Kahal Zur Israel (Hebrew: קהל צור ישראל, "Rock of Israel") was the first Jewish congregation in the New World. It was established by immigrants from the Netherlands and joined by New Christians who were already living in the colony. There is now a museum on the site of this, the oldest synagogue site in the Americas.
From 1636 to 1654, the synagogue functioned on the site of the houses no. 197 and 203 do Bom Jesus Street (formerly Rua dos Judeus...
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Kahal Zur Israel (Hebrew: קהל צור ישראל, "Rock of Israel") was the first Jewish congregation in the New World. It was established by immigrants from the Netherlands and joined by New Christians who were already living in the colony. There is now a museum on the site of this, the oldest synagogue site in the Americas.
From 1636 to 1654, the synagogue functioned on the site of the houses no. 197 and 203 do Bom Jesus Street (formerly Rua dos Judeus, lit. Street of the Jews). It flourished in the mid-1600’s, when the Dutch briefly controlled this part of northeastern Brazil. The original synagogue building survived until the early twentieth century, when it was torn down. The site has been confirmed by an archaeological excavation. In 2001 the decision was made to create a Jewish museum in two story house with two shops located on the first floor then standing on the site of the old synagogue.
The synagogue served a community of approximately 1,450 Jews. It had a cantor, Josue Velosino,...
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