Jewish, Spanish-speaking in Uruguay

People Name:	Jewish, Spanish-speaking
Country:	Uruguay
10/40 Window:	No
Population:	16,000
World Population:	289,700
Primary Language:	Spanish
Primary Religion:	Ethnic Religions
Christian Adherents:	0.00 %
Evangelicals:	0.00 %
Scripture:	Complete Bible
Online Audio NT:	Yes
Jesus Film:	Yes
Audio Recordings:	Yes
People Cluster:	Jewish
Affinity Bloc:	Jewish
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

Jews represent the oldest monotheistic religion of modern times. Because of the uniqueness of their history and culture, all Jews have a strong sense of identity. Persecution and discrimination against the Jews have been the historical reasons for their migrations and settlements around the world.

The South American Jewish communities began as Conversos (Jews forced to convert to Catholicism) who accompanied early Spanish and Portuguese explorers. Most of these speak Spanish as their first language. Others came later from neighboring Argentina.

These early Jewish immigrants started out as small shop owners, peddlers and craftsmen.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Uruguay is a popular destination for Jewish tourists. There are beautiful beaches and resorts where some come for family get togethers.

Jewish Uruguayans have their own newspapers, schools and youth clubs. The latter two help them maintain their Jewish culture and religion in a Roman Catholic environment.

Marriage and family relationships among Jews are much the same as other Americans. While Jewish families have fewer children, they are child-oriented, indulgent and permissive. Although wives generally take on their husbands' surnames, Jewish identity is traced through the mothers. That is, if one's mother is a Jew, then he is, according to Jewish law, Jewish. He or she is entitled to all the rights and privileges that status brings, including the right to immigrate to Israel and settle there as a citizen.

The Jews of Uruguay work in various trades and professions. They are very well represented in small and middle-sized businesses, the communication and entertainment industries, medicine, law and accounting. Jewish executives have been extremely successful. However, the more successful the Jewish executive in Uruguay becomes, the greater tendency he may have to be assimilated into the Christian European society.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Not all Jews are religious. Some understand their "Jewishness" only as a social and cultural identity. Understanding what it means to be a Jew begins in childhood. It takes place in the home through storytelling and by taking part in Jewish rituals and festivals such as Rosh Hashanah (New Year), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), and Passover. Socialization also takes place through participation in Hebrew school or synagogue youth groups.

At the age of 13, the Bar Mitzvah ceremony for a boy (or Bat Mitzvah for a girl) is an important rite of passage, which marks him or her as an adult member of the community. While these ceremonies were more spiritually focused in the past, they have become equally important as social events.

For religious Jews, God is the Supreme Being, the Creator of the universe, and the ultimate Judge of human affairs. Beyond this, the religious beliefs of the Jewish communities vary greatly. Orthodox Jews generally follow the traditional religious beliefs and practices found in the Jewish literature that interprets Scripture regarding ethical, religious, civil and criminal matters. Conservative Judaism is less traditional than Orthodox and combines different ethical, philosophical, and spiritual schools of thought. Reform Judaism is the most liberal form and interprets Jewish beliefs and practices in light of contemporary life and thought. Reform Jews do not believe that the Jewish Law is divinely revealed. They are not restricted to kosher (traditional, approved) foods, nor do they wear the skull cap (yarmulke) when praying or use Hebrew in prayer. All religious Jews believe in the coming of a Messianic Age, but only the Orthodox Jew looks for a personal Messiah.

What Are Their Needs?

The Jews have a wonderful understanding of their connection with the Abrahamic Covenant. However, they also have a history of rejecting Jesus Christ as Messiah, often because of atrocities by Christians, such as the Inquisition.

Prayer Points

Ask the Lord of the harvest to send forth loving Christ followers to work among the Jewish communities in Uruguay.
Ask the Holy Spirit to grant wisdom and favor to the mission agencies that are focusing on the Jewish people in South America.
Pray that the Jewish people will understand that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah.
Ask the Lord to soften the hearts of the Jews towards Christians so that they might hear and receive the message of salvation.
Pray that God will grant Jewish believers favor as they share their faith in Christ with their own people.
Pray that strong local churches will be raised up in each Jewish community in South America.