Nadene Goldfoot
"“As far as the Jewish community goes,” journalist Gabriel Chocron noted in January 2019, “the chief rabbi, Yitzhak Cohen, met with Maduro a month and a half ago because the Jewish community wants to keep living in the country as a community whose safety is ensured, and can keep importing products and maintain its Jewish lifestyle.”
Jews first settled in Venezuela in 1850 and were Western Indian Sephardim. Following their arrival were anti-Semitic outbreaks in Coro in 1855. It happened again in 1902. It wasn't over anything these Jews had done, but only who they were religiously. Judaism was not welcome.
At the turn of the 19th century, Venezuela was fighting against the Spanish Empire in wars of independence and Simón Bolívar, celebrated as Venezuela's liberator, found refuge and material support for his army in the homes of Jews from Curaçao. The Jewish Cemetery of Coro is the oldest Jewish cemetery in continuous use in the Americas. Its origin can be located in the 19th century, when Sephardic Jews from the Dutch colony of Curaçao began to migrate to the Venezuelan city of Santa Ana de Coro in 1824.
Before they arrived, the Secret Jews had discovered the land and had already settled here. " Their arrival dates to the middle of the 17th century, when records suggest that groups of marranos (Spanish and Portuguese descendants of baptized Jews suspected of secret adherence to Judaism) lived in Tucacas, Caracas and Maracaibo. Jews usually do settle in capitals where they would congregate and build a synagogue, and for trading purposes and other sources of business. We call former Jews who had been forcefully converted to Christianity the anusim, not the ugly word of marranos anymore. It's a dated word.
In the 20th century, Eastern European and German Jews entered the country until they were barred after World War II. This is AFTER, not before.
However, those who had entered previously played a leading role in developing the country's trade and in modernizing the capital, Caracas.
By 1917, the number of Jewish citizens rose to 475, and to 882 in 1926. In the 1920s and 1930s, the Jewish community began to develop with the arrival of North African and eastern European Jews. Jewish immigration from Eastern and Central Europe increased after 1934 but, by then, Venezuela had imposed specific restrictions on Jewish immigration, which remained in effect until after the 1950s.
By 1990, there were 20,000 Jews in Venezuela, mostly in Caracas. Some 90% of Jewish youth attend Jewish schools. They would be private schools needing tuitions to attend.
"Jews were hit especially hard by economic hardships and food shortages following a state-of-emergency declaration by the Venezuelan government in May 2016, caused by economic mismanagement combined with falling oil prices.
Ex-Patriot Venezuelan Jews living in Israel and around the world sent food, medicine, clothing, and other items through organizations like Yajad, the main humanitarian group assisting the Venezuelan Jewish Community. The economic crisis caused many Venezuelan Jews to make aliyah to Israel during 2016.
The New Standard jewish Encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Venezuela
https://www.usnews.com/news/world-report/articles/2019-04-30/pro-guaido-protests-could-be-venezuelas-last-chance-at-reform-bolton-says?yptr=yahoo
http://www.timesofisrael.com/post-chavez-venezuelan-jews-plant-roots-elsewhere/
"“As far as the Jewish community goes,” journalist Gabriel Chocron noted in January 2019, “the chief rabbi, Yitzhak Cohen, met with Maduro a month and a half ago because the Jewish community wants to keep living in the country as a community whose safety is ensured, and can keep importing products and maintain its Jewish lifestyle.”
Jews first settled in Venezuela in 1850 and were Western Indian Sephardim. Following their arrival were anti-Semitic outbreaks in Coro in 1855. It happened again in 1902. It wasn't over anything these Jews had done, but only who they were religiously. Judaism was not welcome.
At the turn of the 19th century, Venezuela was fighting against the Spanish Empire in wars of independence and Simón Bolívar, celebrated as Venezuela's liberator, found refuge and material support for his army in the homes of Jews from Curaçao. The Jewish Cemetery of Coro is the oldest Jewish cemetery in continuous use in the Americas. Its origin can be located in the 19th century, when Sephardic Jews from the Dutch colony of Curaçao began to migrate to the Venezuelan city of Santa Ana de Coro in 1824.
Before they arrived, the Secret Jews had discovered the land and had already settled here. " Their arrival dates to the middle of the 17th century, when records suggest that groups of marranos (Spanish and Portuguese descendants of baptized Jews suspected of secret adherence to Judaism) lived in Tucacas, Caracas and Maracaibo. Jews usually do settle in capitals where they would congregate and build a synagogue, and for trading purposes and other sources of business. We call former Jews who had been forcefully converted to Christianity the anusim, not the ugly word of marranos anymore. It's a dated word.
In the 20th century, Eastern European and German Jews entered the country until they were barred after World War II. This is AFTER, not before.
However, those who had entered previously played a leading role in developing the country's trade and in modernizing the capital, Caracas.
By 1917, the number of Jewish citizens rose to 475, and to 882 in 1926. In the 1920s and 1930s, the Jewish community began to develop with the arrival of North African and eastern European Jews. Jewish immigration from Eastern and Central Europe increased after 1934 but, by then, Venezuela had imposed specific restrictions on Jewish immigration, which remained in effect until after the 1950s.
By 1990, there were 20,000 Jews in Venezuela, mostly in Caracas. Some 90% of Jewish youth attend Jewish schools. They would be private schools needing tuitions to attend.
"Jews were hit especially hard by economic hardships and food shortages following a state-of-emergency declaration by the Venezuelan government in May 2016, caused by economic mismanagement combined with falling oil prices.
Ex-Patriot Venezuelan Jews living in Israel and around the world sent food, medicine, clothing, and other items through organizations like Yajad, the main humanitarian group assisting the Venezuelan Jewish Community. The economic crisis caused many Venezuelan Jews to make aliyah to Israel during 2016.
About 20,000 Jewish Venezuelans have left the country in the past decade because of the declining economy and the way the Jewish community was treated under Hugo Chavez and his successor Nicolás Marudo. About half of those remaining are wealthy and the other half in financial need.
SUNNY ISLES BEACH, Fla. (JTA) — Sitting outside a Starbucks coffee shop in this small city north of Miami Beach, Paul Hariton recalls the dramatic night in 2002 when he and his wife decided to leave their native Venezuela."
Leftist leader Hugo Chavez had just returned to power following a failed coup, and the Haritons feared the political fallout. This happened in 2013. "
Community that scattered during the anti-Israel leader’s long tenure appears unlikely to return now that he’s gone."
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| Grafitti outside Israeli embassy in Caracas- Look at this. Our ancient HOME is Israel, yet people like this are so anti-Semitic-Jews entering here may be just trying to do that very thing! |
Beyond the economic crisis that is affecting all Venezuelans, the situation for Jews is reasonably good. “The government tries to respect us and gives us freedom to live as Jews,” said Jewish community leader Elias Farache. “There are synagogues, schools, and all the Jewish services are fine.”
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| The Tiféret Israel Synagogue in Caracas was attacked in 2009. |
At the beginning of 2019, Jews, like other Venezuelans, were trapped in the crossfire as the sitting president and his rival fight for power. The United States and other Latin American and Western governments do not recognize Marudo as the leader of Venezuela and are supporting opposition leader Juan Guaidó as head of state."
A coalition of countries are with the United State in support of Guaido. TV has just shown a vehicle run down a crowd up Venezuelans belonging to the state. Marudo is supported by Cuba and the Cubans have Russia on their side over this land fight. It happens that Venezuela has more oil in it than any other country, so is oil rich and a plum to control for any nation.
Bolton of USA "remarks followed massive uprisings across Venezuela on Tuesday after Guaido – who won a contentious presidential election earlier this year – called on members of the country's armed forces to cease their support for the regime of Nicolas Maduro, who continues to claim victory from the January election.
Russia has deployed military troops and equipment to Venezuela in support of Maduro, whose hardline administration it backs. Bolton said Tuesday that Cuba had sent as many as 25,000 security forces to prop up the regime.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Venezuela
https://www.usnews.com/news/world-report/articles/2019-04-30/pro-guaido-protests-could-be-venezuelas-last-chance-at-reform-bolton-says?yptr=yahoo
http://www.timesofisrael.com/post-chavez-venezuelan-jews-plant-roots-elsewhere/
