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February 4, 2005
The Jews of Nicaragua
Three brises mark a growing and vibrant community.
Keith Gould
Managua
The Nicaraguan Jewish community was decimated after the Sandanista
victory in 1979. Most Jews moved to the United States or other countries,
but a small group stayed and, after elections, many have returned
and others have joined the community here. Recently, after more
than 25 years without a rabbi or a bris, Nicaragua had not one but
three brises in the month of December.
The importance of the bris to the community is the addition of a
new generation to a growing, young community. Some of the notable
Jews in Nicaragua are the current mayor of Managua, Herty Lewites;
former military commander, judge and now lawyer Sergio Torres; the
Najman family, which includes the former honorary consul of Israel,
Dr. Keith Gould; and many others active in business, community,
government and politics.
The first bris was held on Dec. 5. Rabbi Moshe Trager flew in from
Philadelphia to perform the ceremony for the twin sons of Keith
and Kathy Gould: Jacob Alexander and Jonathan Aaron joined the Jewish
community that day, and older siblings Ariel, Sarai, Daniel and
Jasmine. In attendance were the Najmans, who had a bris for their
new son later in the month of December: he joined an older sister
and brother. A rabbi from Miami flew down to perform that bris.
The Nicaraguan Jewish community is once again vibrant and growing.
For contact information, write [email protected]
or call 727-232-0128 (in the United States) or 505-222-3509 (in
Nicaragua).
Keith Gould is an emergency room physician living in Nicaragua.
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