History of the Jews in Panama

The history of Jews in Panama began in the 16th century, with the arrival of the first conversos who had been expelled from or were fleeing Spain and Portugal due to the Spanish inquisition. While these individuals professed to be Catholic for their safety, many continued to practice Judaism in secret.

After the Inquisition ended, Sephardic immigration to Panama increased. Despite the presence of Jews in the country, years of secret practice meant that there was no established community, a fact that began to change in the 1800s. There were waves of immigration from Syria following the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire following World War I, and from Europe as Ashkenazi Jews fled the Holocaust.

Today, Panama is home to the largest Jewish population in Central America. There are more than 10,000 Jews living in Panama, most of whom live in Panama City. Much of the population is orthodox, and a vast majority considers itself "traditional," following laws of kashrut and educating their children in Jewish day schools. A majority of Panamanian Jews are of Sephardic ancestry, with Syrian Jews comprising the largest group. Panama is the only country outside of Israel that has had two Jewish heads of state.