History of the Jews of Nicaragua

infobox ethnic group
group = Jewish Nicaraguan Judío Nicaragüense


caption =
poptime = ~50
popplace = Managua
langs = Spanish and Hebrew
rels = Judaism
related=

Jewish Nicaraguans or Nicaraguan Jews ( _es. Judío Nicaragüense) are Nicaraguans of Jewish ancestry who were born in or have immigrated to Nicaragua. They are part of the ethnic Jewish diaspora.

History

The first Jewish immigrants to arrive in Nicaragua came from France in the 1920s. Families included the Dreyfus, Levy, Raskosky, and the Salomons. Another wave came from Eastern Europe after 1929.cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=World Jewish Communities - Latin America - Nicaragua | date= | publisher= | url =http://www.worldjewishcongress.org/communities/comm_reg_latam.html# | work =World Jewish Congress | pages = | accessdate = 2007-08-30 | language = ] The Jews in Nicaragua were a relatively small community, the majority lived in Managua. The Jews made significant contributions to Nicaragua's economic development while dedicating themselves to farming, manufacturing, and retail sales. [cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=Persecution and restrictions of religion in Nicaragua - transcript | year=1984 | publisher= | url =http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1079/is_v84/ai_3408623/pg_2 | work =US Department of State Bulletin, | pages =2 | accessdate = 2007-08-30 | language = ] . The Salomon and Dreyfus families both operated well known department stores in Managua during the first half of the 20th century.

The Congregacion Israelita de Nicaragua was the central Jewish organization until 1979. The community maintained a synagogue and social center, as well as a B'nai B'rith lodge and a Women's International Zionist Organization (WIZO) chapter. Also, prior to 1979, the small Jewish community had a synagogue but it was later bombed during a street warfare between Somozistas and Sandinistas, and turned into a school. Sometime after, the land where the synagogue and school once stood was turned into a funeral home.

The Jewish community encountered anti-semitism by individuals, the majority who claimed that Nicaraguan Jews were responsible for Israeli arms sales to the Somoza regime. Many of these individuals were part of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN).cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=Persecution and restrictions of religion in Nicaragua - transcript | year=1984 | publisher= | url =http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1079/is_v84/ai_3408623/pg_3 | work =US Department of State Bulletin, | pages =3 | accessdate = 2007-08-30 | language = ] There was much hostility between the Sandinista government, which came into power in 1979, and the Jews. This was mostly due to the Sandinista government's close relationship with the Palestine Liberation Organization.

Emigration

It has been estimated that the highest number of Jews in Nicaragua reached a peak of 250 in 1972. However, that same year a devastating earthquake hit Managua and destroyed 90% of the city, [cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=Deadly history of earthquakes: 23 December 1972 | date= | publisher= | url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/2059330.stm | work =BBC News | pages = | accessdate = 2007-08-19 | language = ] it prompted many Jews to emigrate. Afer the Sandinsta uprising the new government detained a community leader, Abraham Gorn, who later managed to flee the country. The Sandinistas also sequestered the only synagogue in the nation after it had been firebombed during the Sandanista uprising and eventually became a school. Most Jewish Nicaraguans later emigrated, mainly to the United States and Israel.

The Jewish community today

After Daniel Ortega ran and lost the presidential elections in 1990 a small number of Jews returned to Nicaragua.cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=2001 International Religious Freedom Report | date= | publisher= | url =http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2001/5681.htm | work =U.S. State Department | pages = | accessdate = 2007-08-30 | language = ] The current Jewish population is estimated at around 50 persons. After 1979 the Jewish community had no rabbi or briss. The Jewish community had its first bris in over 25 years when twins Jacob and Jonathan Gould, son's of Dr. Keith and Kathy Gould had their bris performed by Rabbi Trager who flew in from Philadelphia in December 2006. After that there was another bris for the Najman family and then some Bar mitzvah's. The Jewish community has finally started to recover. , [cite news | first=Keith | last=Gould | coauthors= | title=The Jews of Nicaragua: Three brises mark a growing and vibrant community. | date= | publisher= | url =http://jewishindependent.net/archives/Feb05/archives05Feb04-03.html | work =Jewish Independent | pages = | accessdate = 2007-08-30 | language = ] however, as of 2005, the community does not have an ordained rabbi or a synagogue.cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=International Religious Freedom Report 2005 | date= | publisher= | url =http://managua.usembassy.gov/religion2005-nicaragua.html | work =U.S. Department of State. | pages = | accessdate = 2007-08-30 | language = ]

The Jewish community, although small, has had a couple of Jewish Nicaraguans in high ranks, most notabley in politics. Herty Lewites was the former mayor of the capital city , Managua, and presidential candidate; and his brother, Israel Lewites was a Sandinista leader, they both joined and supported the FSLN. Lewites son, Israel Lewites is involved with the Sandinista Renovation Movement (MRS) political party. The Lewites brothers were the sons of a Jewish immigrant from Poland. [cite news | first=Stephen | last=Kinzer | coauthors= | title=Herty Lewites, 66, Ex-Sandinista, Dies | date= | publisher= | url =http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/04/world/americas/04lewites.html?ex=1309665600&en=b915754fa081646c&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss | work =New York Times | pages = | accessdate = 2007-08-30 | language = ] Nicaraguan Jews, although few in numbers, are diverse in practice, ranging from the observant Najman to secular Jews with little knowledge of Jewish prayers

On December 16, 2007, Nicaraguan Jews welcomed a new Torah after 28 years, they also welcomed a Torah scroll. On the following day The Torah was used, for the first time, in a minyan at a bar mitzvah of a local Nicaraguan Jew. [cite news | first=Brian | last=Harris | coauthors= | title=Nicaraguan Jews celebrate first Torah in 28 years | date= | publisher= | url =http://www.jewishreview.org/node/9704 | work =JewishReview | pages = | accessdate = 2008-01-14 | language = ]

Notable persons

* William Abdalah, Medical doctor and politician.
* Keith Gould, Physician.
* Herty Lewites, Nicaraguan politician
* Israel Lewites Rodríguez, Sandinista leader and martyr of the revolution.
* Israel Lewites, son of Israel Lewites Rodríguez and member of the Sandinista Renovation Movement.
* Michèle Najlis, poet
* Laszlo Pataky, writer
* Sergio Torres, former military commander, judge and now lawyer.
* Arturo Vaughan, Honorary consul of Israel

ee also

*Demographics of Nicaragua
*History of the Jews in Latin America
**List of Latin American Jews

References

External links

* [http://www.ujc.org/page.html?ArticleID=70706 World Jewry] In Nicaragua, a Community That Fled Sandinistas Makes a Return.