Heritage Florida Jewish News - Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice

This is the second article in a four-part series about the Puerto Rican Jews living in Central Florida and their history.

Following the Spanish-American War, in 1898, Spain ceded Puerto Rico to the United States, after which Jews were allowed to live openly. However, there were practically no Jews on the island. After the war, a small number of Jewish American soldiers remained on the island many of whom worked in Puerto Rico's government bureaucracy. They helped create the legal and court systems.

A large number of Jews in the 1930s made their way to Puerto Rico, fleeing the rise of the Nazis...