Colombian descendants of Crypto-Jews rediscover their roots
In less than 30 years, a fully functional Jewish community has developed in Bello, Colombia, composed mostly of converts to Judaism whose families were once Jewish.
About 300 Jews belong to the Jewish community in Bello, a small city in Colombia. They attend synagogue, keep the Jewish dietary laws, and study the Torah. Less than 30 years ago, the community members did not understand themselves to be Jewish—but since then, many have rediscovered the Jewish roots and hidden traditions that their grandparents had camouflaged, fearing persecution, and embarked on a journey back to Judaism.
The process of creating a Jewish community in Bello, in the Antioquia Department of northwestern Colombia, was led by Rabbi Elad Villegas, who himself converted to Judaism after serving as pastor of an evangelical church with 3,000 members.
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