The Jewish Heritage of Mexico at the National Library of Israel

Since the beginning of the colonial era, there is evidence of individuals of Jewish origin arriving in Mexico, some of whom secretly maintained their Jewish identity and customs. However, the Jewish community as we know it today began to form in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with the arrival of Jews from Europe and the Ottoman Empire.

The first Jewish community was formed on August 18, 1912, when a group of Jews gathered in downtown Mexico City to establish Sociedad de Beneficencia Alianza Monte Sinai. Their goal was to raise funds and acquire land in order to establish a Jewish cemetery, marking the beginning of Jewish organization in the country.

Jewish migration to Mexico was driven by several factors: anti-Semitic persecution, the search for better economic opportunities, transit to the United States, and an invitation from the Mexican government to help promote the country’s development. For this reason, the community founded in 1912 brought together Jews of diverse origins, from Europe and the Middle East.

In 1922, Ashkenazi Jews, who had arrived from Central and Eastern Europe, separated from Sociedad de Beneficencia Alianza Monte Sinai due to differences in religious rites and founded Nidjei Israel, today known as Kehila Ashkenazi de Mexico, the second Jewish community in the country.

Between 1923 and 1924, a group of Jews from Greece, Turkey, and the Balkans formed the third community, initially called La Fraternidad (The Brotherhood), which later became known as Comunidad Sefaradi.

In the early 1930s, Jews from Aleppo, Syria, established their own synagogue, and in 1938, founded Sociedad de Beneficiencia Sedaka Umarpe, which later became known as Comunidad Maguen David.

Following these divisions, most of the Jews from Damascus united under the Sociedad de Beneficencia Alianza Monte Sinai forming what became, in fact, a Shami (Damascene) Jewish community.

In 1957, Beth Israel Community was established, becoming the first Conservative congregation in Mexico, founded primarily by English-speaking Jews from the United States.

Finally, in 1961, Comunidad Bet El was formed, also affiliated with the Conservative movement, and made up mainly of Spanish-speaking Jews of Ashkenazi origin.

Each of these communities established its own institutions, including schools, synagogues, and social centers, while inter-community organizations were created simultaneously. One of the most important was the Centro Deportivo Israelita, founded in 1950, which includes members from all communities.

Despite the diversification of its sectors, all communities are united under the Comite Central de la Comunidad Judia de Mexico. This organization not only brings together the various communities but also represents them before the Mexican government.

A distinctive feature of Jews in Mexico is their high rate of community affiliation, one of the highest in the world. The vast majority of Mexican Jews are affiliated with one of the country’s Jewish communities, and more than 90 percent of Jewish students attend schools within the Jewish network.

Thus, the Mexican Jewish community is primarily characterized by the diversity of its sectors, each of which retains its own identity, while also being one of the most united and prosperous Jewish communities in the Diaspora.

Since its institutionalization in 1912, Jewish life in Mexico has undergone significant development, reflected in the establishment of numerous synagogues, schools, cultural and social centers, sports facilities, Zionist organizations, youth movements, and a wide range of institutions. These efforts have been crucial in consolidating and growing the Jewish community in the country.

The archives of the National Library of Israel are an invaluable resource for understanding the evolution of Jewish communities in Mexico. Among its collections are minute books, official correspondence, reports, yearbooks, membership lists, minutes of board meetings, invitations, and other relevant documents that provide a detailed view of the Jewish communities and institutions in Mexico.

Family photographs are an integral part of communities' historical and cultural heritage. The National Library of Israel's historical archives preserve a wide range of family photographs that reflect the Jewish presence in Mexico across generations.

The Jewish Community of Mexico has undertaken numerous oral history preservation projects, interviewing Mexican Jews from various sectors of the community. Through their testimonies, these interviews portray a wide range of aspects of Jewish life in Mexico, both institutional and personal. In fact, tThe National Library of Israel preserves dozens of these oral history interviews, including those with some of the most prominent figures of the Mexican Jewish community, such as journalist Jacobo Zabludovsky, philanthropist Max Shein, and community leader Jaime Mitrani.

Maps are often invaluable documents, whether for their geographical, historical, or artistic significance. After all, they represent physical areas of the Earth's surface and offer insight into the historical distribution of the world, the expansion and contraction of human groups, the development of transportation, trade routes, cultural phenomena, political transitions, economic events, and wars. However, far from being a mere collection of geographical knowledge, maps often serve as a way of interpreting the world. In fact, many disciplines consider maps to be an important source of knowledge, including anthropology, sociology, semiotics, and art, in addition to history and geography, of course. 
The National Library of Israel houses a vast collection of maps covering various periods and regions, including some maps of Mexico.

The term "ephemera" comes from the Greek word for "lasting only a day," referring to something transient or short-lived. The Ephemera Collection at the National Library of Israel consists of documents originally published for temporary use, such as posters, advertising brochures, commercial advertisements, and other materials printed for a specific, short-term purpose. Interestingly, ephemeral documents gain significant historical value over time, as they help reconstruct knowledge about the people, communities, and societies that created them. Through these documents, we often learn about the trends of the era in which they were printed, political ideologies, religious beliefs, philosophical convictions, cultural practices, and social norms. 

The documents related to Mexico in the Ephemera Collection of the National Library of Israel reflect aspects of the relationship between Israel and Mexico — with sometimes curious, extravagant, or even bizarre features — but always fascinating. Ultimately, these are documents that have, against all odds, defied the transience that originally defined them.

Among its treasures, the National Library of Israel houses rare and unique items, including numerous works of Mexican literature translated into Hebrew. These include Pedro Paramo by Juan Rulfo, The Death of Artemio Cruz by Carlos Fuentes, Vision of the Vanquished by Miguel León Portilla, and a selection of works by Octavio Paz, with a foreword by Yehuda Amichai.

A historical archive dedicated to the history and culture of Jews in Mexico cannot overlook the prolific newspapers and magazines published by Jews in the country. Newspapers in Spanish, Yiddish, and Hebrew chronicle, page by page, the experiences of Jews and the fate of their communities. Some of the surviving titles are still in circulation, with copies being collected at the same pace as their publications. Among its notable treasures, the National Library of Israel preserves some of the few remaining copies of the first Jewish newspaper published in Mexico: El Sábado Secreto (1889).