Neveh Shalom

Neveh Shalom - Dwelling Place of Peace - was one of the first synagogues built in Spanish Town, Jamaica during the 17th century. The Neveh Shalom Institute is chartered to promote projects to preserve the history, culture, and artifacts of the Jewish existence in, and contribution to Jamaica, from the 17th century.

Kahal Kadosh Neveh Shalom

"Holy Congregation Dwelling Place of Peace"

There were two Synagogues in Spanish Town, the Sephardi K.K. Neveh Shalom (Habltatlon of Peace) consecrated in 1704, and K.K. Mikveh Yisrael (Hope of Israel) erected in 1796, which was Ashkenazi. The former was located on Monk Street and the latter on Young Street. Although there was a union of these congregations in 1844, services were held only occaslonally in one or other of the two Synagogues. This was due to the gradual but steady exodus of the Jewish families from the town to Kingston and also to a certain amount of emigration to England and the United States.

The early Spiritual Leaders came mostly from Amsterdam. The first Haham was Josiahu Pardo, who was appointed in 1683. He was the son of David Pardo, Haham of Amsterdam. At this time there lived in Jamaica one of the greatest of the Sephardi poets of the period, namely, David Israel Laguna. Some of the successors of Haham Pardo were Gabriel Mareno, Haham Moses Cohen de Lara (1713-48), Jacob de la Penha, Samuel Gomez Silva, and Jacob de Mercado.

It is of interest to note that Haham Karigel officiated in Jamaica for a year (1771-2). He was a friend of Ezra Stiles, President of Yale University, His portrait hangs at Yale. In 1773, Haham Karigel, at Newport Rhode Island, preached in Spanish, the first Jewish sermon ever to be given in the United States.

Photo of the Ark of the Old Sephardic Synagogue, Spanish Town. On the left, the late Jocob Andrade, on the right, the late Isaac Cohen Henriques.

Haham Joshua Hezekiah de Cordova, a man of profound learning, served the Sephardi Synagogues in Kingston, Port Royal and Spanish Town for over 40 years until his death in 1797.

Henry Samuel Jacobs officiated for ten years in Spanish Town (1844-54). Later he became minister of B'nai Jerhurun, New York (1874-93) - the second oldest Synagogue in New York, founded in 1825 principally by British Jews. Stephen Wise was his assistant and succeeded him on his death.

ln the Jewish cemeteries in Spanish Town are the tombs of many of the early colonists. Family names such as Adolphus, Brandon, Bonitto, Corria, de Cordova, Andrade, De Pass, De Leon, de Souza, Lara, Henriques, Lopez, Melhado, Mendes, Nunes, Pinto, Vaz, Quixano, Gabay and Carvalho.