Women's League

Legends about Jewish pirates and distinguished 20th century political legacy are highlights of the Caribbean Jewish community history.

The Jews of Jamaica make up a small part, but vibrant community centered today in the capitol of Kingston. While the core of the community traces its ancestry to the Iberian Peninsula, and the Jewish exodus that began in the late 15th century, Jamaica Jews today come from Poland, France, Italy, Africa, Israel, Turkey, and many other places. Its main synagogue is one of only a handful in the world with a sand floor. While some 22,000 Jews once lived on the island, the Jewish population today numbers about 450 people.

Many Jamaican Jews trace their origins to Portugal, where their ancestors were forcibly converted to Catholicism by King Manuel in 1497. Although legally prohibited from emigrating, many still found ways to leave, moving to Spain-Portuguese Jewish communities in Hamburg, London, Italy, Amsterdam and France. Over the next 100 years, some of these converts came from Amsterdam to the Caribbean including Jamaica, settling in Port Royal, Spanish Town, Montego Bay and Kingston as well as numerous small towns throughout the island. Although Jamaica Was then a Spanish colony, It was controlled by Christopher Columbus family.

After the British colonized Jamaica in 1655, another wave of Jewish immigrants arrived. Under the British it became legal to practice Judaism, which lead to the first synagogue in Port Royal. The synagogue was destroyed along with much of the city in the earthquake and tsunami in 1692. Across the bay from Port Royal is the Hunt’s Bay Cemetery, the oldest Jewish burial ground in Jamaica. Seven graves in the cemetery bears a skull and cross bones, leading some to suggest that there were Jewish pirates looting Spanish ships.

The Jamaican Jewish community thrived during the 18thand early 19th centuries. Under British rule, Jews flourished by selling sugar, vanilla, Tabacco, gold, rum and other products. But by the early 20th century, the economy began to slow down and decline. Many Jamaican Jews emigrated to the United States, England, and Australia. At the community peak in 1881, approximately 22,000 Jews lived in Jamaica’s 580,000 residents. Today there is an estimated 200-450 Jews in a total population of over 3 million., most of them in Kingston.

Many observers have commented on the similarities between Judaism and Rastafarianism, a religion that developed in Jamaica in 1930 and was popularized by Bob Marley and reggae music. There Was Some branches of Rastafarianism focus on Hebrew Bible and emphasis themes of freedom and justice. They also believed that the Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie was the messiah, based on him being a descended of King Solomon. They also have the symbols of the Star of David and the Lion of Judah. 

Several Jamaican rose to political prominence in the mid 20th century Neville Ashenheim served as the first ambassador to the United States, Lewis Ashenheim was the editor of the first Jewish paper in the West Indies Mayor Matalon most important advisor to the Jamaican government, Eli Matalon served as Mayor of Kingston, minister of education and minister of national security and justice.

In the 1970 there was a drastic exodus of Jamaican Jews after the Prime Minister Michael Manley took position as seen by many as a leader in the style of Fedel Castro moving the country into socialism. Under his rule many of the Jamaican elite left Jamaica. In 1980 elections Edward Seaga brought many of the elite returned.

Though the community today is but a fraction of its formal size, its impact on Jamaica endures.