From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jews have had a been present in El Salvador since the early 19th Centurty. Starting with Sephardic French Jews and continuing with the arrival of World War II Ashkenazi refugees. The Jews of El Salvador number around 120.

Contents 1 History Of The Jews In El Salvador 2 1990's 3 Israeli Relations 3.1 References and notes

[edit] History Of The Jews In El Salvador

Except for the ocassional transit of Portuguese Conversos, there were no Jews in the country until the first half of the nineteenth century when Sephardim from France settled in the town of Chaluchuapa. More French Jews, most of them from Alsace, settled in the capital, San Salvador, during the second half of the nineteenth century. East European and some Asian Jews came during the 1920s, and a few German Jews arrived as a consequence of World War II.

Open support of the Fascists during the 1930s hampered Jewish security, but the situation improved after World War II. On Sept. 11, 1948, El Salvador recognized the State of Israel, and in 1956 the Instituto Cultural El Salvador-Israel was founded.

In 1976, there were some 370 Jews in El Salvador, but during the civil war many left the country. The Comunidad Israelita de El Salvador was established in 1944 with a Jewish community center opening in 1945 and a synagogue in 1950.

[edit] 1990's

The signing of peace treaties in 1991 led to the return of several Jewish couples with children who had moved elsewhere during the civil war, and, as of 2000, the Jewish population in El Salvador was approximately 120. A new community center and synagogue were inaugurated in the past decade. There are two synagogues, and the community is divided between adherents to Conservative and Reform Judaism. At the Conservative synagogue, Sabbath services are held on Friday evenings only; however, the Comunidad Israelita de El Salvador holds services on Friday, Shabbat morning, and on holy days. For Pesach, Rosh Hashannah, Sukkot, Channukah, Purim and Yom Haatzmaut the women's committee organizes meals for the community to share and celebrate together.

University students have a Jewish students association, EJES (Estudiantes Judíos de El Salvador), and a Zionist group, FUSLA (Federación de Universitarios Sionistas de Latinoamérica), both of which are active throughout the year. For adults, the community offers different educational classes in Hebrew and other topics of interest. The "Chevra of Women" offers a course in Jewish cooking, and there is a monthly Jewish bulletin called el Kehilatón, which advertises synagogue events. The Noar Shelanu youth movement, to which about 30 children age 8–18 belong, meets weekly. The kindergarten for young children also meets weekly. Two emissaries teach Hebrew and Judaism.

[edit] Israeli Relations

Israel has an embassy in San Salvador. For years, El Salvador was one of only two countries (Costa Rica was the other) to maintain an embassy in Jerusalem. In 2006, El Salvador announced plans to move the embassy (and Costa Rica did so as well) to Tel Aviv where the rest of the embassies are located.

One of the only times of tension between the two countries was during the civil war, when the Israeli Honorary Consul was kidnapped and murdered by guerillas.

[edit] References and notes

[[1]]

Source: Beker, Avi. "El Salvador." Jewish Communities of the World. Lerner Publications Company, Minneapolis, 1998.]]

"El Salvador." Encyclopedia Judaica.

"El Salvador." la Unión Judía de Congregaciones de Latinoamérica y el Caribe

Zaidner, Michael. Jewish Travel Guide. Vallentine Mitchell, Portland, 2000.