ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

History of the Jews in Brazil

Okay, kiddo, let me explain the history of Jews in Brazil in a very simple way.

Brazil is a big country located in South America and it has a long history of people from different parts of the world coming to live there. One of those groups was the Jews.

Jews are people who follow a specific religion called Judaism. They believe in one God and have special traditions and customs that they follow. Some Jews came to Brazil during the colonial period, which started in the 1500s when Portugal took control of the country.

At first, Jews were not allowed to practice their religion freely in Brazil, because the rulers wanted everyone to follow the Catholic religion. However, some Jews still came and tried to practice their religion in secret, sometimes even pretending to be Catholics to avoid persecution.

Over time, things started to change and Jews were allowed to live more openly in Brazil. In the 1800s, many Jews came from Europe to Brazil, especially from Germany and Eastern Europe. They brought with them their traditions, customs, and businesses, and established communities in big cities like Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.

During the 20th century, more and more Jews arrived in Brazil, and they became an important part of Brazilian society. Today, Brazil has one of the largest Jewish populations in Latin America, with an estimated 120,000 Jews living in the country.

So that’s a brief explanation of the history of Jews in Brazil, kiddo. It’s important to remember that everyone has the right to practice their religion and follow their traditions, and it’s great that Brazil has become a welcoming home for people from all over the world, including Jews.