In World War II, 60 Polish-Jewish families went to Nyasaland, then under British colonial rule and today known as modern day Malawi, arriving via Iran to escape the Holocaust. After the war, however, most of these Polish Jews left the area. By 1959, only twelve Jewish individuals were living in Malawi. In 1941 as German forces neared Cyprus, 270 Jews were subsequently shipped to Nyasaland. A hundred” Jewish refugees from Cyprus were shipped via Palestine to Nyasaland during World War II.

David Bisnowaty is the Israeli-born son of an eastern European Holocaust survivor and a parliament member in Malawi. Bisnowaty, who represents the Lilongwe City Center constituency, said he believes he is the only Jewish citizen of the country of more than 16 million people. More than 80 percent of Malawians are Christians, while close to 15 percent are Muslim.

“Malawians love Jews and Israel,” Bisnowaty said. “Malawi has always had very strong ties with Israel as it was the first country to send doctors and agricultural people to Malawi unconditionally.”