Colonia Lapin
Encyclopedia
Colonia Lapin is a settlement located near the town of Rivera in the southwest region of the Province of Buenos Aires
, Argentina
, in the Municipality of Adolfo Alsina
.
due to the unfavorable conditions, given the climate and the lack of drinking water. Mr. Eusebio Lapin, the Director of the Jewish Colonization Association
, brought about the colonization that had listened the sufferings of these colonists. He was able to acquire 36 square miles (93.2 km²) of land from Baron Maurice de Hirsch
of Estación Rivera to pass on to the colonist. In return, the families gave the Baron a share of the crops.
The colony was originally registered as Phillippson No 3, but its first settlers carried out the procedures to call it "Colonia Lapin", in recognition and gratitude to Eusebio Lapin.
In 1921 more families arrived and the colony begins to have life. When the Colony was installed, no services or commerce existed. By 1921 significant economic, social
, and spiritual
needs brought about different institutions such as a primary school
, Hebrew
school, synagogue
, and an arts center/theater/library
.
While “Colonia Lapin” still remains, most of the residences have left and many of the farms have been consolidated. The theater still exists and a monument
has been erected in dedication to the founding families.
Buenos Aires Province
The Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, in the Municipality of Adolfo Alsina
Adolfo Alsina Partido
Adolfo Alsina is a western partido of the Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, found at coordinates .It has a population of 16,245, an area of 5,875 km² , and the capital is Carhué.-Towns:*Carhué *Arano...
.
History
Jewish immigrants founded Colonia Lapin on November 6, 1919. Colonia Lapin was originally settled by twenty five families from Colonia Esmeralda (Bernasconi) in the Province of La PampaLa Pampa Province
La Pampa is a sparsely populated province of Argentina, located in the Pampas in the center of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the north clockwise San Luis, Córdoba, Buenos Aires, Río Negro, Neuquén and Mendoza.-History:...
due to the unfavorable conditions, given the climate and the lack of drinking water. Mr. Eusebio Lapin, the Director of the Jewish Colonization Association
Jewish Colonization Association
The Jewish Colonization Association was created on September 11, 1891 by the Baron Maurice de Hirsch. Its aim was to facilitate the mass emigration of Jews from Russia and other Eastern European countries, by settling them in agricultural colonies on lands purchased by the committee, particularly...
, brought about the colonization that had listened the sufferings of these colonists. He was able to acquire 36 square miles (93.2 km²) of land from Baron Maurice de Hirsch
Maurice de Hirsch
Maurice de Hirsch was a German-Jewish philanthropist who set up charitable foundations to promote Jewish education and improve the lot of oppressed European Jewry. He was the founder of the Jewish Colonization Association which sponsored large-scale Jewish immigration to Argentina...
of Estación Rivera to pass on to the colonist. In return, the families gave the Baron a share of the crops.
The colony was originally registered as Phillippson No 3, but its first settlers carried out the procedures to call it "Colonia Lapin", in recognition and gratitude to Eusebio Lapin.
In 1921 more families arrived and the colony begins to have life. When the Colony was installed, no services or commerce existed. By 1921 significant economic, social
Social
The term social refers to a characteristic of living organisms...
, and spiritual
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
needs brought about different institutions such as a primary school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
, Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
school, synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
, and an arts center/theater/library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
.
While “Colonia Lapin” still remains, most of the residences have left and many of the farms have been consolidated. The theater still exists and a monument
Monument
A monument is a type of structure either explicitly created to commemorate a person or important event or which has become important to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, or simply as an example of historic architecture...
has been erected in dedication to the founding families.