About this talk

Brazil is one of the countries that received the largest numbers of Jewish immigrants during the 20th century, but Jewish history in Brazil began long before, with Sephardic Jews arriving under Portuguese colonial rule, often facing persecution due to the Inquisition, and later under Dutch colonial rule, which provided greater religious freedom.

Today, Brazil's Jewish community is one of the largest in Latin America, with a presence in various regions, each with distinct histories. The most prominent centers are São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, but there are also significant communities in Recife, Porto Alegre, and Manaus.

In this talk, we will introduce you to the Jewish history of Brazil from colonial times to the present. Explore the most notable Jewish landmarks of Brazil's main cities.

This talk is presented together with the team of Judaic Tourism, a project that aims to showcase all the Jewish heritage of Latin America.

About Felipe

Felipe Lichand is a historian and an active member of the local Jewish community in São Paulo. As a boy he studied at the Talmud Torah School but his greatest connection with Judaism came through his involvement with the Jewish youth movement "Hashomer Hatzair", in which he is part of the leadership. After returning to Brazil from a year in Israel, Felipe worked at an exhibition in the Holocaust Museum in São Paulo, which triggered his interest in Jewish history and heritage, and led him to receive a research scholarship in the subject. He joined the Judaic Tourism project in June 2019, becoming its coordinator in São Paulo & Santos. He really enjoys sharing his knowledge about the Jewish history of his country and connecting with other Jews around the world.