Introduction / History

Although they do share a common culture and religion, the Jews of South America have very distinctive lifestyles. The South American Jewish communities began as Conversos (Jews forced to convert to Catholicism) who accompanied early Spanish and Portuguese explorers. These people were forced to pretend they were Catholic for generations. Commonly they would swap the Virgin Mary for Queen Esther, for example.

Some Jewish people lived in what is now Brazil when it was a small Portuguese colony. Others arrived after it became a Portuguese colony. Most of these Jewish people have their roots in Poland or Germany. Because of Portugal’s antisemitic ways, some of them left the colony.

Today Brazil is less than one percent Jewish. Most live in the cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

What Are Their Lives Like?

The Jews of Brazil 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. In Brazil, Jewish executives have been extremely successful. However, the more successful the Jewish executive becomes, the greater tendency he may have to be assimilated into the general Brazilian society. There is a high rate of inter-marriage between Jewish people and Gentiles in Brazil. There are rarely any antisemitic attacks in Brazil. In the cities they have their own schools and associations in an attempt to get back to their Jewish cultural roots.

Marriage and family relationships among Jews are much the same as other Brazilians. 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.

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. They are the smallest denomination of Jewish people in Brazil.

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, the one who has fulfilled that covenant. They are well accepted in Canada, and many probably have Christian friends who can tell them about the abundant life Jesus offers all who call on his name.

Prayer Points

Ask the Lord of the harvest to send forth loving Christians to work among the Jewish communities.
Ask the Holy Spirit to grant wisdom and favor to the agencies focused on Jewish people in Brazil.
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 fellowships will be raised up in each Jewish community.

Scripture Prayers for the Jewish, Portuguese in Brazil.

References

https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2019/05/28/brazilian-jews-were-persecuted-centuries-now-theyre-finding-their-place-society
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Portugal
https://rpl.hds.harvard.edu/faq/judaism-brazil