights in Sweden in 1870. Since 2000, Jews have been recognized as one of Sweden's national minorities, together with the Romani, Sami, Finns and Tornedalians). As of the 2020s, there are around 20,000 Jews in Sweden, many of them in Stockholm.
Destinations
- Jewish Museum (Judiska museet), Själagårdsgatan 19, 59.32387°, 18.07297°. This 17th-century building was an auction chamber until it became Stockholm's first synagogue from 1795 to 1870; the year when Jews got full civil rights, and the Great Synagogue was inaugurated. The building has among other things been used as a police station, until the Jewish Museum (on different premises since 1992) moved into the building in 2019.
- Adrat Jisrael Synagogue, S:t Paulsgatan 13, 59.3181019°, 18.0683425°. Featured in the Millennium series; see Millennium Tour.
- Great Synagogue, Wahrendorffsgatan 3B, 59.33191°, 18.07416°. Inaugurated in 1870.
- Raoul Wallenberg Monument, 59.331917°, 18.075861°. A monument near the Stockholm Synagogue commemorates Raoul Wallenberg, a diplomat who had 10,000 Jews in Budapest rescued from the Holocaust. Sweden was non-belligerent during World War II and made many concessions to Germany during the early years of the war, including iron export, and passage of German troops. As the Axis atrocities became well known, Sweden had to mend its reputation through humanitarian missions. Raoul Wallenberg travelled to Budapest, issued diplomatic passports to Jews, and housed them in Swedish embassy buildings. Wallenberg was detained by the Soviet Union in January 1945, was never found again, and was long rumoured to be alive. He was declared dead in 2016.
- Forum för levande historia, 59.325°, 18.067917°. A museum with exhibitions focused on human rights and crimes against humanity. Previous exhibitions have depicted Sweden's role in World War II in Europe and the Holocaust.
- Adat Jeschurun. Orthodox synagogue.
- Bajit, Nybrogatan 19 A, 59.3352387°, 18.0767468°. Jewish cultural centre with a library, a school, and a kosher grocer.
Cemeteries
- Aronsberg. Named for Aaron Isaac.
- Kronoberg.
- Southern Jewish cemetery. Part of Skogskyrkogården (the Woodland Cemetery), a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Northern Jewish cemetery, 59.359566°, 18.0284°.
See also