Peru

Peru was attacked by the Spanish army in 1532, of which numerous officers were Canversos.This was the arrival of the first Jews in the country. In 1570, the Inquisition was established leading to the persecution of Jews, many of whom were burned alive.  The Jews who came into the country from Europe from 1870 were assimilated by the general population. Some North African Jews arrived in Iquitos in 1880 and became workers in the rubber industry. Following the First World War, more Jews came into the country,along with refugees escaping the Nazis. The population of Jews in the country reached 6,000 by the time the Second World War came to an end, but the number decreased afterwards.

The Ashkenazim make up most of the current Jewish population. A majority of the Jewish children school attend the prestigious ColegioLeon Pinelo School. The country has two Jewish newspapers and a nineteenth-century cemetery at Iquitos.  Intermarriage and assimilation have caused the community to diminish.

I spent a few months traveling around Peru, as well as a couple months helping out at the Chabad house in Lima. There is a small Chabad community as well as orthodox/traditional and Sephardi ones in Lima. The Chabad house in Cusco caters to travelers and has a solid kosher restaurant.

Little-known is that there is an organization known as BayitYehudi run by Breslov. They have a home in Huraz, which is north of Lima. The Bayit is open during the travel season, when many Israelis pass through to hike in the mountains. I spent a few weeks studying with the Shaliach there, also going to the mikvah in the mountain streams and doing hitbodedut, where we sat in the woods and talked to G-d.

Peru is also a special place to me because my wife and I met there at the Chabad house in Lima. It’s a story of hashgachapratis/divine providence that you can read here 

LIMA

Beit Chabad Lima Peru

Avenida Nueva Baja 545
Mobile Phone: 84978 7007

There are a few hotels in walking distance. meals available and a mikva

Orthodox

Beit Chabad Cusco

Calle Granada 291, Cusco – Cusco

Telephone: (84) 9787007

Email: chabadcusco@gmail.com, Website: www.jabadperu.com

kosher restaurant, Synagogue,  meals are served on Shabbat and Chaggim after davening.

 LIMA

 COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS

Asociacion Judia de Beneficencia y Cu/to de
1870

Libertad 375, Miraflores 18
Telephone: (1) 445 1089, Fax: (1) 445 1089

EMBASSY
Embassy of Israel

Natalio Sanchez 125 Sexto Piso, Santa Beatriz 1

Telephone: (1) 433 4431, Fax: (1) 433 8925

GROCERIES

Minimarket Kasher

Av. Gral. Juan A. Pezet 1472, San Isidro 27
Telephone: (1) 264 2187, Fax: (1) 264 2187

opening hours: Monday to Thursday 9am to 6pm, Friday 9am to 1:00pm. (subjected to change)

HOTELS

Hote/libertador

Los Eucaliptos 550, San Isidro, 27

Telephone: (1) 421 6680, Fax: (1) 442 3011

Website: www.libertador.com.pe

This  Hotel is  short walk distance  from the Union Israelita Synagogue

KASHRUT INFORMATION

Chief Rabbi Abraham Benhamu

Telephone: (1) 442 4505, Fax: (1) 442 8147

Rabbi Benhamu is the Chief Rabbi of Peru

KOSHER FOODS
Salon Majestic

Av. Bolivar 965, Pueblo Libre, 21

Telephone: (1) 463 0031, Fax: (1) 4618912

Supervision: Chief Rabbi Abraham Benhamu
Catering for special groups and parties by prior arrangement only

MEDIA
Newspapers

Menora

Jose Quinones 290, Miraflores 18
Telephone: (1) 441 3461, Fax: (1) 4225796

Daily

Shofar

Jose Bielovucic 1350, Lince 14

Telephone: (1) 440 0853, Fax: (1) 440 0853

Bimonthly

MIKVAOT

Beit Chabad Peru

Av. Salaverry 3075, San Isidro 27
Telephone: (1) 264 6060, Fax: (1) 264 5499

Email: chabadperu@telefonica.net.pe, Website: www.jabadperu.com

There is a  mikveh available for men and women. The Chabad hous has a  daily minyan for Shacharit Mincha and Ma’arive. They can deliver kosher meals to almost any city in Peru. Check for current minyan times.

Union Israe/ita

Ave. Gral. Juan A. Pezet 1472, San Isidro, 27

Telephone: (1) 264 2187

Sociedad Israelita Sefardi, Beit Jabad

MUSEUMS

Inquisition and Congress Museum
Juin 5481

Telephone: (1) 311 7801/311 7777 anexo 2910, Fax: (1) 311 7801

Website: www.congreso.gob.pe/museo.htm

Rachel and I went here for are first date. Probably not the best place for a first  date but well worth a visit. The museum is free and open from Monday to Sunday,  9am to Spm.  Tours are given in Spanish, French, Italian, German and Portuguese.

Museum of the Inquistion

Junin 5481

Telephone: (1) 427 0365

SYNAGOGUES

Conservative

Asociacion Judia de Beneficiencia y Culto de
1870

Jose Galvez 282, Miraflores 18
Telephone: (1) 445 1089,445 5148, Fax: (1) 445 1089

Orthodox

Sciedad de Beneficencia Israel ita Sefardi

Enrique Villar 581, Santa Beatriz, 1

Telephone: (1) 471 7230, Fax: (1) 422 8147

Union Israelita del Peru

Carlos Porras osores 210, San Isidro, Esq. Cdra 18
Ave. Dos de mayo 27

Telephone: (1) 421 3684, Fax: (1) 421 3684

Email: unionisraelita@terra.com.pe, Website: www.kosherperu.com
Supervision: Rabbi Efraim Zik

Services are held at the Centro Sharon