History of the Jews in Ecuador
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The history of the Jews in Ecuador dates back to the 16th and 17th centuries, when
History
Early years
The first Jews began to arrive in Ecuador in the 16th and 17th centuries. From 1580 to 1640, when Spain and Portugal were united in the Iberian Union, King Philip II of Spain was the only heir to the throne. During this time, many Portuguese were "suspicious of their faith", so the Jews began to enter the Viceroyalty of Peru, a newly founded colony where Inquisition surveillance was weaker. As a result of the Iberian Union, much of Spanish America was ruled by one crown during this period of sixty years. During this time, the Portuguese spread Christianity as they arrived in the dominions of Spanish America, and the term "Portuguese" was synonymous with "converted Jew". In 1640, the union ended when the Portuguese revolted against the Spanish monarchy and the Duke of Braganza took the throne of the kingdom of Portugal under the name of John IV.
The "new Christians" in Spanish America found no support from the inquisitorial regime, and were forced to migrate to other regions of the Peruvian viceroyalty, especially to those where the Inquisition did not have any courts. The Viceroyalty of Peru was extremely large, and the territory still contained large areas with little to no Inquisition presence. By avoiding major urban centers, Jewish people, labeled as heretics, could survive by camouflaging their personal and group identity. Thus began a pattern of "new Christians" settling in the Viceroyalty of Peru, where they migrated from its center to the less-populated and less-controlled outer regions.
A relatively large number of migrants made their way towards the southern and northern Chile Audience of Quito. Within
These circumstances largely explain the Sephardic presence in gold and commercial areas of Quito and
Sephardic names in Ecuador include: Navon (wise), Moreno (teacher), Gabay (official), Piedra (stone), Franco (free), Amzalag (jeweler), Saban (soap), Espinoza (thorn), Nagar (carpenter), Haddad (blacksmith), and Hakim (medic).
20th Century
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In 1904, there were only four recognized Jewish families in Ecuador, and a 1917 survey indicated the presence of 14 Jews in the country.[8] After the United States established its immigration quota system with the Immigration Act of 1924, a handful more Jews arrived in Ecuador. However, mass Jewish immigration to Ecuador only began in the wake of the rise of Nazism and the ensuing Holocaust in Europe. During the years 1933–1943, about 2,700 Jews arrived, and by 1945 there were 3,000 new Jewish immigrants, 85% of whom were refugees from Europe.
In the early years of World War II, Ecuador still admitted a certain number of immigrants; in 1939, when several South American countries refused to accept the 165 Jewish refugees from Germany aboard the ship Koenigstein, Ecuador granted them entry permits.[9] Nevertheless, the country eventually gave way to a policy of selectivity. According to policy, Jewish immigrants to Ecuador were supposed to be employed in agriculture, but the authorities soon surmised that the immigrants were actually merchants, industrialists, and businessmen. As a result, legislation was passed in 1938 which compelled any Jew not engaged in agriculture or industry to leave the country.[10] In addition, entry rights were limited to only Jews who possessed a minimum of $400, which they would then be required to invest in an industrial project.
In 1935, the Comite pour l'Etude de l'Industrie de l'Immigration dans la Republique de l'Equateur (English: Committee for the Study of the Immigration Industry in the Republic of Ecuador) was established in Paris by the
Following this attempt, the
In 1940, there were 3,000 Jews recorded in Ecuador, of whom a large majority were refugees from Germany. The majority of Jews in Ecuador worked in the press, commerce, and medical industries. They also established textile, pharmaceutical, and furniture factories.
At its peak, in 1950, the Jewish population of Ecuador was estimated at 4,000, with the majority living in Quito. Several hundred also lived in Guayaquil, with several scores in Ambato, Riobamba, and Cuenca. In 1952, a law was passed requiring every foreigner to supply proof that they were engaged in the occupation stipulated in their entry visa. In response, the World Jewish Congress (JWC) tried to help Jews who were practicing business, but were only allowed to engage in agricultural work according to their visas. However, attempts at agricultural settlement were unsuccessful.
Ecuador's government policies regarding Jewish emigration are historically tentative and volatile; for example, in 1935 it gave the Jews permission to settle within an area of about 20,000 square kilometres (7,700 sq mi), but in 1938 it issued an order that all Jewish residents working in areas other than agriculture or incapable of developing the industry would be required to leave the country.
Jewish community today
Maccabi. The community also publishes a bilingual Spanish–German bulletin called Informaciones. In Ecuador, intermarriage is not as large a problem as elsewhere, since Jews form a separate middle stratum between the upper (traditionally Catholic) classes and the lower classes of the indigenous population.
There is a Jewish school in Quito, the Colegio Experimental Alberto Einstein, established in 1973, which serves both Jewish and non-Jewish students from kindergarten through the twelfth grade. The school celebrates all Jewish holidays, and it teaches Hebrew and other Jewish studies.[11] The school has an excellent reputation and offers a pre-college preparatory program. The Jewish community of Quito also has its own building, a home for the elderly, and a synagogue that holds services on the Sabbath and holidays. Ecuador has traditionally maintained friendly relations with Israel, and has frequently supported Israel in the United Nations; the Ecuadorian Embassy is in Tel Aviv. In the late 1960s, the two countries developed a network of technical cooperation and assistance, particularly in the fields of agriculture and water development. Since 1948, 137 Ecuadorian Jews have emigrated to Israel. Prominent Ecuadorian JewsEcuadorian Jews have achieved prominence in various fields including academics, industry, and science. Benno Weiser (a.k.a. Benjamin Varon), who was an active Ecuadorian journalist, later entered the Israeli diplomatic service, serving in various Latin American countries.[12] His brother, Max Weiser, was the first Israeli consul in Ecuador.[13] Moselio Schaechter is a researcher involved studying bacterial growth and cell division.[14] References
External links
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