Jews first arrived on Malaysian soil way back in the 11th century. Jewish Malaysians could be found well into the 18th century in the cosmopolitan bazaars of Malacca.

Baghdadi Jews came to Penang at the turn of the 19th century under British rule.  After World War 1, there was an influx of Jews, but during world War 11, these Jews were evacuated to Singapore.

Penang’s only synagogue, located on 28, Nagore Road, was opened in 1929. The last Jewish prayers were held at the Penang synagogue in 1976. Since the 1970s many of Malaysian Jews have emigrated to other countries.  Approximately 100 Jews reside in Malaysia, mostly refugees from Russia.

However, despite the anti-semitism in Malaysia, Israeli economic relations with Malaysia were in excess of $1,529 billion  by 2013. The main Israeli exports are computer parts.^I