Exploring the Jewish Community in the Philippines
The existence of Jewish communities around the world is both fascinating and deeply moving. The connection among Jews in the diaspora raises many questions: What are their backgrounds? Are they former Israelis, or Jews who have lived there for generations, perhaps since World War II or even earlier? How did they arrive there, and how was the community established? Do they maintain ties with Israel?
The beauty of being Jewish in the diaspora lies in the importance placed on maintaining traditions, such as observing Shabbat and mitzvot, and attending synagogue services in a language that may not be familiar. For us, secular or traditional Jews living in Israel, these practices might seem trivial or non-essential to feeling Jewish. But what does it truly mean to feel Jewish?
The question of identity is ever-present: Is Judaism a religion one can choose, or is it an inherent part of one’s identity? These thoughts surfaced during our visit to the Jewish community’s synagogue in Manila and were reinforced when we participated in a communal Shabbat, which included Hanukkah candle lighting, prayers, a Friday night dinner, and a Saturday gathering with prayers, lunch, engaging conversations, a birthday celebration for a community elder, and even a discussion of the weekly Torah portion. Just when we thought the day was over, the third meal was served, followed by prayers, Havdalah, and more Hanukkah candle lighting. It was truly magical and moving.
Unlike other Jewish communities we’ve visited, this one stood out due to its unique composition and history. The earliest records of Jews in the Philippines date back to those who likely arrived from Mexico during Spanish rule. Some even claim that the Philippine Islands are the biblical land of Ophir, from which gold was brought to build the Temple.
With the arrival of the Americans in the late 19th century, American Jews also came to the Philippines, introducing cars, paving the first roads, and establishing the first airline, which later became Philippines Airlines. During World War II, the Philippines, under American rule, sought to rescue as many Jews as possible, despite being limited to granting visas to only about 1,500 individuals. These Jews were warmly welcomed, but when Japan occupied the country, those without German or Italian citizenship were sent to Japanese internment camps. Many from the Jewish community later immigrated to Israel or the United States.
Today, the community mainly consists of Israelis and American Jews who came for business and stayed, some for over 35 years, along with their Filipino wives, some of whom have undergone Orthodox conversions. This raises questions: Why convert? In some couples, the Jewish partner wasn’t religious before, so why is it important now?
Living as an observant Jew in the Philippines, while having a Christian Filipino family, is challenging. What motivates these Filipino women to convert? How do their families react? How do they manage kosher practices at family gatherings? How do their children form friendships when they can’t attend birthday parties or class celebrations on Shabbat? (The answers, as we heard, are that it’s very difficult.)
If these scenarios seem somewhat understandable, we also met a Filipino couple who converted without any Jewish background. Both came from different Christian denominations and disagreed with each other’s beliefs. In mid-life, they began secretly exploring their faiths and Judaism, which they had only heard of as adults. After thorough research, they concluded that they had been living a lie and that Judaism was the truth. Once they shared their thoughts with each other, they couldn’t continue living any other way and sought conversion. After several years, they found a place willing to convert them, and they even traveled to Australia for a final conversion. Today, their son studies in a yeshiva in Israel, while their daughter remains with them.
It’s quite a story, isn’t it? As part of the chosen people, yet also a historically persecuted one, especially during challenging times like these, it’s hard for us to comprehend how people with no prior connection would independently seek conversion. It seems almost unbelievable.
And so, the question lingers: Is Judaism a religion, a nationality, or a race?
Interestingly, we learned from the Filipinos at the Shabbat table that about 90% of Filipino men are circumcised by a mohel, like us, but at ages 8-11. Perhaps there is some historical connection to the Jewish people after all (or maybe the Muslim community…