Jewish, Spanish-speaking in Puerto Rico

Introduction / History

On November 19, 1493 a man named De Torres stepped out of a small boat onto the shores of a Caribbean island. The boat had been launched from a Spanish ship whose captain was Christopher Columbus. He was the first Jew to arrive in Puerto Rico. De Torres was a conversos, meaning he was a Jew who had been forced in Spain to convert to Catholicism. His ability to speak Portuguese, Hebrew, Aramaic, Arabic, and other languages made him a valuable interpretation for Columbus and others.

In 1478, the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, established the Spanish Inquisition forcing all people to be Catholic. Hundreds of Jews were killed, and their synagogues destroyed. To avoid religious scrutiny and persecution, Crypto Jews fled to the island of Puerto Rico. Unfortunately, the Inquisition followed the Spanish colonists. As a result, many secret Jews settled the island's remote mountainous interior far from the concentrated centers of power in San Juan to live quiet lives. Some eventually assimilated and intermarried with Roman Catholics.

There is little written history of these early Puerto Rican Jews. By the late 1800s, the only colonies Spain still controlled was Puerto Rico and Cuba. The people on these islands wanted their independence. In order to maintain their control of these territories, the government granted land to any Catholic who wanted to settle on these islands. This excluded Jews and Protestants. This, however, did not keep Jewish people from remaining in Puerto Rico, but it meant Catholics could take their land.

The first synagogue was not established until after Puerto Rico was ceded by Spain to the United States at the end of the Spanish American War in 1898. It was located in Ponce.

Large numbers of Jewish immigrants began to arrive in Puerto Rico in the 1930s as refugees from Nazi occupied Europe. The majority settled in the island's capital, San Juan, where in 1942 they established the first Jewish Community Center of Puerto Rico.

In 1952, Puerto Rico achieved U.S. commonwealth status and officially became the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. After the success of the 1959 Communist Cuban Revolution, almost all of Cuba's 15,000 Jews went into exile. Most fled to Miami, Florida. However, Puerto Rico also received a large influx of Jewish emigres from Cuba.

The Jewish Puerto Rican people have continued to flourish on the island. Currently, it is the largest and wealthiest Jewish community in the Caribbean.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Puerto Rican Jews have made many contributions to the Puerto Rican way of life. These include popular businesses such as the Pueblo Supermarkets and Almacenes Kress clothing store. In all major areas of education, medicine, commerce, entertainment, tourism, trade, industry, arts, literature, music, science, spiritual life, and political leadership they have been successful. Most of these hard-working Jewish people are respected and appreciated in Puerto Rico. On October 31, 2005, the Senate of Puerto Rico approved Senate Resolution 1480, recognizing the contributions which the Jewish community has made to the way of life of Puerto Rico and the friendship which exists between the people of Puerto Rico and Israel.

Sadly, Puerto Rico is an island territory that has suffered from natural disasters over and over. After the 2019 Hurricane Maria devastated the island it has continued to suffer from a series of damaging earthquakes. Many Jewish people volunteered to assist in any way they could to help which included food, emergency needs, and money to rebuild. They along with other Puerto Ricans also suffered great loss.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Puerto Rico is the only Caribbean island in which the Conservative, Reform and Orthodox Jewish movements are represented. The three major synagogues representing these movements are located in San Juan. The Reform and Conservative synagogues utilize English, Hebrew, and Spanish in their teachings and services. In 2005, the first synagogue outside of San Juan was established in the City of Mayag ez on the island's west coast. In the 1950s, Augusto Rodr guez became the founder of the Hebrew Festival Chorus of San Juan's Jewish Community. Some Puerto Ricans have converted to Judaism, not only as individuals but as entire families.

Most Jewish Puerto Ricans are satisfied with their lives and do not want to change. Most appreciate their Christian neighbors socially; however, they have no desire to become Christian believers or Messianic Jewish believers.

What Are Their Needs?

Their struggling history with the church, persecution, and loss has made these Jewish people feel confident that they have the personal power to overcome many problems and succeed. They need to humble themselves and know that all that they are and have is from God and his greatest gift being their freedom to accept Jesus as their messiah. They need to go to the scriptures and hear God s voice speak to them and guide them in their lives.

Prayer Points

Pray these people will be open to hearing the teachings of Jesus and knowing that in them comes the deep spiritual blessing of experiencing God s grace.
Pray that the challenges of problems that have affected Puerto Rico s people through natural disasters will bring practicing Christians in touch with the Jewish community; may they tell them about the only messiah.
Pray that whole families of Jewish believers will become messianic believers.
Pray that Jewish people in Puerto Rico will not be satisfied with physical wealth; may they seek and find the spiritual wealth that only comes from a relationship with Christ.

Text Source:   Joshua Project