Jamaica, one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, has a fascinating Jewish history going back centuries. Here are eight little-known facts about Jews in Jamaica.
1. Haven from the Inquisition
Christopher Columbus visited Jamaica on his second trip to the New World and in 1503 claimed it for Spain. The island was granted to Columbus’ descendants as a personal possession.
Defying the Spanish Inquisition (which mandated death to anyone practicing Judaism), in 1530 Columbus’ grandson Portugallo Colon allowed “secret” Jews to settle on the island. These were Jews who, despite the Inquisition, continued to practice Jewish rituals in secret and lead Jewish lives behind closed doors. In Spain, Portugal, and most of these countries’ colonies, the Inquisition hounded these Jews mercilessly, torturing and killing anyone found partaking of Jewish traditions. In the new colony of Jamaica, however, Colon prevented the Inquisition from operating.
2. Returning to Judaism under British Rule
In the mid-1600s, when Spanish authorities threatened to wrest control of Jamaica away from Christopher Columbus’ family and impose the Inquisition there, Jamaica’s Jews mobilized. Writing to England’s leader Oliver Cromwell, Jamaica’s Jews pledged to help England conquer the island from Spain. English ships arriving in Jamaica’s harbors were met by Jews who promised their help as Britain battled Spain. By 1655, England ruled Jamaica.
Jamaica’s Jewish community flourished. No longer forced to practice Judaism in secret, they formed a community, built a synagogue, and hired a prominent leader – Josiau Hisquiam Pardo – from Salonika to be their leader. Jews flocked to Jamaica from throughout the Old and New Worlds, arriving from France and Britain, as well as Spanish and Portuguese colonies. The 18th Century historian Bryan Edwards noted that: “The Jews enjoyed almost every privilege possessed by the Christian whites” – an unusual situation in many countries at the time.
3. Jewish Pirate
Antonio Vaez Henriques was one of Lisbon’s most prominent merchants – and a secret Jew. In 1605 he was publicly tortured – along with over 150 other Jews – for the “crime” of practicing Judaism. After escaping Amsterdam, Henriques underwent circumcision, changed his name to Abraham Henriques Cohen – and publicly embraced his Judaism.
Henriques is remembered today as a dashing pirate, though accounts of his derring-do vary. It seems he became a soldier and spy for the Dutch navy and operated with their backing. What is clear is that Henriques teamed up with Sir Henry Morgan, one of the most feared pirates in the Caribbean.
Together, and with the tacit backing of the English government, Henriques and Morgan plundered Spain’s colonies in the New World. Their 1628 heist against the Spanish Armada – in which they captured fabulous amounts of silver and gold – was the largest theft in the Spanish fleet’s history.
After a long career in piracy, Morgan was made lieutenant governor of Jamaica and pardoned Abraham Henriques Cohen, who settled in Jamaica.
4. Closed on Yom Kippur
Jamaica’s Jews were long denied full political rights, until the 1830s when their leader, Moses Delgado, pushed the issue relentlessly with Jamaica’s British authorities. Finally, on July 13, 1831, Jews received full civil rights and exploded onto the scene of Jamaica’s political life.
By 1849, eight of the 47 members of Jamaica’s House of Assembly were Jewish and the Assembly closed on Yom Kippur because so many delegates were away. By 1866, there were 13 Jewish delegates, nearly 25% of the Assembly.
5. White Sand Floors
Like a handful of other Caribbean congregations, Jamaica’s last surviving synagogue – Shaare Shalom in Kingston – boasts a white sand floor. This unusual tradition is said to date to the 16th Century when secret Jews sought to muffle their footsteps in synagogues by putting a thick layer of sand on the floor.
Though Shaare Shalom dates only to 1912, it’s built in the traditional Spanish-Portuguese style. It is one of only five functioning synagogues in the world today with sand floors. (The others are in Amsterdam, Curacao, Suriname, and St. Thomas.)
6. Flourishing Arts
Some of Jamaica’s most prized artistic treasures are the product of that nation’s Jews.
Jewish writer Daniel Israel Lopez Laguna was born in France in the 1650s, and studied in Spain where he was arrested and tortured by the Inquisition. In prison, he comforted himself by thinking of the Hebrew Psalms – and decided to translate these timeless prayers into Spanish should he ever be released. Laguna eventually was let out of prison and he fled to Jamaica, where he embraced his Jewish identity. His work Espejo fiel de Vidas que contiene los Palmos de David in Verso was published in 1720 and became a literary sensation.
Isaac Mendes Belisario, one of Jamaica’s most prominent artists, captured the life and customs of Jamaica’s slave population. (One of his works can be seen here:
Jacob de Cordova
Two books written by a Jew from Jamaica helped put the modern state of Texas on the map. “The Texas Immigrant and Traveler’s Guide Book” (1856), and “Texas, Her Resources and Her Public Men,” (1858), were written by two brothers – Jacob and Joshua de Cordova – from Kingston, Jamaica. Early enthusiasts of the Lone Star State, the de Cordova brothers founded the town of Waco in 1848, and established the newspaper The Texas Herald.
7. Jamaican Jewish Sweets
Cookery writer Marilyn Delevante recalls eating sweets after the fast of Yom Kippur in Jamaica. They were called “dosees”, which probably comes from the Portuguese doce, meaning sweet.
Here is a traditional Jamaican Jewish biscuit that was eaten by Sephardi Jews on Passover. (Note, peanuts are not eaten by Ashkenazi Jews on Passover, but this cookie is delicious any time of year.)
Jamaican Peanut Rounds
- 6 oz freshly ground peanuts
- 3 eggs
- 8 oz white sugar
- 3 t cinnamon
- 3 t mixed spices
- 8 oz fine matzo meal
Beat eggs and sugar until thick. Add peanuts and spices and mix. Then add matzo meal and mix until dough is bound together.
Use a spoon to drop blobs of dough on a baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees F for 5 minutes.
Take tray out of oven and, using the handle of a wooden spoon, make holes in each biscuit so that they have a doughnut shape. Then return tray to oven and continue baking at 300 degrees F until cooked through, about 10-15 minutes.
8. A Kosher Revival
Though Jamaica’s Jewish population has today dwindled to fewer than 300 residents, in recent years there’s been a kosher revival on the island – thanks to Israeli-born caterer Vered Maoz.
Jamaicans are enjoying Vered Maoz’s Israeli food. (photo credit: Vered Maoz)
Though Maoz jokes that when her husband, a mechanical engineer, got a job in Kingston, she didn’t know where to look up Jamaica on a map, the mother of four soon fell in love with their new home. She would bake elaborate Israeli meals and Shabbat dinners – and bring gifts of food when she visited her new neighbors’ homes. Soon word spread – particularly after the Israeli ambassador to the Dominican Republic sampled her food at party for Israel’s Independence Day.
Maoz now runs her own kosher food business. There is no kosher meat in Jamaica, so all her fare is vegetarian: pita, hummus, bourekas, tahini, taboule, schug, pickles, vegetarian stuffed peppers and cabbage rolls. Orders have come in from Jewish travellers – and from Jamaicans themselves, eager to embrace a taste of Israeli-style, kosher food.
Read more articles about Jews in exotic locations:
Jews of India
Jews of Ireland
Jews of Italy
(16) Moshe Zeidber, November 13, 2018 11:32 PM
Where is Sharei Shalom? I am in Kingston for Shabat
Really interesting stuff.
(15) PeCe, May 1, 2018 5:27 AM
Growing up in Jamaica I didn't understand the feast days that we celebrated with my grandfather. I remember Passover and Sukkot because of the preparation of the lamb/ goat, and the Sukkah that he built. For many years I plundered my memories questioning if I could be wrong about them. Even though I had some insight and experience, it was difficult to
see this has part of my heritage. I often have to explain to others why I am a student of " The Torah " Thank you for sharing this history, hopefully this will bring "Light " to many.
(14) Maureen, August 6, 2017 3:02 AM
Always one!
I did not get the impression that this was about Rastafarianism. I read the very delightful article about my people.
(13) Basha Kline, February 14, 2017 3:05 PM
Jamaica
My uncle was posted to Jamaica during WW11 and was commissioned to be a baker for the German prisoners of war.
He had just married my aunt before his posting and she wanted to follow - no-one was supposed to leave the British shores but she was quietly offered a job as a nanny by my uncle's commanding officer - to take a 5-year old German boy out of England and this she did, not telling anyone. Took the last banana boat and landed in Jamaica where the child was taken away immediately and she stayed in Kingston until the war was over. I have written more details in a short story...still do not know what happened to the boy though.
(12) Betty, January 7, 2017 5:57 AM
Interesting read especially since I have found out I have a small percentage of Ashkenazi in my DNA ethnicity. Would love to know who my Jamaican Jewish ancestor was. Thank you Dr Yvette Miller
(11) Fred, July 31, 2016 12:19 AM
All my jewish ancestors came from Jamaica!!!!
I traced all back until Amsterdam, originally from Portugal.... such an amazing and totlly documented family history
(10) Faith (Eichen) Whitfield, June 26, 2016 8:20 PM
Jewish and living in Jamaica in 1965-66
I found your article fascinating as when I was a young teenager my Father was sent to Jamaica to work (from an American company). We lived on the outskirts first and fnally in Kingston. We joined the Sheriton Hotel so we could use their pool and I attended first a Jamaican school than a British school where I felt more "comfortable". We went to the synogue often but I remember that there weren't that many Jewish people attending. It was a beautiful Shul and was said to be the oldest in the Carribean which contridicts what was written in the article. Unfortunately, in March, 1966, my Father was murdered (by a disgruntled employee) and my Mother and I returned to the States,
(9) Penny Teich Bowman, June 24, 2016 2:28 AM
My father Rabbi Joel Teich z"l, travelled to Jamaica on business in the 60's and 70's on business and developed many friendships. One of his cherished friends was Reverend Ernest DaSousa, spiritual leader of the Shaare Shalom synagogue in Kingston . My father was always welcomed warmly and given honours in the Synagogue. Just a year before Reverend DaSousa passed away, he and his lovely wife Dolores came to Barbados to a Masons convention and stayed with my husband and I, on Shabbat in our home. (We have lived in Barbados for over 30 years, six months during the winter. We live in Canada in the summer). Reverend DaSousa shared many stories of the wonderful friendship he and my father had over many years.
Penny Teich Bowman, June 26, 2016 2:23 AM
Reverend Ernest DeSouza's wife's name is Judith
Please excuse my "senior moment" memory loss........ in my story about my father's friend Reverend Ernest DeSouza, I wrote that his wife's name is Dolores. In fact, Reverend DeSouza's lovely wife's name is Judith.
(8) ruth podeswa, June 19, 2016 1:57 PM
It was very interesing to read about Jedwish history in Jamaica
Does anyone know of the Harte and or Lewvich family who emigrated to Jamaica and settled in Kingston from England, I think late 1800's or early 1900's. They were relatives of my grandmother, Amelia Lewis, nee Hart.
(7) Marcos Kaplun, June 19, 2016 1:02 PM
Fantastic
As president of all the jewish Maccabi organization a in Latinamerica I want to invite the jewish communities of Jamaica ,dominican republica,Curacao,Saint Thomas,Trinidad,Surinam and all the islands to come part of our organization,and to invite the jewish sportsman to Israel to participate in the Maccabiah néxt July were will be represent jewish sportsmen of 80 countries. Jazak Veematz Marcos Kaplun Chairman of CLAM Chile
(6) Anna Ruth Henriques, June 18, 2016 9:38 PM
Vered Maoz
Vered Maoz is back in Israel. She left Jamaica last year for good when her husband passed away unexpectedly, so #8 is no longer applicable. However, various hotels cater to those who want kosher food.
(5) Jeanie Silver, June 17, 2016 3:46 PM
Jews fled to Jamaica after the Holocaust as well
Very interesting. Jews also went to Jamaica after the Holocaust. After becoming Torah observant, I once worked with a man who looked Jamaican and spent an hour debating me about Israel, he being pro Palestinian. He had moved from Jamaica to Spanish Harlem in NY, attended Catholic school and identified as an atheist. Suddenly he told me, "My mother's sister's mother was Jewish. Confused, I asked him if that meant his mother's mother was Jewish. He told me yes. I asked him if he knew that made him Jewish. He told me he had wondered about it. His grandmother had fled to Jamaica after the Holocaust and married a Jamaican so he and all his siblings are Jewish. Interestingly his African American fiancé had spent time on a Kibbutz! There are so many Jews out there who dont know they are Jewish. The last one I met is named Abdul.
(4) sam, June 17, 2016 2:19 PM
There is Chabad is Jamaica
(3) Amy, June 16, 2016 4:41 PM
"Mixed spices"?
I'd love to make these cookies, but I have no idea what spices are mixed, and there are a lot of possibilities: ginger? nutmeg? cinnamon? vanilla?
(2) Pam Webber, June 16, 2016 12:32 PM
I have been to Jamaica twice, and have many Jewish Jamaican friends
I think the work you are doing is wonderful.
(1) yossi, June 15, 2016 2:26 PM
There is meat!
Today, with Chabad in Jamaica, meat is available, as well as Shabbos services, and so on. Find all the details here: http://www.jewishjamaica.com/ and here: http://www.jewishjamaica.com/kosher/
It would be very appreciated if you could please do your homework properly, being that you've gathered so many good facts.
Mike, June 16, 2016 11:21 AM
Jews of Jamaica
maybe you could lend a hand in bringing the Jews of Jamaica closer to Yiddishkeit and ultimately to Eretz Yisrael