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Kahal Zur Israel Synagogue

c. 1636 · 17th century

The Kahal Zur Israel Synagogue in Recife, Brazil, founded around 1636 under Dutch rule, was the first synagogue in the Americas. Its congregation was formed by Sephardic Jews, many of Portuguese origin, who came from Amsterdam. When the Portuguese retook Recife in 1654 the Jews left, and some went on to found the first Jewish community in New Amsterdam. The restored building is now a museum.

Kahal Zur Israel Synagogue
Image: Wilfredor · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 1 state history

Dutch Brazil

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Kahal Zur Israel Synagogue. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/kahal-zur-israel-synagogue
MLA
“Kahal Zur Israel Synagogue.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/kahal-zur-israel-synagogue. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Kahal Zur Israel Synagogue.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/kahal-zur-israel-synagogue.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Kahal Zur Israel Synagogue’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/kahal-zur-israel-synagogue (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻