Waikato


The Waikato Jewish Association (WJA) was formally established on 16 March 1996 by a small local group of long-time Jewish residents of Hamilton. It is a community organisation which has been continually active since its inception. Although there is no synagogue or other visible Jewish establishment in the Waikato or Bay of Plenty, the Association is publicly listed in the Hamilton City Council’s Register of Community Organisations and with the Citizen’s Advice Bureau. The WJA comprises Jewish families and individuals in the Waikato and Bay-of-Plenty region. This community includes both New Zealand-born Jews and émigrés from the four corners of the globe. The WJA represents a cross-section of people from different backgrounds, nationalities, ages and professions who range across a spectrum of religious and political views. The Association also liaises with other Jewish individuals and organisations, in New Zealand, Israel and internationally. It meets regularly to support and celebrate our collective cultural/religious identity and respond to the needs of our members.