The Right to Jewish Life Beyond Israel

Why Is a Jewish Synagogue Still Controversial in Brazil?

As the world remembers Kristallnacht, the pogrom of November 9–10, 1938, an episode on Brazil’s northeastern coast invites reflection on Jewish life in the diaspora.

In Itacaré, a town in southern Bahia, a group of Israelis rented a historic property known as Casarão Azul, which became a space for Jewish gatherings and religious practice. The building became the center of controversy after pro-Palestinian activists organized an artistic intervention on its façade, painting messages and symbols associated with the Palestinian cause.

Among the inscriptions was the phrase “From the River to the Sea.” Hours later, a group of Israeli tourists attempted to remove part of the artwork, according to press reports. The incident led to a confrontation with people gathered nearby and attracted national attention.

What stands out in this story goes beyond a political dispute. It is the difficulty that still exists in recognizing a Jewish community’s right to establish its own spaces.

A synagogue is not a political provocation. It is a place of prayer, tradition, community and belonging. In cities with significant Jewish populations, these spaces are even more essential. Jews should not have to justify their desire to have a synagogue, whether in Brazil, Israel or anywhere else in the world.

Kristallnacht cannot be directly compared to the events in Itacaré. They occurred in entirely different historical contexts and on completely different scales. But its memory reminds us why hostility toward Jewish spaces and the normalization of antisemitism must be taken seriously.

It is particularly troubling that, decades after the Holocaust, the existence of Jewish places of worship still needs to be publicly defended.

The right to religious freedom also means the right to build a Jewish life beyond Israel. And that right should never be up for debate.