There are a number of Jewish communities in the Caribbean. All of them were settled by Bnei Anousim who, fleeing the Inquisition, traveled with Columbus and other Spanish explorers to the New World. Some even suggest that Columbus himself was a “hidden Jew.” In this section, we look at the Jewish history of the some of the more important islands in the Caribbean, tracing it from the late 15th century until the present day. Also listed below are Jewish communities in Latin American countries (other than the Shavei-supported Jews of the Amazon and the Inca Jews).

