Since more than 1,500 years ago, kānaka maoli (Native Hawaiians) have welcomed immigrants from every corner of the globe, cultivating and perpetuating a tapestry of diverse cultures. In the 12th and final article in this series on the many cultures that comprise Hawai‘i, we will focus on the Jewish immigrants, their arrival to the Hawaiian islands, their traditions and celebrations such as Hanukkah (Chanukah).
Jewish Arrival in Hawai‘i
Though there are no official records of the very first Jewish person to Hawai‘i, the earliest record of Jewish people coming to the islands dates back to 1798, when a British whaling ship log revealed that King Kamehameha I brought a “Jew cook” on the boat with him.
In the century to follow, Jewish merchants would immigrate to Hawai‘i, hailing primarily from San Francisco, England and Germany. These merchants traded their goods and supported sugar and coffee plantations.
The Jewish population in Hawai‘i would continue to grow, and from the first recorded presence, Jewish travelers cultivated relationships with Hawaiian royalty. For example, traveler Elias Abraham Rosenberg presented King Kalākaua with the gift of a Torah scroll in 1886.
Though various community organizations were started, most did not last more than a few years, until Temple Emanu-El in Honolulu was established in 1960, offering the Jewish community a religious center and gathering place. Today, Jewish people are estimated to make up around .6% of Hawai‘i’s total population.
Culture and Traditions
Jewish culture and traditions casually manifest in weekly Shabbat (Sabbath), celebrated by families on Friday nights, complete with braided challah bread. Many Jewish congregations support Hawai‘i’s Jewish community throughout the islands. A major one is Temple Emanu-El in Honolulu, with local Chabad houses offering Shabbat meals and other services on O‘ahu, Maui, Kaua‘i and Hawai‘i Island. Jewish culture and tradition culminates in Hanukkah, an eight-day celebration that follows the Hebrew calendar and generally takes place in December. During Hanukkah, or Festival of Lights, a menorah is lit every night, children spin dreidels and beloved foods such as latkes (small, fried potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jam-filled doughnuts) are eaten.
Celebrations
This year, Hanukkah takes place Dec. 4 to 12. Chabad of Hawai‘i will host an annual celebration in Waikīkī with public menorah lightings and parades. Chabad of Maui and the Kaua‘i Jewish Center host celebrations on their respective islands, and other local Chabad centers and community groups host celebrations throughout the islands.
For more information, visit Chabad of Hawai‘i’s website (chabadofhawaii.com), as well as Generations Magazine’s Facebook page (facebook.com/genmag808) and website calendar (generations808.com/calendar) for community events.
Generations Magazine hopes you enjoyed this two-year-long duology about some of Hawai‘i’s cultures—the threads that make up the vibrant human tapestry of our island communities.
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