history jews mauritius judaism minor religion mauritius jews arrived israel 1940s denied entry palestine currently jews total mauritius jewish cemetery history world war september atlantic pacific picked jews vienna prague romania sent palestine jews arrived palestine came entry permits subsequently denied entry british government specifically sir high commissioner british decided immigrants trinidad mauritius british colonies november ship carrying jews mauritius accidentally bombed wanted jews stay palestine intentions ship fatalities injuries capacity french ship british boat increased capacity number surviving jews sent camp remaining refugees atlantic initially imprisoned sent mauritius december arrived sent camp camp suffered tropical diseases inadequate food clothing jewish organizations south african jewish board deputies sent food clothing medicine religious items initially ban interaction sexes enforced men held women adjacent iron ban lifted children born camp total prisoners died camp buried jewish section end world war given choice returning homes europe palestine chose palestine august landed present according population census jews mauritius current community unrelated 1940s bar mauritius world war took place israel center opened saint martin cemetery near jewish cemetery bodies died jewish people buried brother relates childhood experiences david little boy prague unaware existence graveyard mauritius grave recalls story life alien country result mass british refugees escaped nazi find jail tiny british island colony died disease instead creating new lives palestine israel
History of the Jews in Mauritius