Guatemala
History of Jewish immigration
Jews in Guatemala are immigrants from Germany and Eastern Europe arrived in the late nineteenth century.
In 1913, in Guatemala City, was organized and founded the Israeli Society of Guatemala, which had 51 members.
During the first and second decade of the twentieth century Sephardic Jews begin to migrate to Guatemala forming a Sephardic congregation.
In 1923 the Israeli Magen David Society of Guatemala was formed.
Another major wave of immigration was during the Second World War, Ashkenazi Jews from Poland, Russia and the Baltics.
In 1968 the "Central Council of the Jewish Community of Guatemala" which became the representative body of the Jewish community in Guatemala was created.
Currently, there are about 1,200 Jews living in Guatemala, mostly in Guatemala City, Quetzaltenango and San Marcos.
A little about the country
The Republic of Guatemala is a country located in the north-western end of Central America, with unique characteristics and an indigenous culture that is the product of Mayan heritage and influence during the Spanish colonial time. The country also has a natural beauty .
Despite its size, Guatemala has a large climatic and biological product mountainous terrain that ranges from 0 meters above sea level up to 4,220 meters above sea level range, this encourages ecosystems exist in the country as varied ranging from mangrove wetlands of the Pacific to the high mountain cloud forests .
Politically is a Constitutional Democratic Republic.
The country has 108,889 km.
Its capital is the City of Guatemala officially called New Guatemala of the Assumption.
Guatemala has about 13,276,517 inhabitants. A large percentage belongs to 21 Mayan groups that have preserved cultural traditions inherited from their ancestors.
Its natural geography is largely mountainous, of volcanic origin. It has smooth beaches on its Pacific coast and low plains to the north of the country.
The official language is Spanish, also has 23 Mayan languages.
The currency is the Quetzal (GTQ).
