B"H

Jewish Tours

Buenos Aires, Argentina

The Virtual Jewish History Tour

Chile

By Beth Weiss


Areas of interest

A Sephardi musuem is located in Santiago. A kosher restaurant opened in Santiago in 2004. Kosher food is also available from two butcher shops and one mini-market.

Outside Santiago is Las Condes, home to major Jewish sports fans and the sports club Estadio Israelita. The community has its own synagogue, Talmud Torah and rabbi. On Yom Haatzma'ut, the Chilean Air Force features a performance with paratroopers.

At the intersection of Avenida Manquehue and Avenida Colon is a statue of the Ten Commandments. The inscriptions claims that it was copied from the Jerusalem Bible and presented at the first National Congress of Young Adventists in 1981.

Synagogues

The main synagogue is the Circulo Israelita Synagogue in Santiago. It was built with beautiful stained glass windows that encircle the bimah. It serves the Ashkenazi community and has about 1,000 families as members.

The Sephardic congregation was the first Jewish community in Chile. It was started in Timulco but moved to Santiago. There are around 1,000 families that are members of this synagogue.

Within the Estadio Israelita is a Reform temple called Ohr Shalom. About 2,000 families are included in its membership.

In addition to these synagogues, a number of Orthodox synagogues have sprung up recently within Santiago, although the vast majority of Chileans affiliate with Conservative and Reform synagogues.


Notes

1. Tigay, Alan M. The Jewish Traveler. NJ: Book-Mart Press, 1994. p 469.

2. Bohm, Gunter. Encyclopedia Judaica. "Chile." p. 1 and Tigay, Alan M. The Jewish Traveler. NJ: Book-Mart Press, 1994. p 470.

3. ibid.

Sources: Beker, Dr. Avi. Ed. Jewish Communities of the World. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications, 1998. p. 62-63.

Encyclopedia Judaica

Tigay, Alan M. The Jewish Traveler. NJ: Book-Mart Press, 1994. pgs. 469- 474.

Photo of Circulo Israelita Synagogue by Beth Weiss

Photo of Comunidad de Santiago Synagogue courtesy of HaChayim HaYehudim Jewish Photo Library (Jono David Media)

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