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History of the Jews in Uruguay

February 28, 2023

The history of the Jews in Uruguay (Spanish: judeouruguayos) dates back to the colonial empire. Perhaps the most important influx of Jewish population was during the 20th century, due to World War I and World War II. Uruguay's Jewish community is mainly composed of Ashkenazi. Uruguay is home to the fifth largest Jewish community in Latin America after Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and Chile respectively, and the largest as a proportion of the total population.

The location of Uruguay in South America
Uruguayan Jews
Judíos de Uruguay
יהדות אורוגוואי‎
Total population
12,000 (census)[1]-20,000 (estimate)
Regions with significant populations
Montevideo
Languages
Uruguayan Spanish, Hebrew, Yiddish, Ladino
Religion
Judaism
Related ethnic groups
Argentine Jews

History

The arrival of Jews to the Banda Oriental goes back to the 16th century, when conversos began settling there. The Spanish Inquisition was not a significant force in the territory, and the first recorded Jewish settlement there was in the 1770s. When the Inquisition ended in 1813, it paved the way for Jews being more accepted in Uruguay throughout the 19th century.

Significant Jewish immigration began in the late 19th century, when Jews from neighboring Brazil and Argentina emigrated to Uruguay. Most of them were Sephardim, followed by Ashkenazim, Mizrahim, and Italkim. The largest Jewish population was in Montevideo, which had 150 Jews in 1909. The first recorded minyan in Uruguay happened in 1912, and the first synagogue was opened in 1917 by a small Ashkenazi community. Jewish schools were opened in the 1920s, and in 1929, the Ashkenazi community set up an educational network.

The majority of Jewish immigration to Uruguay took place in the 1920s and 1930s. A large percentage of Jewish immigrants during this period were German Jews and Italian Jews.[2]

Uruguayan Jews initially made a living in small retail trade and peddling, with some becoming craftsmen and artisans. In time, they moved up the economic scale, and many became the owners of large stores or medium-sized businesses. Following World War II, Jews increased their representation in the professional world and became primarily middle-class, particularly as many Uruguayan Jews were by then second or third-generation Uruguayans. Their economic advancement was aided by the creation of Jewish loan and assistance funds, which evolved into Jewish banks. From the 1930s to 1950s, there were several failed attempts to establish a Jewish agricultural settlement.

During the establishment of Israel in 1948 and the subsequent 1948 Arab-Israeli War, which involved the mass exodus of Jews from Arab and Muslim countries, primarily to Israel, more than 18,000 Jews immigrated to Uruguay, primarily from the Arab world. In the 1950s, a number of Russian Jews and Hungarian Jews moved to Uruguay.

Uruguay, which had supported the creation of a Jewish homeland during the 1920 San Remo conference, was one of the first nations to recognize Israel, and the first Latin American country to do so.[citation needed] It was the first Latin American country and fourth country overall in which Israel established a diplomatic mission. It was also one of the few nations to support Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and oppose internationalization of the city.[citation needed] Its diplomatic mission in Jerusalem was upgraded to the status of an embassy in 1958, but subsequently downgraded to the status of consulate due to Arab pressure.[citation needed]

The Jewish community experienced a serious decline in the 1970s as a result of emigration. By the mid-1990s, there were no Jews in the upper echelons or military, and little Jewish representation in the legislature. The Latin American economic crisis of the 1990s and early 2000s affected the 40,000 Jews still in Uruguay.[citation needed] Between 1998 and 2003, many Uruguayan Jews emigrated to Israel.

Currently, 20,000-25,000 Jews live in Uruguay, with 95% residing in Montevideo.[citation needed] There is a small organized community in Paysandú, while other Jews are scattered throughout the country's interior.[citation needed] As of 2003, there were 20 synagogues, but only six of them held weekly Shabbat services, and one functioned every day.[citation needed]

Notable Uruguayan Jews

Past
  • Zoma Baitler (1908-1994), artist and diplomat[3]
  • Monsieur Chouchani (died 1968), mysterious scholar
  • Chil Rajchman (1914-2004), Holocaust survivor and entrepreneur
  • Sergio Fogel dlocal co-founder
  • José Gurvich (1927-1974), painter
  • Paul Armony (1932-2008), genealogist
  • Carlos Sherman (1934-2005), writer
  • Haim David Zukerwar (1956-2009), rabbi
  • Ronald Melzer (1956-2013), public accountant and film critic
Present

See also

References

  1. ^ Congreso Judío Latinoamericano. (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 3 January 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  2. ^ "Italian Jews in Uruguay" (in Spanish). Brecha. 14 March 2014.
  3. ^ Bio of Zoma Baitler (in Spanish)

External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Judaism in Uruguay.
  • Pi Hugarte, Renzo; Vidart, Daniel (1970). El legado de los inmigrantes (PDF) (in Spanish). Montevideo: Nuestra Tierra.
  • Uruguay: Virtual Jewish History Tour - Jewish Virtual Library
  • Uruguay - Jewish Agency for Israel
  • María Emilia Pérez Santarcieri. "Jewish Montevideo" (PDF) (in Spanish). Retrieved 2013-04-19.
  • Magalí Werba; Enrique Horowitz. (PDF) (in Spanish). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-11-02. Retrieved 2013-04-19.

February 28, 2023
history, jews, uruguay, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, december, 2012, learn, when, remove, this, template, m. This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations December 2012 Learn how and when to remove this template message The history of the Jews in Uruguay Spanish judeouruguayos dates back to the colonial empire Perhaps the most important influx of Jewish population was during the 20th century due to World War I and World War II Uruguay s Jewish community is mainly composed of Ashkenazi Uruguay is home to the fifth largest Jewish community in Latin America after Argentina Brazil Mexico and Chile respectively and the largest as a proportion of the total population The location of Uruguay in South America Uruguayan JewsJudios de Uruguay יהדות אורוגוואי Total population12 000 census 1 20 000 estimate Regions with significant populationsMontevideoLanguagesUruguayan Spanish Hebrew Yiddish LadinoReligionJudaismRelated ethnic groupsArgentine Jews Contents 1 History 2 Notable Uruguayan Jews 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksHistory EditThe arrival of Jews to the Banda Oriental goes back to the 16th century when conversos began settling there The Spanish Inquisition was not a significant force in the territory and the first recorded Jewish settlement there was in the 1770s When the Inquisition ended in 1813 it paved the way for Jews being more accepted in Uruguay throughout the 19th century Significant Jewish immigration began in the late 19th century when Jews from neighboring Brazil and Argentina emigrated to Uruguay Most of them were Sephardim followed by Ashkenazim Mizrahim and Italkim The largest Jewish population was in Montevideo which had 150 Jews in 1909 The first recorded minyan in Uruguay happened in 1912 and the first synagogue was opened in 1917 by a small Ashkenazi community Jewish schools were opened in the 1920s and in 1929 the Ashkenazi community set up an educational network The majority of Jewish immigration to Uruguay took place in the 1920s and 1930s A large percentage of Jewish immigrants during this period were German Jews and Italian Jews 2 Uruguayan Jews initially made a living in small retail trade and peddling with some becoming craftsmen and artisans In time they moved up the economic scale and many became the owners of large stores or medium sized businesses Following World War II Jews increased their representation in the professional world and became primarily middle class particularly as many Uruguayan Jews were by then second or third generation Uruguayans Their economic advancement was aided by the creation of Jewish loan and assistance funds which evolved into Jewish banks From the 1930s to 1950s there were several failed attempts to establish a Jewish agricultural settlement During the establishment of Israel in 1948 and the subsequent 1948 Arab Israeli War which involved the mass exodus of Jews from Arab and Muslim countries primarily to Israel more than 18 000 Jews immigrated to Uruguay primarily from the Arab world In the 1950s a number of Russian Jews and Hungarian Jews moved to Uruguay Uruguay which had supported the creation of a Jewish homeland during the 1920 San Remo conference was one of the first nations to recognize Israel and the first Latin American country to do so citation needed It was the first Latin American country and fourth country overall in which Israel established a diplomatic mission It was also one of the few nations to support Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and oppose internationalization of the city citation needed Its diplomatic mission in Jerusalem was upgraded to the status of an embassy in 1958 but subsequently downgraded to the status of consulate due to Arab pressure citation needed The Jewish community experienced a serious decline in the 1970s as a result of emigration By the mid 1990s there were no Jews in the upper echelons or military and little Jewish representation in the legislature The Latin American economic crisis of the 1990s and early 2000s affected the 40 000 Jews still in Uruguay citation needed Between 1998 and 2003 many Uruguayan Jews emigrated to Israel Currently 20 000 25 000 Jews live in Uruguay with 95 residing in Montevideo citation needed There is a small organized community in Paysandu while other Jews are scattered throughout the country s interior citation needed As of 2003 there were 20 synagogues but only six of them held weekly Shabbat services and one functioned every day citation needed Notable Uruguayan Jews EditPastZoma Baitler 1908 1994 artist and diplomat 3 Monsieur Chouchani died 1968 mysterious scholar Chil Rajchman 1914 2004 Holocaust survivor and entrepreneur Sergio Fogel dlocal co founder Jose Gurvich 1927 1974 painter Paul Armony 1932 2008 genealogist Carlos Sherman 1934 2005 writer Haim David Zukerwar 1956 2009 rabbi Ronald Melzer 1956 2013 public accountant and film criticPresentMauricio Rosencof born 1933 former guerrilla fighter playwright poet and journalist George Davidsohn born 1936 businessman founder of Davidsohn Global Technologies Luis Camnitzer born 1937 artist art critic and writer Benjamin Nahum born 1937 historian and academic Alberto Couriel born 1935 public accountant and politician Teresa Porzecanski born 1945 anthropologist and writer Hugo Fernandez Faingold born 1947 academic and politician Vicepresident of the Republic 1998 2000 Ricardo Ehrlich born 1948 engineer Intendant of Montevideo 2005 2010 Gisele Ben Dor born 1955 conductor Roberto Kreimerman born 1958 engineer and politician Sergio Gorzy born 1958 sports journalist Isaac Alfie born 1962 economist Minister of Economy and Finance 2003 2005 Jorge Drexler born 1964 singer songwriter Academy Award for Best Original Song 2004 Alejandro Stock born 1965 artist Suzie Navot constitutional law scholar Freddy Nieuchowicz aka Orlando Petinatti born 1968 radio host Daniel Hendler born 1976 actor Alvaro Brechner born 1976 film director writer and producer Marcelo Lipatin born 1977 football player Gabe Saporta born 1979 singer songwriter bassist Andy Ram born 1980 retired professional tennis player Roni Kaplan born 1982 military officer and spokesperson Marcel Felder born 1984 tennis player gold medal at the 2013 Maccabiah Games Camila Rajchman born 1994 singer and television personality See also Edit Uruguay portal Judaism portalList of synagogues in Uruguay Israel Uruguay relations Holocaust Memorial Montevideo Uruguayan Jews in Israel Barrio de los JudiosReferences Edit Congreso Judio Latinoamericano Comunidades judias Uruguay in Spanish Archived from the original on 3 January 2015 Retrieved 30 April 2015 Italian Jews in Uruguay in Spanish Brecha 14 March 2014 Bio of Zoma Baitler in Spanish External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Judaism in Uruguay Pi Hugarte Renzo Vidart Daniel 1970 El legado de los inmigrantes PDF in Spanish Montevideo Nuestra Tierra Uruguay Virtual Jewish History Tour Jewish Virtual Library Uruguay Jewish Agency for Israel Maria Emilia Perez Santarcieri Jewish Montevideo PDF in Spanish Retrieved 2013 04 19 Magali Werba Enrique Horowitz Uruguayan Jewish Community PDF in Spanish Archived from the original PDF on 2013 11 02 Retrieved 2013 04 19 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title History of the Jews in Uruguay amp oldid 1139958031, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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