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 If one were to ask most Americans to describe the images and ethnic qualities of Jews, almost all of them would respond with characteristics associated with Ashkenazi Jews. Ashkenazim are Jews of Eastern and Central European descent who make up four out of five Jews in the world today.
Ashkenazi Jews have also dominated US and international understandings of the Jewish people - despite the tremendous history and heritage of Jews with cultural roots in the Iberian Peninsula, the Mediterranean Basin, and the Middle East. That is way many looking to tour old Jewish communities would think of places like Poland or Germany, if not some ancient Jewish communities in Israel, as well. Certainly most would think of New York City with its large and historical Jewish community. Few would think of Brazil. Fewer still know that the New York community was founded by Jews from Brazil. While most American Jews know the story of 23 "Dutch" Jews settling in New Amsterdam in 1654 despite the objections of Governor Peter Stuyvesant; very few know that the intrepid group had sailed from their homes in Recife, Brazil. Today, there are well over half a million Jews living in South America. Brazil has the world's tenth largest Jewish population - greater in numbers than, for instance, Australia and South Africa Jewry, both of which garner far more attention than does the Brazilian community. At least three quarters of Brazil's Jews live in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro; most others live in cities, as well. But things were not always that way. Brazil's Jews began outside of the sort of urban centers were tend to associate with Jews. The settlers were hardy and adventurous and willing to take risks and overcome dangers. And fortunately for us, we can see evidence of their communities today. Jews first came to Brazil around 1500, but as "New Christians" (also converses): Spanish or in this case Portuguese Jews who were forced to convert to Catholicism to escape the Inquisition. Though outwardly Christian, many continued various Jewish practices and their descendants maintain their connection to Judaism even today. Throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries New Christians flocked to Brazil, although they often had to dodge Brazil's own Inquisition. They were businessmen, importers, exporters, teachers, writers, and priests. In 1624, Dutch forces took portions of northeast Brazil. Because the Dutch did not prohibit Jewish observance - and in fact, the Dutch Jewish community was both prosperous and prominent - many of the New Christians openly declared their Judaism and spurred large scale Jewish immigration to Dutch controlled Brazil. Its capital was Recife where, in 1636, Jews built Kahal Zur synagogue, the first in the Western Hemisphere. The community flourished, such that a premier Amsterdam rabbi, Isaac Aboab da Fonseca, and pre-eminent scholar, Moses Raphael d'Aguilar came to Brazil as spiritual leaders. By 1645, Jews represented half the population of Recife and had an active and well-organized community with various communal institutions. But in 1654, the Portuguese re-took Recife sending its Jewish population into exile, including the first Jews to settle in what would one day be New York. Not until 1773 did the Portuguese abolish anti-Jewish discrimination. Jews started trickling back, but it took Brazilian independence almost 50 years later to spark the next significant influx of Jews to Brazil. They came from ancient communities in Morocco where the economy could no longer support all of them and where Arab hostility was growing. They settled in the Amazon region, first establishing a strong Jewish center in the port city of Belém. They built a cemetery and two synagogues, Eschel Abraham in 1624 and Shaar Hasahmaim in 1826. These young men were instrumental in developing the Amazon's rubber trade, so that immigrants who were lured by the industry's boom later in the nineteenth century found Jews prominent at all levels and even deep into the Amazon. When the rubber industry collapsed in 1910, however, the community dispersed elsewhere although occasionally Amazon denizens will seek to re-connect Jewish roots. Fortunately, visitors today can see many of the historic sites built by these two Jewish communities, among the oldest in the Americas. In 1999, excavation began on the Rua de Bom Jesus on the site of a Catholic charity hospital. As the digging continued the diggers uncovered Recife's Kahal Zur Synagogue and the original street: Rua dos Judeus. Two years later, Kahal Zur was fully restored to its seventeenth century appearance and re-opened: a yellow stone, two-story building with arched ochre doors and windows and iron railings. Besides the synagogue itself, the building also houses the Jewish Cultural Center of Pernambuco with regular cultural exhibits. Visitors walk on the original synagogue floor, which is at least a foot below today's floor level. Boris Berenstein, president of the Pernambuco Israelite Federation, which spearheaded the recovery used old documents and maps from the period had led the Jewish community to discover the synagogue's remains and recover the house of worship at a cost of US$ 500,000. In 2000, archeologists unearthed a mikve, a spiritual purification bath fed by running rain or river water, used mainly by women, which also has been restored. Today, more and more people in Recife have returned to calling the street by its original name, Rua dos Judeus. Various web sites and other Recife resources provide visitors with information about visiting the synagogue and other cites related to the Jewish community. In contrast, it is difficult to find information about seeing historic Shaar Hashamaim (Gate of Heaven) synagogue that Moroccan Jews established in Belém. Before heading into the more dramatic and adventurous destinations inside the Amazon jungle, visitors should take some time to see the beautiful blue and white two storey structure. Built by Judah Eliezer Levy, its monumental facade has three Stars of David in its front, and four main entrances which lead to the main prayer hall and the women's galleries. The round bimah or stage from which services are led, is elevated and with marble carved with the Star of David. It is a commanding site and is located in the center of the synagogue. This is in the style of Sephardic Jews (those with genealogical origins in the Iberian peninsula, the Middle East, or the Mediterranean Basin). Ashkenazic Jews with origins in Eastern and Central Europe, place their bimah on the eastern wall of the synagogue so that the structure faces Jerusalem. In the Orthodox Jewish tradition, Shaar Hashamaim has a separate section for women worshippers, which is supported by white plaster columns that frame the blue painted walls. The whole structure is surmounted by a big dome and is used by Belém Jews today. Richard L. Benkin Ph.D., is a correspondent for several international publications including Weekly Blitz, Dhaka Bangladesh and Asian Tribune. He is the owner and founder of Interfaith Strength: www.interfaithstrength.com. The author welcomes comments at
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