When you think of Alaska, a thriving Jewish community doesn’t immediately come to mind. However, when you look at the history of the 49th state of America, Jewish influence can be seen throughout.
The history of Jews living in Alaska can be traced to the mid-1800s when Jews from Imperial Russia lived there. The first organised community was created in Dawson City, now in Canada, when the Klondike and Nome gold rushes attracted many to seek their fortunes as miners and businessmen.
During the Second World War, there were talks about creating a Jewish refugee resettlement programme in Alaska, but it never came to be, but this idea was the basis for the bestselling novel The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabon.
More Jewish Americans ended up in Alaska during and after the war because of the many military bases located inside the state. Elmendorf Air Force Base (now Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson) had a rotating Jewish chaplain. In 1974, the then Jewish chaplain built Alaska’s first mikvah at Elmendorf.
When you look at the conditions of Alaska, it can be hard to imagine keeping a Jewish community stable. In the summer, Shabbat doesn’t begin until after 11pm and doesn’t end until early on Sunday morning. In the winter, Shabbat can start as early as 3.20pm, but then you must deal with the large amounts of snow, and with moose and other wildlife as you head to the synagogue. Kosher food must be flown in, and sometimes those deliveries don’t arrive on time.
But the so-called Frozen Chosen have been thriving. More than 5,000 Jews live in Alaska, and almost every community reports a growth in membership and participation.
One of the most unique aspects of Jewish life in Alaska is the importance of community. Jewish Alaskans often rely on each other for support and friendship, especially in smaller communities. They also work together to create a sense of Jewish identity and belonging in a remote and often challenging environment.
A majority of communities and congregations don’t have a full-time rabbi. The synagogues in Fairbanks and Juneau will have a student rabbi stay during the summer and High Holidays but they flock back south when the cold inevitably comes.
During the rest of the year, the congregants run these communities.
Congregation Or Hatzafon, the Reform community in Fairbanks, is run by Thad Keener during the year. Keener said that living in Fairbanks, which can sometimes reach -40C degrees (-40F), has helped create a closer community.
“There is a very tight-knit, supportive, caring community here,” Keener said. “In a very real sense, we have developed our own practice that works for our community and has worked for 40 years, easily.”
The Juneau Jewish community originally held services within a local church until it could purchase its building 20 years ago. The community now has more than 50 members, and its membership is at an all-time high.
“We anticipate it to remain at this level over the next few years. We do outreach and welcome Jewish members of the legislature, legislators and staff, to think of Congregation Sukkat Shalom as their home temple during the [legislative] session,” said Patricia Turner Custard, the lay adviser and board member of Congregation Sukkat Shalom.
In the Kenai Peninsula, there is a small congregation called Briat Elohim, which first started with a Chanukah gathering in 1983, and three Jewish families showed up. They officially became a non-profit organisation in 1991 and then affiliated with the Reform movement in 2003. Paula Bute, one of the founding members, said she started to look for other Jewish Kenai residents so her own child could understand who he is and be part of a community.
The Wolfs meet with Jewish military personnel in Fairbanks (Chabad)
“If you live outside Anchorage, as we do, you are pretty much on your own. Alaska is a huge state. We live almost 200 miles from Anchorage, and there are no superhighways. The road to Anchorage for us is through the mountains, so it’s a fairly long trip,” Bute said.
“For our bar and bat mitzvah children, we have taught them ourselves how to read Hebrew and how to read their parshas. In a few cases, we have been able to have rabbis come down to our area to facilitate the service and bring a Torah scroll.
“In other cases, after studying at home, our children have travelled to congregations either in Anchorage or outside the state to become bar/bat mitzvah.”
There are only four synagogues in the state with a full-time rabbi. Two of them are located in the most populated city, Anchorage: Congregation Beth Sholom, a reform synagogue, and the Lubavitch Jewish Center of Alaska, a Chabad community,
Both synagogues run pre-schools, youth programming and community events. Kosher food is available, albeit limited. There is even an Alaska Jewish Museum that tells the stories of Alaska’s Jewish residents and their contributions to the development of Alaska’s industries, government and culture from territorial days to the present.
Roughly an hour north of Anchorage lies the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, where another Chabad synagogue was created in 2016 and is led by Rabbi Greenberg’s son, Rabbi Mendy Greenberg.
Rabbi Heshy Wolf shares Passover Shmurah Matzah in Fairbanks Alaska (Chabad)
As seen with Chabad’s recent expansion to Fairbanks, Jewish interest in Alaska continues to grow. Last month, Chabad of Fairbanks opened its new synagogue, and they are planning to host Shabbat meals, holiday celebrations, educational classes and youth programmes. The synagogue is run by Rabbi Heshy Wolf and his wife, Chani.
Alaska’s Jewish community is a testament to the resilience and adaptability of the Jewish people. They have created a vibrant and welcoming community in a remote and often challenging environment. As Alaska continues to grow and develop, the Jewish community will undoubtedly play an essential role in the state’s future.
