Jewish Recife, Brazil 2025

Recife was captured by the Dutch 1631 and became one of the most important strongholds of the Dutch in Brazil.

Many Jews came to Brazil to escape the inquisition over 400 years ago.

The liberal policy of the Dutch induced many Jews to move here from other parts of Brazil and soon had a large Jewish population that outnumbered Christians 2:1. They were permitted to observe their Sabbath. The Dutch endeavored to attract colonists from abroad and appealed to Holland for craftsmen of all kinds.

In 1645, the Portuguese fought to reconquer Brazil and were successful.

More than 5,000 Jews were in Recife; most left for many other places. Probably the small group of Jews that arrived in New Amsterdam (New York) in 1654 were refugees from Recife.

After the Portuguese reconquest,  the Recife Jewish community disappeared. Most likely they absorbed by the Catholic population. No restrictions against Jewish settlement exist in Brazil today, and there are several Jewish residents at Recife, largely of German or Russian origin.

This is the oldest house in town where many Jews were hidden.

The Kahal Zur Israel synagogue was the first synagogue erected in the Americas.

It was reopened a museum in 2002 after being closed for 347 years.

Today archeological excavations display various parts of the original synagogue, such as the mikveh.

We were told that Jews are held in very high esteem here and there is virtually no antisemitism. Yet they have constant police surveylance just because.