Jewish Heritage

Culture and History tour in Rio de Janeiro

Tour Price : Us$ 260 Duration : approx. 5 hours Languages: English, Spanish, Italian, German

The Jewish contribution to the formation of the marvelous Rio shouldn’t be underestimated. The first Jews appeared in Rio more than half of millennium ago with the first courageous Portuguese navigators. Since that time, the immigration from Israel was constant, mainly due to the emperor Dom Pedro Secondo, who was a great admirer of the Jewish culture and strived to encourage the immigration of Jews.  

You can find numerous mentionings  of Jews in the works of Adolfo Varnhagen, the well-known Brazilian historian. He said that the Jews took a considerable part in the struggle for the Brazilian Independence. It is worth noting that they made a great contribution to this campaign. As you see the Jews have left numerous traces throughout the history of Rio de Janeiro, that’s why there are so many places connected with them in Rio.  

Any private guide in Brazil would begin such tour with the Yitzhak Rabin memorial park. It is immediately followed by Chaim Weizmann Square which is distinguished by its beauty and grandeur. Another place of interest is the recently restored Opera House and the Catete neighborhood, where thriving furniture commerce was established by some businesslike Jews. The Jewish Museum and the Grand Temple are one of the most famous landmarks of Rio for those who are interested in rich Jewish history and culture.

Guided tours in Rio de Janeiro give a better opportunity to get acquainted with the development of the Jewish culture in Brazil.

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