Internet Resources for
Latin America and the Caribbean

Country-Specific Sites

The Jewish community of Argentina is the largest in Latin America. The majority live in Buenos Aires (180,000) with smaller communities in Rosario (20,000), Córdoba (9,000), and Santa Fé (4,000). The cities of La Plata, Bahía Blanca, Mendoza, and Mar del Plata each have a Jewish population of 4,000. Almost all are Ashkenazi. The country's main Jewish organization is the Delegación de las Asociaciones Israelitas Argentinas.

The majority of Brazil's Jews are Ashkenazim and reside in Sao Paulo (60,000) and Rio de Janeiro 40,000). Smaller communities exist in Bahía, Belém, Manaus, Porto Alegre, and Recife. All local Jewish organizations belong to the Confederaçao Israelita do Brasil.

The majority of Chilean Jews live in Santiago with smaller communities in Valparaiso, Viña del Mar, Concepción, Temuco, and Valdivia. The Comité Representativo de las Entidades Judías de Chile is the umbrella organization for all local parties. The Federación Sionista de Chile is the country's largest Zionist organization.

Most of Colombia's Jews reside in Bogotá with smaller communities in Cali, Barranquilla, and Medellín. They are equally divided between Aashkenazim and Sephardim. All local organizations are members of the Confederación de Asociaciones Judías de Colombia.

The Centro Israelista Sionista de Costa Rica is the country's most important Jewish organization..

Most Ecuadorian Jews are of European origin and live in Quito.

There are three main Jewish groups in Guatemala: the Sociedad Israelita de Guatemala (Beth-El), which is reformist and mostly of German origin, the Magen David,which is Sephardic, and the Centro Hebreo, composed of Eastern European Jews.

Almost the entire Jewish population is concentrated in Mexico City with small colonies in Guadelajara (200 families), Monterrey (200 families), and Tijuana (60 families). The Jewish population is equally divided between Sephardim and Ashkenazim. The index of intermarriage is between 5% and 10%. Mexico City has 23 synagogues–the first one founded in 1912.

The majority of Peru's Jews are of Ashkenazi origin and reside in Lima. The Asociación Judía del Perú is the principal representative organization of Peruvian Jews.

Almost all Uruguayan Jews live in Montevideo; 75% of the Jewish population is of European origin.