Postcard from Suriname

Key Findings:

Anshell Pfeffer, senior correspondent for Haaretz and The Economist, recounts his travels to Suriname, where a historical Jewish colony was once established. Founded some 300 years before the establishment of the State of Israel, the Jewish colony, Jodensavanne, serves as a reminder of the challenges that come with maintaining Jewish autonomy, and the need for support from global Jewry to make it feasible. 

Jodensavanne was established after Jews banished from Spain and Portugal founded a colony on the banks of the Suriname River. This is a rare instance in history where Jews enjoyed autonomous rule. In this colony, which survived for over a century, Jews owned plantations, produced sugar to send back to Europe, all the while observing Shabbat and preserving their Jewish heritage. 

The success of the colony began to wane due to several challenges, including economic issues, natural factors, as well as slave revolts, and attacks by the French. Eventually, many colonists abandoned their plantations, moved to the capital city, or immigrated to North America. 

Nowadays, Jodensavanne is mostly overtaken by forests. The author mentions there are archaeological efforts in place to preserve its remains, and that UNESCO has recognized it as a site of Outstanding Universal Value. Meanwhile, the Jewish community in Paramaribo, the capital city of Suriname, struggles to stay afloat. Through his personal encounters while traveling there, the author cites that the Jews remaining in Suriname take pride in their heritage. 

The author questions what it takes for Jewish communities to survive and thrive, and questions what could have been done to preserve the colony. The essay concludes that Jodensavanne should serve as a reminder and an example for Jews everywhere that autonomy is no easy task. Success is possible not only through internal sustainability, but also through support from the wider Jewish world.