History of the Jews in Brazil
Encyclopedia
A Brazilian Jew is a Brazilian person of Jewish ancestry or a Brazilian who has converted to Judaism
.
The history of the Jews in Brazil is a rather long and complex one, as it stretches from the very beginning of the European settlement in the new continent. Jews started settling in Brazil
ever since the Inquisition
reached Portugal
in the 16th century. They arrived in Brazil during the period of Dutch rule
, setting up in Recife
the first synagogue in the Americas
as early as 1636. Most of those Jews were Sephardic Jews who had fled the Inquisition in Spain
and Portugal
to the religious freedom of the Netherlands. Adam Smith
attributed much of the development of Brazil's sugar industry and cultivation to the arrival of Portuguese Jews who were forced out of Portugal during the inquisition
.
After the first Brazilian constitution in 1824 that granted freedom of religion, Jews began to arrive gradually in Brazil. Many Moroccan Jews arrived in the 19th century, principally because of the rubber boom
. Waves of Jewish immigration occurred during the rise of Nazis in Europe. In late 1950s, another wave of immigration brought thousands of North African Jews
. Nowadays, the Jewish communities thrive in Brazil and there are several Jewish and Zionist groups, clubs, schools, etc. Some minor antisemitic events and acts occurred mainly during the 2006 Lebanon War such as vandalism of Jewish cemeteries.
There have been Jews in what is now Brazil since the first Portuguese arrived in the country in 1500, notably Mestre João and Gaspar da Gama who arrived in the first ships.
A number of Sephardic Jews immigrated to Brazil during its early settlements. They were known as new-Christians (Jews obliged to convert to Roman Catholicism by the Portuguese crown). They were eventually absorbed in the Catholic population, though some traditions in Brazil, especially in the north-eastern region of the country, seem to be of Jewish customs "twisted" into superstition. It is estimated that at least 17 million Brazilians have Sephardic Jewish ancestry, most of whom are to be found to the northeast of the country. DNA testing has revealed that some Portuguese males have Sephardic ancestry; thus many Brazilians, most of whom have a degree of Portuguese ancestry, are also of Jewish ancestry, although most would not dare say so.
Most sources state that the first synagogue of Belém, Sha'ar haShamaim ("Gate of Heaven"), was founded in 1824. There are, however, controversies; Samuel Benchimol, author of Eretz Amazônia: Os Judeus na Amazônia, affirms that the first synagogue in Belém was Eshel Avraham ("Abraham's Tamarisk") and that it was established in 1823 or 1824, while Sha'ar haShamaim was founded in 1826 or 1828.
The Jewish population in the capital of Grão-Pará had by 1842 an established necropolis
.
Because of unfavorable conditions in Europe
, European Jews began debating in the 1890s about establishing agricultural
settlements in Brazil. At first, the plan did not work because of Brazilian political quarrels.
In 1904, the Jewish agricultural colonization, supported by the Jewish Colonization Association (JCA)
began in the state of Rio Grande do Sul
, the southernmost state in Brazil. The main intention of the JCA in creating those colonies was to resettle Russian Jews during the mass immigration from the hostile Russian empire
. The first colonies were Philippson (1904) and Quatro Irmãos (1912). All these colonization attempts, however, failed because of, "Inexperience, insufficient funds and poor planning" and also because of, "Administrative problems, lack of agricultural facilities and the lure of city jobs."
In 1920, the JCA began selling some of the land to non-Jewish settlers. Despite the failure, "The colonies aided Brazil and helped change the stereotypical image of the non-productive Jew, capable of working only in commerce
and finance
. The main benefit from these agricultural experiments was the removal of restrictions in Brazil on Jewish immigration from Europe during the 20th century."
By the First World War, about 7,000 Jews were inhabiting Brazil. In 1910 in Porto Alegre
, capital of Rio Grande do Sul, a Jewish school was opened and a Yiddish newspaper, Di Menshhayt ("Humanity") was established in 1915. One year later, the Jewish community of Rio de Janeiro
formed an aid committee for World War I victims
.
in Brazil today. The current Jewish community is mostly composed of Ashkenazi Jews of Polish and German descent and also Sephardic Jews of Spanish, Portuguese, and North African descent; among the North African Jews, a significant number are of Egyptian descent.
Brazilian Jews play an active role in politics, sports, academia, trade and industry, and are overall well integrated in all spheres of Brazilian life. The majority of Brazilian Jews live in the State of São Paulo
but there are also sizeable communities in the States of Rio de Janeiro
, Rio Grande do Sul
, Minas Gerais
, and Paraná
.
Jews lead an open religious life in Brazil and there are rarely any reported cases of anti-semitism
in the country. In the main urban centers there are schools, associations and synagogue
s where Brazilian Jews can practice and pass on Jewish culture and traditions. Some Jewish scholars say that the only threat facing Judaism in Brazil is the relatively high frequency of intermarriage
.
Other smaller Jewish communities include:
In the state of Pernambuco: Arcoverde, Camaragibe and Olinda.
In the state of Rio de Janeiro: Barra do Piraí, Campos de Goytacazes, Macaé and São João de Meriti.
In the state of São Paulo: Araçoiaba da Serra, Araraquara, Boituva, Guaratinguetá, Itu, Mauá, Praia Grande, São José do Rio Preto, Taubaté, Ubatuba, Valinhos and Vinhedo.
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
.
The history of the Jews in Brazil is a rather long and complex one, as it stretches from the very beginning of the European settlement in the new continent. Jews started settling in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ever since the Inquisition
Inquisition
The Inquisition, Inquisitio Haereticae Pravitatis , was the "fight against heretics" by several institutions within the justice-system of the Roman Catholic Church. It started in the 12th century, with the introduction of torture in the persecution of heresy...
reached Portugal
Portuguese Inquisition
The Portuguese Inquisition was formally established in Portugal in 1536 at the request of the King of Portugal, João III. Manuel I had asked for the installation of the Inquisition in 1515 to fulfill the commitment of marriage with Maria of Aragon, but it was only after his death that the Pope...
in the 16th century. They arrived in Brazil during the period of Dutch rule
Dutch Brazil
Dutch Brazil, also known as New Holland, was the northern portion of Brazil, ruled by the Dutch during the Dutch colonization of the Americas between 1630 and 1654...
, setting up in Recife
Recife
Recife is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in Brazil with 4,136,506 inhabitants, the largest metropolitan area of the North/Northeast Regions, the 5th-largest metropolitan influence area in Brazil, and the capital and largest city of the state of Pernambuco. The population of the city proper...
the first synagogue in the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
as early as 1636. Most of those Jews were Sephardic Jews who had fled the Inquisition in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
to the religious freedom of the Netherlands. Adam Smith
Adam Smith
Adam Smith was a Scottish social philosopher and a pioneer of political economy. One of the key figures of the Scottish Enlightenment, Smith is the author of The Theory of Moral Sentiments and An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations...
attributed much of the development of Brazil's sugar industry and cultivation to the arrival of Portuguese Jews who were forced out of Portugal during the inquisition
Portuguese Inquisition
The Portuguese Inquisition was formally established in Portugal in 1536 at the request of the King of Portugal, João III. Manuel I had asked for the installation of the Inquisition in 1515 to fulfill the commitment of marriage with Maria of Aragon, but it was only after his death that the Pope...
.
After the first Brazilian constitution in 1824 that granted freedom of religion, Jews began to arrive gradually in Brazil. Many Moroccan Jews arrived in the 19th century, principally because of the rubber boom
Rubber boom
The rubber boom was an important part of the economic and social history of Brazil and Amazonian regions of neighboring countries, being related with the extraction and commercialization of rubber...
. Waves of Jewish immigration occurred during the rise of Nazis in Europe. In late 1950s, another wave of immigration brought thousands of North African Jews
African Jews
Some Jewish communities in Africa are among the oldest in the world, dating back more than 2700 years. African Jews have ethnic and religious diversity and richness. African Jewish communities include:...
. Nowadays, the Jewish communities thrive in Brazil and there are several Jewish and Zionist groups, clubs, schools, etc. Some minor antisemitic events and acts occurred mainly during the 2006 Lebanon War such as vandalism of Jewish cemeteries.
First Jewish arrivals
There have been Jews in what is now Brazil since the first Portuguese arrived in the country in 1500, notably Mestre João and Gaspar da Gama who arrived in the first ships.
A number of Sephardic Jews immigrated to Brazil during its early settlements. They were known as new-Christians (Jews obliged to convert to Roman Catholicism by the Portuguese crown). They were eventually absorbed in the Catholic population, though some traditions in Brazil, especially in the north-eastern region of the country, seem to be of Jewish customs "twisted" into superstition. It is estimated that at least 17 million Brazilians have Sephardic Jewish ancestry, most of whom are to be found to the northeast of the country. DNA testing has revealed that some Portuguese males have Sephardic ancestry; thus many Brazilians, most of whom have a degree of Portuguese ancestry, are also of Jewish ancestry, although most would not dare say so.
Most sources state that the first synagogue of Belém, Sha'ar haShamaim ("Gate of Heaven"), was founded in 1824. There are, however, controversies; Samuel Benchimol, author of Eretz Amazônia: Os Judeus na Amazônia, affirms that the first synagogue in Belém was Eshel Avraham ("Abraham's Tamarisk") and that it was established in 1823 or 1824, while Sha'ar haShamaim was founded in 1826 or 1828.
The Jewish population in the capital of Grão-Pará had by 1842 an established necropolis
Necropolis
A necropolis is a large cemetery or burial ground, usually including structural tombs. The word comes from the Greek νεκρόπολις - nekropolis, literally meaning "city of the dead"...
.
Because of unfavorable conditions in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, European Jews began debating in the 1890s about establishing agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
settlements in Brazil. At first, the plan did not work because of Brazilian political quarrels.
In 1904, the Jewish agricultural colonization, supported by the Jewish Colonization Association (JCA)
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...
began in the state of Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state in Brazil, and the state with the fifth highest Human Development Index in the country. In this state is located the southernmost city in the country, Chuí, on the border with Uruguay. In the region of Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul, the largest wine...
, the southernmost state in Brazil. The main intention of the JCA in creating those colonies was to resettle Russian Jews during the mass immigration from the hostile Russian empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. The first colonies were Philippson (1904) and Quatro Irmãos (1912). All these colonization attempts, however, failed because of, "Inexperience, insufficient funds and poor planning" and also because of, "Administrative problems, lack of agricultural facilities and the lure of city jobs."
In 1920, the JCA began selling some of the land to non-Jewish settlers. Despite the failure, "The colonies aided Brazil and helped change the stereotypical image of the non-productive Jew, capable of working only in commerce
Commerce
While business refers to the value-creating activities of an organization for profit, commerce means the whole system of an economy that constitutes an environment for business. The system includes legal, economic, political, social, cultural, and technological systems that are in operation in any...
and finance
Finance
"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
. The main benefit from these agricultural experiments was the removal of restrictions in Brazil on Jewish immigration from Europe during the 20th century."
By the First World War, about 7,000 Jews were inhabiting Brazil. In 1910 in Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre is the tenth most populous municipality in Brazil, with 1,409,939 inhabitants, and the centre of Brazil's fourth largest metropolitan area . It is also the capital city of the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The city is the southernmost capital city of a Brazilian...
, capital of Rio Grande do Sul, a Jewish school was opened and a Yiddish newspaper, Di Menshhayt ("Humanity") was established in 1915. One year later, the Jewish community of Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
formed an aid committee for World War I victims
World War I casualties
The total number of military and civilian casualties in World War I were over 35 million. There were over 15 million deaths and 20 million wounded ranking it among the deadliest conflicts in human history....
.
Present-day Jewish community
There are about 96,500 JewsJews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
in Brazil today. The current Jewish community is mostly composed of Ashkenazi Jews of Polish and German descent and also Sephardic Jews of Spanish, Portuguese, and North African descent; among the North African Jews, a significant number are of Egyptian descent.
Brazilian Jews play an active role in politics, sports, academia, trade and industry, and are overall well integrated in all spheres of Brazilian life. The majority of Brazilian Jews live in the State of São Paulo
São Paulo (state)
São Paulo is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. Named after Saint Paul, São Paulo has the largest population, industrial complex, and economic production in the country. It is the richest state in Brazil...
but there are also sizeable communities in the States of Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro (state)
Rio de Janeiro is one of the 27 states of Brazil.Rio de Janeiro has the second largest economy of Brazil behind only São Paulo state.The state of Rio de Janeiro is located within the Brazilian geopolitical region classified as the Southeast...
, Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state in Brazil, and the state with the fifth highest Human Development Index in the country. In this state is located the southernmost city in the country, Chuí, on the border with Uruguay. In the region of Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul, the largest wine...
, Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais is one of the 26 states of Brazil, of which it is the second most populous, the third richest, and the fourth largest in area. Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the largest number of Presidents of Brazil, the current one, Dilma Rousseff, being one of them. The capital is the...
, and Paraná
Paraná (state)
Paraná is one of the states of Brazil, located in the South of the country, bordered on the north by São Paulo state, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by Santa Catarina state and the Misiones Province of Argentina, and on the west by Mato Grosso do Sul and the republic of Paraguay,...
.
Jews lead an open religious life in Brazil and there are rarely any reported cases of anti-semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
in the country. In the main urban centers there are schools, associations and 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...
s where Brazilian Jews can practice and pass on Jewish culture and traditions. Some Jewish scholars say that the only threat facing Judaism in Brazil is the relatively high frequency of intermarriage
Interreligious marriage
Interfaith marriage, traditionally called mixed marriage, is marriage between partners professing different religions. Some religious doctrines prohibit interfaith marriage, and while others do allow it, most restrict it...
.
Size of Jewish communities in Brazil
- São PauloSão PauloSão Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, São Paulo: 37,500 - Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, Rio de Janeiro: 25,000-30,000 - Porto AlegrePorto AlegrePorto Alegre is the tenth most populous municipality in Brazil, with 1,409,939 inhabitants, and the centre of Brazil's fourth largest metropolitan area . It is also the capital city of the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The city is the southernmost capital city of a Brazilian...
, Rio Grande do Sul: 15,000 - CuritibaCuritibaCuritiba is the capital of the Brazilian state of Paraná. It is the largest city with the biggest economy of both Paraná and southern Brazil. The population of Curitiba numbers approximately 1.75 million people and the latest GDP figures for the city surpass US$61 billion according to...
, Paraná: 1,774 - Belo HorizonteBelo HorizonteBelo Horizonte is the capital of and largest city in the state of Minas Gerais, located in the southeastern region of Brazil. It is the third largest metropolitan area in the country...
, Minas Gerais: 1,714 - RecifeRecifeRecife is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in Brazil with 4,136,506 inhabitants, the largest metropolitan area of the North/Northeast Regions, the 5th-largest metropolitan influence area in Brazil, and the capital and largest city of the state of Pernambuco. The population of the city proper...
, Pernambuco: 1,173 - BelémBelémBelém is a Brazilian city, the capital and largest city of state of Pará, in the country's north region. It is the entrance gate to the Amazon with a busy port, airport and bus/coach station...
, Pará: 900 - PiracicabaPiracicabaPiracicaba is a city located in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. The population in 2009 was 368,843 in an area of 1,369.511 km², at an elevation of 547 m above sea level.-Name:...
, São Paulo: 700 - Salvador, BahiaSalvador, BahiaSalvador is the largest city on the northeast coast of Brazil and the capital of the Northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia. Salvador is also known as Brazil's capital of happiness due to its easygoing population and countless popular outdoor parties, including its street carnival. The first...
: 697 - ManausManausManaus is a city in Brazil, the capital of the state of Amazonas. It is situated at the confluence of the Negro and Solimões rivers. It is the most populous city of Amazonas, according to the statistics of Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, and is a popular ecotourist destination....
, Amazonas: 627 - BrasíliaBrasíliaBrasília is the capital city of Brazil. The name is commonly spelled Brasilia in English. The city and its District are located in the Central-West region of the country, along a plateau known as Planalto Central. It has a population of about 2,557,000 as of the 2008 IBGE estimate, making it the...
, Distrito Federal: 624 - NiteróiNiteróiNiterói is a municipality in the state of Rio de Janeiro, southeast region of Brazil. It has an estimated population of 487,327 inhabitants and an area of ², being the sixth most populous city in the state and the highest Human Development Index. Integrates the Metropolitan Region of Rio de...
, Rio de Janeiro: 600 - FlorianópolisFlorianópolis-Climate:Florianópolis experiences a warm humid subtropical climate, falling just short of a true tropical climate. The seasons of the year are distinct, with a well-defined summer and winter, and characteristic weather for autumn and spring. Frost is infrequent, but occurs occasionally in the winter...
, Santa Catarina: 420 - Santos, São Paulo: 413
- CampinasCampinasCampinas is a city and municipality located in the coastal interior of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. is the administrative center of the meso-region of the same name, with 3,783,597 inhabitants as of the 2010 Census, consisting of 49 cities....
, São Paulo: 364 - PelotasPelotasPelotas is a Brazilian city and municipality , the third most populous in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul. Pelotas is located 270 km from Porto Alegre, the capital city of the state, and 130 km from the Uruguayan border...
, Rio Grande do Sul: 330 - Santo André, São Paulo: 311
- PetrópolisPetrópolisPetrópolis , also known as The Imperial City of Brazil, is a town in the state of Rio de Janeiro, about 65 km from the city of Rio de Janeiro....
, Rio de Janeiro: 295 - OsascoOsascoOsasco is a municipality and city in São Paulo State, Brazil, is located in the Greater São Paulo and ranking 5th in population among São Paulo municipalities. The current mayor is Emidio Pereira de Souza ....
, São Paulo: 261 - São Bernardo do CampoSão Bernardo do CampoSão Bernardo do Campo is a municipality in the state of São Paulo, in southern Metropolitan São Paulo and São Paulo microregion. The municipality's total area is 408.45 km ² and a population estimated at 1 July 2009, according to the IBGE, was 810,979 inhabitants, which results in a population...
, São Paulo: 251 - BarueriBarueriBarueri is a Brazilian city in the state of São Paulo located in the northwestern part of the Greater São Paulo metropolitan area. The population in 2006 is estimated to be 265,549, the population density is 4,149.2 per km² and the area of 64 km²....
, São Paulo: 245 - ErechimErechimErechim is a Brazilian city located in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul. A regional center in the northern portion of the state, it is the second most populous city in the region with 97,916 inhabitants, second only to the city of Passo Fundo...
, Rio Grande do Sul: 240 - Vitória, Espírito Santo: 202
- GoiâniaGoiânia-Climate:The city has a tropical wet and dry climate with an average temperature of . There's a wet season, from October to April, and a dry one, from May to September. Annual rainfall is around 1,520 mm....
, Goiás: 198 - Nova FriburgoNova FriburgoNova Friburgo is a municipality in the state of Rio de Janeiro in southeastern Brazil. It is located in the northern mountainous region of the state, 136 km from its capital Rio de Janeiro...
, Rio de Janeiro: 180 - GurupiGurupiGurupi is a city and a municipality in the Brazilian state of Tocantins. The estimated population was 75,287 inhabitants in 2005, the third-largest in the state, and the total area of the municipality was 1,836 kmª. The elevation is 400 meters in the city....
, Tocantins: 173 - Santana de ParnaíbaSantana de ParnaíbaSantana de Parnaíba is a city and municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. The population in 2003 was 86,247 and the area is 184 km². It was founded in 1625 near the Tietê river....
, São Paulo: 168 - CotiaCotiaCotia is a city in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. The population in 2006 was 179,685. The city is at an altitude of 853 m, its density is 554.77/km² and the area is 324 km². Cotia is linked with the Rodovia Raposo Tavares highway.- History :...
, São Paulo: 167 - São CarlosSão CarlosSão Carlos is a city of 221,950 inhabitants in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. It is located at , at about 231 km from the city of São Paulo.-History:...
, São Paulo: 150 - UberabaUberabaUberaba is a city and municipality in the west of the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil. Its population is 296.000 with an area of 4529.7 km², giving a density of 60.71 people per km². It is located on a plateau at an elevation of 785 meters and is in the Uberaba River floodplain...
, Minas Gerais: 143 - Jaboatão dos GuararapesJaboatão dos GuararapesJaboatão dos Guararapes is a city in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. It is a part of the Recife metro area. The population was 687,688 according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics in 2009, making it the second most-populous city in the state of Pernambuco and the 26th in...
, Pernambuco: 137 - NilópolisNilópolisNilópolis is a city and a municipality in Brazil, located in the Rio de Janeiro state's southwestern region, bordering São João de Meriti, Mesquita and Rio de Janeiro. It is the smallest municipality in Rio de Janeiro state, with a total area of 19.39 km². The population of 157,483 inhabitants...
, Rio de Janeiro: 133 - Nova IguaçuNova IguaçuNova Iguaçu is a city in southeast Brazil in the Baixada Fluminense region of Rio de Janeiro state. It was the state's second largest city until Mesquita was split off, and now is the fourth largest after São Gonçalo and Duque de Caxias. It lies northwest of the city of Rio de Janeiro, on the...
, Rio de Janeiro: 124 - FortalezaFortalezaFortaleza is the state capital of Ceará, located in Northeastern Brazil. With a population close to 2.5 million , Fortaleza is the 5th largest city in Brazil. It has an area of and one of the highest demographic densities in the country...
, Ceará: 100-120 - TeresópolisTeresópolisTeresópolis is a Brazilian municipality located in the state of Rio de Janeiro, in a mountainous region known as Região Serrana. The Serra dos Órgãos National Park lies partly within the city limits.-History:...
, Rio de Janeiro: 119 - São GonçaloSão Gonçalo, Rio de JaneiroSão Gonçalo is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro. It is located at 22 ° 49'37 "south latitude and 43 º 03'14" west longitude at an altitude of 19 meters. Its population in 2008 is 982,832 inhabitants, being the second most populous city in the state after the capital...
, Rio de Janeiro: 116 - Campo GrandeCampo Grande-Climate:Campo Grande has a highland tropical climate, semi-humid, hot, and notably seasonal, with a dry winter season from May through September or October. Under the Koppen climate classification Campo Grande features a tropical wet and dry climate, albeit a noticeably cooler version of the...
, Mato Grosso do Sul: 113 - Jandira, São Paulo: 113
- Taboão da SerraTaboão da SerraTaboão da Serra is a municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. The population in 2004 was 221,176 and the area is 20 km². It is the second smallest city in São Paulo Metropolitan Area and it has a population density of 11,058.8 people per square kilometre, or 18,431.33 people per...
, São Paulo: 100 - RolândiaRolândiaRolândia is a town and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...
, Paraná: 99 - AracajuAracaju-Vegetation:Aracaju lies in tropical forest. Rainforests are characterized by high rainfall, with minimum normal annual rainfall between 2,000 mm and 1,700 mm...
, Sergipe: 96 - Embu-GuaçuEmbu-GuaçuEmbu-Guaçu is a municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. The population in 2006 is 72,170 and the area is 155 km². The elevation is 408.22 m....
, São Paulo: 96 - NatalNatal, Rio Grande do Norte-History:The northeastern tip of South America, Cabo São Roque, to the north of Natal and the closest point to Europe from Latin America, was first visited by European navigators in 1501, in the 1501–1502 Portuguese expedition led by Amerigo Vespucci, who named the spot after the saint of the day...
, Rio Grande do Norte: 91 - JacareíJacareíJacareí is a city of approximately 211,308 inhabitants in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The name comes from a native brazilan language . It's a word that means something like "the rivers where alligators are found"....
, São Paulo: 90 - Vitória da ConquistaVitória da ConquistaVitória da Conquista, Bahia, in English: Victory of Conquest, is a city in Bahia, Brazil which serves as a regional center for the smaller cities Barra do Choça, Planalto and Poções...
, Bahia: 88 - São Caetano do SulSão Caetano do SulSão Caetano do Sul is a city in São Paulo state in Brazil, located in the Greater São Paulo Metropolitan Area. It is the city with the highest per capita income in Brazil and it also has the highest Human Development Index .-Geography:São Caetano do Sul is located on a plateau that is part of the...
, São Paulo: 80 - AtibaiaAtibaiaAtibaia is a Brazilian city located in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The name is derived from an indigenous language called Tupi, and means "healthy water river". Its name has changed over time, from the primitive Tupi word Tybaia, to Thibaia, Atubaia, Thibaya, and finally the city's modern...
, São Paulo: 78 - FrancaFranca-Demography:*Total: 328.473 inhabitants on July 1, 2006.** Urban: 324.138** Rural: 6.999*Demographic density : 473,80*Child mortality until 1 year : 12,66 = 1,26%*Life expectancy : 73,03*Fertility : 2,26...
, São Paulo: 77 - Duque de CaxiasDuque de CaxiasDuque de Caxias is a city in southeast Brazil in Rio de Janeiro, bordered by Rio de Janeiro to the south. Its population was 842,890 and its area is 465 km². Its current Mayor is José Camilo Zito...
, Rio de Janeiro: 75 - Nossa Senhora do SocorroNossa Senhora do SocorroNossa Senhora do Socorro is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Sergipe. Its population was 171,841 and its area is 158 km²....
, Sergipe: 75 - GuarulhosGuarulhosGuarulhos is the second largest city in the Brazilian state of São Paulo and a suburb of São Paulo city itself. In the last few years it has outgrown Campinas. The population in 2006 is 1,283,253, the density is 4,035.26 inh./km² and the area is 318 km²...
, São Paulo: 74 - Ribeirão PretoRibeirão PretoRibeirão Preto is a municipality and city in the Northeastern region of the state of São Paulo in Brazil. It is nicknamed Brazilian California, because of a combination of an economy based on agrobusiness plus high technology, wealth and sunny weather all year long. With 605,114 inhabitants,...
, São Paulo: ~70 - IlhéusIlhéusIlhéus is a major city located in the southern coastal region of Bahia, Brazil, 430 km south of Salvador, the state's capital. The city was originally founded in 1534 as Vila de São Jorge dos Ilhéus and is known as one of the most important tourism centers of the northeast of Brazil.The...
, Bahia: 69 - JoinvilleJoinvilleJoinville is a city in Santa Catarina State, in the Southern Region of Brazil. Joinville is Santa Catarina's largest city. In 2010, its population has reached approximately 520,000, many of whom are of German descent....
, Santa Catarina: 68 - MagéMagéMagé is a city and a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro.Magepe-Mirim was established in 1566 by Portuguese colonists...
, Rio de Janeiro: 67 - AmericanaAmericana, São PauloAmericana is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. As of 2006, its population was 203,845.The original settlement developed around the local railway station, founded in 1875, and the development of a cotton weaving factory in a nearby farm.After 1866, several Confederate...
, São Paulo: 63 - BlumenauBlumenauBlumenau is a city in Vale do Itajaí, state of Santa Catarina, in southern Brazil. It was founded on September 2, 1850 by Dr. Hermann Bruno Otto Blumenau along with 17 German immigrants. A few years later Fritz Müller migrated to Blumenau as well....
, Santa Catarina: 63 - LondrinaLondrinaLondrina is a city located in the northern region of the state of Paraná, Brazil, and is 369 km away from the capital, Curitiba. Londrina was originally founded by British settlers. The city exerts great influence on Paraná and Brazil's south region...
, Paraná: 64 - MairiporãMairiporãMairiporã is a Brazilian municipality in São Paulo state. It is part of the São Paulo metropolitan area.The population in 2009 was estimated in 79,155 inhabitants and the total area is 321,5 km², resulting in a Population density of 233.4 people per km2....
, São Paulo: 64 - ItapiraItapiraItapira is a municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. Its population in 2004 was 66,861 and the area is 518.89 km². The elevation is 643 m...
, São Paulo: 63 - LimeiraLimeiraLimeira is a city in the eastern part of the Brazilian state of São Paulo. The population in 2004 is 270,733 and the area is 582.48 km². The elevation is 588 m. It is 154 km far from São Paulo, the state capital, and 1011 km far from Brasilia, Brazil's capital...
, São Paulo: 63 - GuarujáGuarujáGuarujá is a municipality in the São Paulo state of Brazil. The population in 2006 was 305,171, the population density is 1,969.47/km² and the area is 143 km². This place name comes from the Tupi language, and mean "narrow path". The population is highly urbanized.-Geography:Guarujá is...
, São Paulo: 62 - São SebastiãoSão SebastiãoSão Sebastião is Portuguese for "Saint Sebastian". It may also refer to:-Brazil:* São Sebastião, Alagoas* São Sebastião, São Paulo* Ilha de São Sebastião, São Paulo, alternate name of Ilhabela* São Sebastião do Alto, Rio de Janeiro...
, São Paulo: 60 - Rio das OstrasRio das OstrasRio das Ostras is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro. Its population was 47,819 and its area is 231 km²....
, Rio de Janeiro: 59 - Volta RedondaVolta RedondaVolta Redonda is the name of a city in the Rio de Janeiro state of Brazil with 182.81 km² of area, located from 350m to 707m from the sea level and with a population of 259,811 inhabitants . The area around the city has nearly 700,000...
, Rio de Janeiro: 59 - Francisco MoratoFrancisco MoratoFrancisco Morato is a suburban city in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. The population in 2006 is 170,585, its density is 3470 inh./km² and the area is 49 km².The suburban city is served by a CPTM line....
, São Paulo: 58 - São VicenteSão VicenteSão Vicente may refer to:-In Africa:In Cape Verde* São Vicente, Cape Verde, an island in Cape Verde* São Vicente, Guinea-Bissau, a village in Guinea-Bissau-In the Americas:In Brazil...
, São Paulo: 58 - São José dos CamposSão José dos CamposSão José dos Campos is a municipality and a major city in the state of São Paulo, Brazil and one of the most important industrial and research centers in Latin America. It is located in the Paraíba Valley, between the two most active production and consumption regions in the country, São Paulo ...
, São Paulo: 56 - OurinhosOurinhosOurinhos is a municipality/county in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. The population in 2010 is 103,026 and the area is . The elevation is .The city of Ourinhos was emancipated from Salto Grande in the 1910s...
, São Paulo: 55 - Santa MariaSanta Maria, Rio Grande do SulSanta Maria is a municipality in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state of Brazil. In 2007, its population was 263,403 inhabitants in a total area of 1,823 km2.-Importance:...
, Rio Grande do Sul: 55 - Campina GrandeCampina GrandeCampina Grande is the second most populous Brazilian city in the State of Paraíba after João Pessoa, the capital. It is considered to be the most important city of the Northeastern Brazilian subregion called agreste. It is considered one of the main industrial, technological and educational...
, Paraíba: 54 - ResendeResende-Portugal:* Resende Municipality, a municipality in the district of Viseu* Resende , a civil parish in the municipality of Resende* Resende , a civil parish in the municipality of Paredes de Coura...
, Rio de Janeiro: 54 - Rio GrandeRio Grande, Rio Grande do SulRio Grande is the oldest city in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul and also the former state capital from 1835 to 1845...
, Rio Grande do Sul: 54 - XaximXaximXaxim is a town and municipality in the state of Santa Catarina in the South region of Brazil.-References:...
, Santa Catarina: 54 - Redenção do GurguéiaRedenção do GurguéiaRedenção do Gurguéia is a town and municipality in the state of Piauí in the Northeast region of Brazil.-References:...
, Piauí: 49 - ItajubáItajubáItajubá is a city and municipality in southeastern Minas Gerais state of the Federative Republic of Brazil.It lies in a valley by the Sapucaí river and has terrain elevations ranging from 827 to 1500 metres, occupying an area of 290.45 km2 , with a population of approximately 86,000 people...
, Minas Gerais: 48 - Barra do BugresBarra do BugresBarra do Bugres is a town and municipality in the state of Mato Grosso in the Central-West Region of Brazil.-References:...
, Mato Grosso: 47 - São Joaquim da BarraSão Joaquim da BarraSão Joaquim da Barra is a municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. The population in 2004 was 44,472 and the area is 413.49 km². The elevation is 625 m....
, São Paulo: 47 - SilvâniaSilvâniaSilvânia is a small city and municipality in southcentral Goiás state, Brazil.-Location and highway connections:Silvânia is located 77 kilometers from the state capital of Goiânia, 180 km...
, Goiás: 46 - Foz do IguaçuFoz do IguaçuFoz do Iguaçu is the 7th largest city in Paraná state, Brazil, with a population of 255,900 inhabitants. It is located approximately 650 km west of Curitiba, Parana's capital city, being the westernmost city in that state...
, Paraná: 45 - MacapáMacapáMacapá is a Brazilian city, capital of Amapá state. Located in the North Region, it is the only state capital that has no highway connections with other capitals...
, Amapá: 45 - AraçatubaAraçatubaAraçatuba is a city located in the northwest of São Paulo state, Brazil. The city has 181.579 inhabitants and 1,167.4 km² of area. The city name comes from the Tupi language and means "abundance of araçá "...
, São Paulo: 44 - GravataíGravataíGravataí is a Brazilian city near Porto Alegre at the Rio Grande do Sul State...
, Rio Grande do Sul: 44 - MaracaíMaracaíMaracaí is a municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. The population in 2004 is 13,280 and the area is 534.38 km². The elevation is 435 m. This place name comes from the Tupi language....
, São Paulo: 43 - Passo FundoPasso FundoPasso Fundo - RS is a city in the north of the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. It is named after its river. It's the twelfth largest city in the state with an estimated population of 188,302 inhabitants living in a total municipal area of 780 km2.-Communications:The following...
, Rio Grande do Sul: 43 - DouradosDouradosDourados is a Brazilian city, situated in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Southwest of Campo Grande . It has a population of approximately 200,000 inhabitants, and its economy is based mainly in arable agriculture and in cattle ranching...
, Mato Grosso do Sul: 42 - Eldorado do SulEldorado do SulEldorado do Sul is a municipality in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. It is located in the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre, the state's capital and largest city, opposite the capital on the right bank of Guaíba River. Population: 33,098 ....
, Rio Grande do Sul: 41 - LuziâniaLuziâniaLuziânia is a city and municipality in the state of Goiás, Brazil. This fast-growing city is a great producer of agricultural products including soybeans and beans.-Location:Luziânia is located 68 km...
, Goiás: 41 - Rolim de MouraRolim de MouraRolim de Moura is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Rondônia. Its population was 49,522 and its area is 1,458 km²....
, Rondônia: 41 - IporãIporãIporã is a small town in the North-West of the State of Paraná, approximately sixty kilometers from the border with Paraguay. Its population in 2004 was estimated to be about 14,000....
, Paraná: 40 - Juiz de ForaJuiz de Fora-Industry, Trade, and Culture:Juiz de Fora is the second most important industrial center in the state of Minas Gerais, despite being the fourth largest in terms of population. It was once the state's largest city, position which was held up until the beginning of the 20th century...
, Minas Gerais: 40 - São LuísSão Luís, MaranhãoSão Luís is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian state of Maranhão. The city is located on Ilha de São Luís in the Baía de São Marcos , an extension of the Atlantic Ocean which forms the estuary of Pindaré, Mearim, Itapecuru and other rivers. Its coordinates are 2.53° south, 44.30° west...
, Maranhão: 40 - PaulistaPaulistaPaulista is a city in Pernambuco, Brazil, population according to IBGE/2009, 319.373 people making it the 4th most populous city in PE). Its near 6 cities plus the ocean and has the highest HDI of the metro area. It is the birthplace of footballer Rivaldo, and is also famous for its beaches;...
, Pernambuco: ~35
Other smaller Jewish communities include:
In the state of Pernambuco: Arcoverde, Camaragibe and Olinda.
In the state of Rio de Janeiro: Barra do Piraí, Campos de Goytacazes, Macaé and São João de Meriti.
In the state of São Paulo: Araçoiaba da Serra, Araraquara, Boituva, Guaratinguetá, Itu, Mauá, Praia Grande, São José do Rio Preto, Taubaté, Ubatuba, Valinhos and Vinhedo.
See also
- Dutch EmpireDutch EmpireThe Dutch Empire consisted of the overseas territories controlled by the Dutch Republic and later, the modern Netherlands from the 17th to the 20th century. The Dutch followed Portugal and Spain in establishing an overseas colonial empire, but based on military conquest of already-existing...
- Dutch BrazilDutch BrazilDutch Brazil, also known as New Holland, was the northern portion of Brazil, ruled by the Dutch during the Dutch colonization of the Americas between 1630 and 1654...
- List of Brazilian Jews
- List of Latin American Jews
- History of the Jews in Latin AmericaHistory of the Jews in Latin AmericaThe history of the Jews in Latin America dates, according to some interpretations, back to Christopher Columbus and his first cross-Atlantic voyage on August 3, 1492, when he left Spain and eventually discovered the New World...
- Brazil-Israel relations