Records of Jewish communities and institutions of Peru Legajos de Comunidades e Instituciones Judías del Perú

The history of the Jews in Peru goes back to the beginning of the 20th century, with very diverse origins as a result of its diaspora; among them are the Germans, Poles, Russians, Turks, etc. The majority of Ashkenazic origin, with roots in Central and Eastern Europe, although also exist other ethnic groups, especially of Sephardic origin. Over the years, the Jewish population in Peru has been declining to the detriment of other places in the world, mainly Israel. The Hebrew population in the Andean country is composed of approximately 12,000 members, of whom, more than 96% is concentrated in the Peruvian capital, where the community has three synagogues, two are Ashkenazi (one German and the other Romanian) and the other is Sephardic. Of the three, two belong to the Orthodox, while the rest (the German one) belongs to the mainstream. By the 1910s, Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews arrived, joining the communities formed by the few German Jews already established in the country, mainly in Lima. In the following decade, immigration continues, mainly by young people from the Aztecs, who, for the most part, dedicate their business to credit in the interior cities of Arequipa, Trujillo, Cusco, Abancay, Huanuco, Piura and Chiclayo. In those years, the Sephardim formed the "Israelite Sephardic Benefit Society" (1928) and the Ashkenazi the "Israeli Union of Peru" (1923). In 1925 the "Zionist Organization of Peru" was founded which seeks to regroup the two communities, as well as previously established German Jews. In the 1930s the Jewish community flourished. In 1935 the "Jewish Society of Mutual Relief of the Jews" was founded, grouping Jews, mainly of German origin and of liberal ideas and rituals. The youth movements Maccabi, Ashajar, Ashomer and Betar are created. The synagogues of Ashkenazi (1934) and Sephardi (1933) are opened in their own premises. In 1938, however, the Peruvian Foreign Ministry totally prohibited Jewish immigration to Peru. In the 1940s, all Jewish communities in the country were merged into one. The "Directory of the Israeli Collective of Peru" (1942) was created as a representative body of all Peruvian Jewry and the common services were created and unified: enlargement of the cemetery, home of the elders, Jewish college Leon Pinelo (1946) Zionist youths, Noʻar ha-Tsiyoni, and Betar, Zionist women's groups (Wizo, OSE, Pioneer Women), Peruvian Pro Palestine Committee that obtains the Peruvian vote for the Partition, campaign for war victims, the Israeli Credit Association of Peru , the Israeli Medical Association of Peru and begins to circulate daily the bulletin of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency . In this decade the bond with Jewish education and the Zionist cause is greatly strengthened. In the 1950s Jews from all over the country immigrated mainly to Lima, in search of a Jewish social and educational framework for their children, creating various Jewish institutions. In the following decades, the increase of antisemitism and the successive economic crises increase the emigration, mainly to the United States, Israel and Argentina, reducing the Jewish population at the moment-according to unofficial figures - to approximately twelve thousand Jews settled in Peru. [Source: Wikipedia]

Arkhiyon ha-merkazi le-toldot ha-ʻam ha-Yehudi

Source of acquisition is the Central Archives for the History of the Jewish People, CAHJP (Arkhiyon ha-merkazi le-toldot ha-ʻam ha-Yehudi). The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Archives received this collection via the United States Holocaust Museum International Archives Project in October 2017.