Panama

Select the Panama link at http://www.worldjewishcongress.org/comm_latin.html:  Most of the 7000 Jews live in Panama City, but there are also communities in Colon, David and the former American Canal Zone. Panama was a Spanish colony. Settlement by Jews openly practicing Judaism started in 1836 with the arrival of Portuguese Jews from Jamaica, Guadeloupe, and Curacao and joined by Jews from the Virgin Islands and later from Central Europe. In 1876, the Spanish-Portuguese synagogue (Kol Shearith Israel) was founded in Panama City, and in 1890 the Kahal Kodesh Yaacov in Colon. With the construction of the Panama Canal, Jews came from Syria, Turkey and founded Shevet Ahim in Panama City, Ahvat Ahim in Colon and a small community in David. The community has three synagogues including a Reform congregation and two Jewish schools. [August 2005]