About Venezuela
Venezuela is a country on the northern coast of South America with diverse natural attractions. Along its Caribbean coast are tropical resort islands including Isla de Margarita and the Los Roques archipelago. To the northwest are the Andes Mountains and the colonial town of Mérida, a base for visiting Sierra Nevada National Park. Caracas, the capital, is to the north. The territory now known as Venezuela was colonized by Spain in 1522 amid resistance from indigenous peoples. In 1811, it became one of the first Spanish-American colonies to declare independence, which was not securely established until 1821, when Venezuela was a department of the federal republic of Gran Colombia. Venezuela is entirely located in the tropics over the Equator to around 12° N. Its climate varies from humid low-elevation plains, where average annual temperatures range as high as 35 °C (95.0 °F), to glaciers and highlands (the páramos) with an average yearly temperature of 8 °C (46.4 °F). Venezuela is one of the 10 most biodiverse countries on the planet, yet it is one of the leaders of deforestation due to economic and political factors.
Jewish History, POI & Kosher Establishments in Venezuela
The History of the Jews in Venezuela dates to the middle of the 17th century, when records suggest that groups of marranos (Spanish and Portuguese descendants of baptized Jews suspected of secret adherence to Judaism) lived in Tucacas, Caracas and Maracaibo. The Jewish community, however, did not become established in Venezuela until the middle of the 19th century. Since Hugo Chávez took power in 1999, tension has existed between the government and Jewish population, which has seen large numbers emigrating. Today the number of Jews left in Venezuela is estimated to be less than half of those before Chavez came to power: between 9,000 and 11,000. The vast majority of the Venezuelan Jews live in Caracas (95%). The Jews are evenly divided between Ashkenazim and Sephardim and are fully integrated. There are around 15 synagogues in Venezuela, mainly Orthodox. The majority of Ashkenazi and Sephardic synagogues are in Caracas. Synagogues can also be found in cities such as Maracaibo, Porlamar, Valencia, Maracay, and Puerto La Cruz. There is also a Chabad Lubavitch synagogue. Beth Shemuel is a Sephardic ultra-Orthodox congregation and has its own community centre. In Caracas kosher food is available at several stores.
