Sofia, Bulgaria

Archeological findings point towards a solid Jewish presence in Sofia as far back as the Roman Empire, approximately 2,000 years ago. The population predominantly consisted of Ashkenazim who emigrated from Hungary and Bavaria, and later Sephardim who fled the Inquisition. Back then they all lived in a ghetto, until it was torn down in 1890.

At the start of World War II there were approximately 25,000 Yidden in Sofia, the majority of whom survived due to the heroic efforts of brave non-Jewish Bulgarians who vehemently and publicly protested the deportations to German death camps. While they had most of their belongings confiscated and were deported to the local countryside instead, with some forced to work in labor camps, they remained on Bulgarian territory and were saved from almost certain death.

After the war’s end, 90% of Sofia survivors emigrated to Eretz Yisroel and little remained by way of Yiddishkeit. Today, Chabad Shliach Rabbi Yosef Salomon leads the kehillah of around 4,000 local Jews and while the area still boasts a “Jewish Quarter”, none of the shops and signs of yesteryear remain.

Unfortunately, the local mikvah sustained a fire which made it unusable. The entire premises was renovated with the help of Mikvah Tahara and the kehillah now has a beautiful new mikvah in its place. There are currently around 20 families using the facilities on a regular basis, with up to five Tevillos per night during the summer.