Being Jewish in Latin America today

What does it mean to be Jewish in Latin America today?

For many young Jews, it means carrying an identity that is often misunderstood — and sometimes having to explain it before simply being allowed to live it.

Antisemitism is not only a historical problem. In Brazil, the Israeli Confederation (CONIB) recorded 989 antisemitic incidents in 2025, 149% more than in 2022. In Argentina, the DAIA recorded 713 incidents in 2025, according to the J7 annual report. 

But numbers only tell part of the story.

There is also a problem that is harder to measure: lack of information.

Many people know very little about Judaism beyond the Holocaust, Israel or a handful of stereotypes. This lack of knowledge can create space for conspiracy theories, misinformation and prejudice — especially online. In Brazil, 80.9% of the antisemitic incidents recorded by CONIB in 2025 occurred on digital platforms. 

I am 22, Brazilian, Jewish and currently living in Argentina. Being young and Jewish today means watching these conversations unfold while realizing how rarely Jewish voices are part of them.

We should not have to wait for antisemitism to appear before people become interested in learning what Judaism actually is.

Education cannot be only about remembering the Holocaust. It should also be about understanding Jewish life today.

Because Jews are not only a people from history books.

We are here.

We study, work, create, fall in love, move countries and build our futures.

And perhaps one of the most important ways to fight antisemitism is surprisingly simple:

Know us before you judge us.