▁ ▁In ▁ 1 6 7 3 ▁the ▁char ism atic ▁Jewish ▁proph et ▁S abb ata i ▁Ze vi ▁was ▁ex iled ▁by ▁the ▁Turkish ▁s ultan ▁to ▁the ▁Alban ian ▁port ▁of ▁Ul q in , ▁now ▁in ▁Mont en eg ro , ▁dying ▁there ▁some ▁years ▁later . ▁ ▁Over ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁Alban ia ▁saw ▁its ▁Jewish ▁population ▁increase . ▁During ▁the ▁commun ist ▁dict ator ship ▁of ▁En ver ▁H ox ha , ▁the ▁Social ist ▁People ' s ▁Republic ▁of ▁Alban ia ▁b anned ▁all ▁relig ions , ▁including ▁J uda ism , ▁in ▁ad her ence ▁to ▁the ▁doctrine ▁of ▁state ▁at he ism . ▁In ▁the ▁post - Comm un ist ▁era , ▁these ▁policies ▁were ▁abandoned ▁and ▁freedom ▁of ▁religion ▁was ▁extended , ▁although ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁pract icing ▁Jews ▁in ▁Alban ia ▁today ▁remains ▁small , ▁with ▁many ▁Jews ▁having ▁made ▁ali y ah ▁to ▁Israel . ▁Today ▁Jews ▁number ▁around ▁ 1 5 0 . ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁Isra eli ▁Chief ▁Rab bi ▁Sh l omo ▁Am ar ▁installed ▁Rab bi ▁Y o el ▁Kap lan ▁as ▁the ▁country ' s ▁first ▁Chief ▁Rab bi . ▁Rec ogn ition ▁of ▁J uda ism ▁as ▁an ▁official ▁religion ▁and ▁Rab bi ▁Kap lan ▁as ▁Chief ▁Rab bi ▁were ▁the ▁result ▁of ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁S ali ▁Ber ish a ' s ▁efforts . ▁▁ ▁Bah á ' í ▁Fa ith ▁ ▁The ▁Bah á ' í ▁Fa