Welcome to Uncover the Lesser-Known Story of Bulgarian Jewry!

Bulgaria’s Jewish history is one of resilience, cultural richness, and a remarkable story of survival during the Holocaust that remains largely unknown.
From ancient settlements to a thriving Sephardic community, Bulgarian Jews played a significant role in the country’s history.
Yet, their fate in the 20th century was shaped by extraordinary and deeply paradoxical events — while Bulgaria aligned with Nazi Germany, it also defied Hitler by refusing to deport its own Jewish citizens.
At the same time, however, Bulgarian authorities actively participated in the deportation and destruction of Jewish communities in the occupied territories of Thrace and Macedonia.

After the war, Bulgaria became part of the Soviet-dominated socialist bloc, and the history of its Jewish community remained largely obscured behind the Iron Curtain.
Mass emigration to Israel, combined with the suppression of open historical discourse in the Communist era, contributed to the fact that the story of Bulgaria’s Jews — both their survival and the moral contradictions of the Holocaust — remains little known in the West.

This talk unveils the fascinating and complex history of Bulgarian Jewry, exploring both its deep historical roots and the conflicting narratives of World War II and beyond.