Suriname – Sephardic Genealogy

Jews in Suriname

Suriname was formerly called Dutch Guiana. It is on the South American continent, on the Caribbean coast. Alongside Curacao it was the Netherlands’ principal colony in the Caribbean.

My understanding is that there was a colony of Sephardic planters in Jodensavanne, arriving from Holland and maybe later joined by refugees from Dutch Brazil. Today the historic site is looked after by the Jodensavanne Foundation.

Interior of a Sephardic synagogue from Suriname

The Jewish community of Suriname eventually transferred to Paramaribo, the capital.

The interior of the historic Zedek ve Shalom synagogue from Paramaribo was dismantled and taken to Israel where it was reconstructed in the Israel Museum.

Sephardic Jewish Genealogy of Suriname

Below is a talk given by Aviva Ben-Ur, the academic expert on Jews in Suriname, to Sephardic World in 2020.

Jewish Autonomy in a Slave Society: Suriname in the Atlantic World, 1651-1825 – Aviva Ben-Ur

Sources for Jewish genealogical research in Suriname include:

The Suriname Jewish community website has interesting information on the Cassipora and Jodensavanne cemeteries. The Cassipora is the oldest known Jewish cemetery in the Western Hemisphere. The website says that: “216 tombstones out of an estimate of over 400 burials in the cemetery have been discovered and cleared from the jungle. The oldest tombstone dates back to 1666 while the latest is from 1873″.
There is a genealogy website on the Jews of Suriname.
Jewish Autonomy in a Slave Society: Suriname in the Atlantic World, 1651-1825, by Aviva Ben-Ur
Details of Sephardic burials in Suriname can be found on the Reed Digital Collections website, here .
A book by Aviva Ben-Ur with Rachel Frankel, Remnant stones: the Jewish cemeteries and synagogues of Suriname was published by Wayne State University Press in 2012.
In the Amsterdam ‘despatchos’, there are records of poor Jews from Amsterdam being paid to move to Suriname.
The American Jewish Archives collection holds the historic archives of the Jewish community of Suriname. These are listed below.

Paramaribo (Suriname) Jewish Community Collection See the Finding Aid.

Jewish Congregations in the West Indies Records, 1726-1946. Collection Number MS-581. Repository The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives. Series B. Suriname, 1726-1946. Extent 28.7 linear feet (4.25 Hollinger boxes and 18 oversize boxes)

This series consists of financial records, minutes (notulen), correspondence (brieven), Ketuboth, and other records from congregations of the Dutch Jewish community in Suriname, referred to as Nederlandsche Israelitische Gemeente. Arrangement Arranged alphabetically. Alphabetical order restarts with oversize material. Box and Folder Listing.

Box 3. Folder 6. Afkondigingen [Announcements]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente, 1838-1897
Box 3. Folder 7. Armenfonds der Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente [Poor fund of the Dutch Jewish community], 1936
Box 4. Folder 1. Brieven [Letters], 1883-1898
Box 4. Folder 2. Brieven [Letters], 1883-1912
Box 4. Folder 3. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5610, 1849-1850
Box 4. Folder 4. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente, 1851-1852
Box 4. Folder 5. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5614, 1853-1854
Box 4. Folder 6. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5616, 1855-1856
Box 4. Folder 7. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5619, 1858-1859
Box 4. Folder 8. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5628, 1867-1868
Box 4. Folder 9. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5629, 1868-1869
Box 4. Folder 10. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5631, 1870-1871
Box 4. Folder 11. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5632, 1871-1872
Box 4. Folder 12. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5633, 1872-1873
Box 4. Folder 13. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5634, 1873-1874
Box 4. Folder 14. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5635, 1874-1875
Box 4. Folder 15. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5636, 1875-1876
Box 4. Folder 16. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5637, 1876-1877
Box 4. Folder 17. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5638, 1877-1878
Box 4. Folder 18. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5639, 1878-1879
Box 4. Folder 19. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5640, 1879-1880
Box 4. Folder 20. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5641, 1880-1881
Box 4. Folder 21. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5643, 1882-1883
Box 4. Folder 22. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5644, 1883-1884
Box 5. Folder 1. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5645, 1884-1885
Box 5. Folder 2. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5646, 1885-1886
Box 5. Folder 3. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5647, 1886-1887
Box 5. Folder 4. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5648, 1887-1888
Box 5. Folder 5. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5649, 1888-1889
Box 5. Folder 6. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5650, 1889-1890
Box 5. Folder 7. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5651, 1890-1891
Box 5. Folder 8. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5652, 1891-1892
Box 5. Folder 9. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5653, 1892-1893
Box 5. Folder 10. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5654, 1893-1894
Box 5. Folder 11. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5655, 1894-1895
Box 5. Folder 12. Cohier van finta [Notebook of taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5656, 1895-1896
Box 5. Folder 13. Cohier der Kerkbelasting [Notebook of synagogue taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. 5657, 1896-1897
Box 5. Folder 14. Cohier der Kerkbelasting [Notebook of synagogue taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. Suriname. 5658, 1897-1898
Box 5. Folder 15. Cohier der Kerkbelasting [Notebook of synagogue taxes]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente. Suriname. 5659, 1898-1899
Box 5. Folder 16. Divisie Boven Commewyne [Division of the Upper Commewyne Province], 1853
Box 5. Folder 17. Hospital “Misgab-Ladach” in Jerusalem, undated
Box 5. Folder 18. Instructie [regarding the emancipation of Surinamese Jews], 1816
Box 5. Folder 19. Instructie van den bode [Instructions of the envoy]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente, 1864 November 20
Box 5. Folder 20. Instructie voor den Assistant Voorbidder [Instructions for the assistant cantor]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente, 1898
Box 5. Folder 21. Instructie voor den Voorbidder [Instructions for the cantor]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente, 1896
Box 5. Folder 22. Intekenings lyst [List of subscribers and list of workdays for slaves for the building of a new synagogue]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente, 1833
Box 5. Folder 23. Intekenings lyst [List of subscribers and list of workdays for slaves for the building of a new synagogue]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente, 1833
Box 5. Folder 24. Intekenings lyst [List of subscribers and list of workdays for slaves for the building of a new synagogue]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente, undated
Box 5. Folder 25. Intekenings lyst [List of subscribers and list of workdays for slaves for the building of a new synagogue]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente, undated
Box 5. Folder 26. Intekenings lyst [List of subscribers and list of workdays for slaves for the building of a new synagogue]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente, undated
Box 5. Folder 27. Intekenings lyst [List of subscribers and list of workdays for slaves for the building of a new synagogue]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente, undated
Box 5. Folder 28. Intekenings lyst [List of subscribers and list of workdays for slaves for the building of a new synagogue]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente, undated
Box 5. Folder 29. Intekenings lyst [List of subscribers and list of workdays for slaves for the building of a new synagogue]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente, undated
Box 5. Folder 30. Intekenings lyst [List of subscribers and list of workdays for slaves for the building of a new synagogue]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente, undated
Box 5. Folder 31. Inwijding der nieuwe synagoge: Newe-Sjalom te Suriname [Inauguration of the new synagogue: Neveh Shalom of Suriname], 1837 May 5
Box 5. Folder 32. Ketuboth and Shtar Chalizoth. Neveh Shalom, 1815-1825 Box 5. Folder 33. Ketuboth [original], 1854-1883
Box 6. Folder 1. Koraal-gezangen uitgevoerd bij gelegenheid der intree-predikatie
van den weleerwaarden en zeer geleerden heer M. Lewenstein [Choral songs performed at the occasion of the inaugural sermon of Mr. M. Lewenstein], 1858 January 22
Box 6. Folder 2. Letter of David Levie Salomons to the regents of Neveh Shalom, 1786
Box 6. Folder 3. Miscellaneous [regarding synagogue finances and regulation of the poor fund], 1835-1869
Box 6. Folder 4. Miscellaneous [regarding synagogue finances and regulation of the poor fund], 1849-1866
Box 6. Folder 5. Miscellaneous correspondence [mostly synagogue tax lists]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente, 1833-1889, undated
Box 6. Folder 6. Miscellaneous correspondence [mostly synagogue tax lists]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente, 1833-1889, undated
Box 7. Folder 1. Notulen [Minutes], 1867-1874
Box 7. Folder 2. Notulen [Minutes], 1874-1880
Box 7. Folder 3. Notulen EL gecombineerde vergaderingen van de Nederlandsch Portugeesch – en Nederlandsch – Israëlitische Gemeenten te Suriname [Minutes of the combined meetings of the synagogue councils of the Nederlandsche Portugeesch and Nederlandsche Israëlitische communities], 1851-1866
Box 7. Folder 4. Plan van geldleening ten behoeve van de Nederlandsche Israëlitische Hoofdsynagoge [Plan of loan on behalf of the Nederlandsche Israëlitische community], 1837
Box 7. Folder 5. Programma voor de buitengewonde Bidstonde ter gelegenheid der Slaven-Emancipatie [Program for the special prayer service on the occasion of Slave Emancipation, 1863 July 1
Box 7. Folder 6. “Suriname en de troonsafstand van Willem I” door Ph. A. Samson [“Suriname and the Abdication of Willem I” by Ph. A. Samson, 1939, 1946
Box 7. Folder 7. Uitstaan de vrywillige offergelden [Outstanding voluntary offerings], 1896
Box 7. Folder 8. Verantwoording staat van de Hoofdsynagoge [State subsidy for Nederlandsche Israëlitische community]. 5610, 1849-1850
Box 7. Folder 9. Verantwoording staat van de Hoofdsynagoge [State subsidy for Nederlandsche Israëlitische community]. 5614, 1853-1854
Box 7. Folder 10. Verantwoording staat van de Hoofdsynagoge [State subsidy for Nederlandsche Israëlitische community]. 5615, 1854-1855
Box 7. Folder 11. Verantwoording staat van de Hoofdsynagoge [State subsidy for Nederlandsche Israëlitische community]. 5616, 1855-1856
Box 7. Folder 12. Verantwoording staat van de Hoofdsynagoge [State subsidy for Nederlandsche Israëlitische community]. 5617, 1856-1857
Box 7. Folder 13. Verantwoording staat van de Hoofdsynagoge [State subsidy for Nederlandsche Israëlitische community]. 5619, 1858-1859
Box 7. Folder 14. Verantwoording staat van de Hoofdsynagoge [State subsidy for Nederlandsche Israëlitische community]. 5622, 1861-1862
Box 7. Folder 15. Verantwoording staat van de Hoofdsynagoge [State subsidy for Nederlandsche Israëlitische community]. 5626, 1865-1866
Box X-413. Folder 1. Archief Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente voornaamste stukken [Most important documents from the archive of the Nederlandsche Israëlitische community], 1870
Box X-413. Folder 2. Archief Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente voornaamste stukken [Most important documents from the archive of the Nederlandsche Israëlitische community], 1871-1912
Box X-414. Folder 1. Bevolkingsregister [Population register of Ashkenazi community], 1888-1889
Box X-414. Folder 2. Brand [Great fire of 1821, Paramaribo], 1821 Box X-414. Folder 3. Brieven [Letters], 1786-1835
Box X-414. Folder 4. Brieven [Letters], 1856 February-1883 November
Box X-415. Folder 1. Brievenboek [Letters], 1838 December-1855 December
Box X-415. Folder 2. Brievenboek [Letters]. Armb. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente, 1851-1871
Box X-415. Folder 3. Brievenboek [Letters], 1871-1888
Box X-415. Folder 4. Brievenboek opper-rabbijn M. Lewenstein [Letters of chief rabbi M. Lewenstein]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente, 1858-1863
Box X-416. Folder 1. Contribuanten Armenfonds [Contributors to the poor fund]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente, 1888-1906
Box X-416. Folder 2. Financial records and printed matter, 1816-1896 Box X-416. Folder 3. Financial statements, undated
Box X-416. Folder 4. Haskamoth [Communal ordinances]. Paramaribo, 1734-1821 Box X-416. Folder 5. Haskamoth [Communal ordinances]. Paramaribo, 1754
Box X-416. Folder 6. Instructie [Instructions for synagogue officials], 1781-1837
Box X-416. Folder 7. Instructie [Instructions for synagogue officials]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente, 1838-1896
Box X-417. Folder 1. Inventaris book [Inventory book of the Ashkenazi community], 1820 September 4
Box X-417. Folder 2. Inventaris [Inventory book]. Neveh Shalom, undated
Box X-417. Folder 3. Journal [Tax list and free will offerings], 1837 October 14- 1841 September 15
Box X-417. Folder 4. Journal [Account book of the synagogue]. Paramaribo, 1924- 1937
Box X-417. Folder 5. Ketuboth, 1733-1781
Box X-417. Folder 6. Ketuboth. Neveh Shalom, 1784 September 1-1780 April 17
Box X-418. Folder 1. Ketuboth, 1804-1824
Box X-418. Folder 2. Ketuboth. Neveh Shalom, 1805 January 16-1814 November 13
Box X-418. Folder 3. Ketuboth, 1826 August 16-1849 February 6
Box X-418. Folder 4. Ketuboth, 1826 August 16-1831 November 2
Box X-418. Folder 5. Ketuboth. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente, 1832-1836 Box X-419. Folder 1. Ketuboth. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente, 1837-1854 Box X-419. Folder 2. Ketuboth [photostat], 1854-1883
Box X-419. Folder 3. Notulen. Alphabetisch register op de notulen der kerkeraads
vergaderingen van de jaren [Alphabetical index of minutes of synagogue council meetings], 1867-1880
Box X-419. Folder 4. Notulen. Armenfonds [Minutes of the poor fund administration]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente, 1834 November 20-1855 September 1
Box X-420. Folder 1. Notulen. Armenfonds [Minutes of the poor fund administration]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente, 1856 January 23-1867 June 18
Box X-420. Folder 2. Notulen. Armenfonds [Minutes of the poor fund administration]. Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente, 1876-1886
Box X-420. Folder 3. Notulen [Trial pieces], 1740-1754
Box X-420. Folder 4. Notulen [Minutes of the meetings of the Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente Mahamad], 1745-1752
Box X-420. Folder 5. Notulen [Minutes of the meetings of the Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente Mahamad], 1747-1763
Box X-420. Folder 6. Notulen [Minutes of the meetings of the Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente Mahamad], 1763-1771
Box X-421. Folder 1. Notulen [Minutes of the meetings of the Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente Mahamad], 1772-1778
Box X-421. Folder 2. Notulen [Minutes of the meetings of the Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente Mahamad], 1778-1787
Box X-422. Folder 1. Notulen [Minutes of the meetings of the Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente Mahamad], 1787-1795
Box X-423. Folder 1. Notulen [Minutes of the meetings of the Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente Mahamad], 1795-1805
Box X-423. Folder 2. Notulen [Minutes of the meetings of the Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente Mahamad], 1806-1815
Box X-424. Folder 1. Notulen [Minutes of the meetings of the Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente Mahamad], 1816-1820
Box X-424. Folder 2. Notulen [Minutes of the meetings of the Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente Mahamad], 1820-1827
Box X-425. Folder 1. Notulen [Minutes of the meetings of the Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente Mahamad], 1827-1831
Box X-425. Folder 2. Notulen [Minutes of the meetings of the Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente Mahamad], 1831-1835
Box X-425. Folder 3. Notulen [Minutes of the meetings of the Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente Mahamad], 1835-1837
Box X-426. Folder 1. Notulen [Minutes of the meetings of the Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente Mahamad], 1837-1843
Box X-426. Folder 2. Notulen [Minutes of the meetings of the Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente Mahamad], 1843-1851
Box X-427. Folder 1. Notulen [Minutes of the meetings of the Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente Mahamad], 1851-1866
Box X-427. Folder 2. Notulen [Minutes of the meetings of the Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente Mahamad], 1851-1856
Box X-427. Folder 3. Notulen [Minutes of the meetings of the Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente Mahamad], 1856 November-1866 December
Box X-428. Folder 1. Notulen [Minutes of the meetings of the Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente Mahamad], 1866-1888
Box X-428. Folder 2. Notulen [Minutes of the meetings of the Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente Mahamad], 1888-1895
Box X-428. Folder 3. Notulen. Kerkeraads vergadering [Minutes of synagogue council meetings], 1880-1893
Box X-429. Folder 1. Notulen. Kerkeraads vergadering [Minutes of synagogue council meetings], 1893 December 20-1895 April 28
Box X-429. Folder 2. Register [Birth and death register], 1773-1837
Box X-429. Folder 3. Register der leden van de Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente [Register of the members of the Nederlandsche Israëlitische community], undated
Box X-429. Folder 4. Register van gekochte begraafplaatsen, gehouden by de Nederlandsche Israëlitische Gemeente te Suriname [Register of purchased graves], 1838-1908
Box X-429. Folder 5. Repertorium [Ashkenanzi regents to Portuguese regents, general register (financial records) of Neveh Shalom], 1838-1841
Box X-429. Folder 6. Repertorium off generael register [General register of ordinances and resolutions], 1734-1823
Box X-429. Folder 7. Sefer kesuvos me Kahal Kadosh Nuach Shalom [Book of marriage contracts], 1783-1804
Box X-430. Folder 1. Talmud Torah [Talmud Torah Society for the knowledge of the Israelite religion among youth]. Paramaribo, 1861-1863
Box X-430. Folder 2. Verkiezingsboek [Votes taken for election of synagogue leaders], 1726-1810
Box X-430. Folder 3. Verkiezingsboek [Votes taken for election of synagogue leaders], 1810-1907

National Archives of Suriname. There is also a Suriname collection, including duplicates, in the Dutch National Archives.

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