Venezuela
Overview
Venezuela, located on the northern coast of South America, is one of the continent’s most urban nations, with more than 90% of its population living in cities. Its Jewish community dates to the mid-19th century, although the majority of Jews arrived during and after World War II. Evenly made up of Ashkenazic and Sephardic Jews whose families immigrated from Eastern Europe and North Africa, the community thrived in this oil-rich country. In recent years, however, the country’s political polarization has created new tensions and uncertainties for the Jewish community.
Need
The local Jewish community needs assistance in community development and sustainable employment opportunities. Additionally, a spike in anti-Semitism related to shifting political realities in the country has made a close monitoring of the effects of these changes on the community necessary.
Response
JDC provides consulting services to the Jewish community and maintains a channel of communication with its leadership to help it deal with new scenarios and ensure the well-being of the community. It also provides technical assistance such as:
- Help in modernizing the Caracas Jewish home for the elderly
- Employment initiatives
- Management Information Systems for welfare services
- Training of new leadership
Impact
JDC involvement has helped to:
- Develop effective and trained lay and professional leadership
- Reengineer the Jewish educational system
- Institute effective community planning for emergency scenarios
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