The HOPE of 1651
Congregation Mikvé Israel-Emanuel
372 years of continuous existence, now a community in crisis.
Congregation Mikvé Israel-Emanuel (MIE) is a small close-knit Jewish community on the Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao. Founded in 1651, it is the oldest, living Jewish congregation in the Americas. Many members are descendants of the original founders and can trace their Sephardic roots back to Spain and Portugal. The magnificence of the sanctuary, inaugurated in 1732, and its sand floors are reminders of the thriving community of generations past and its unique Dutch Sephardic history. While rituals have evolved and the congregation is now affiliated with Progressive Judaism, elements of the centuries-old services remain and are carried out with ceremonial elegance in Hebrew, English, and Portuguese.
Presently, the congregation has slightly more than 100 local members (which is half the size it was 25 years ago). That number is expected to remain stable for the coming decade. Prior to the pandemic, MIE received roughly a quarter of its income from temple dues. The balance of the community’s income derived from a combination of sources that relied heavily on the island’s tourist economy. Even before Covid 19, the congregation was experiencing a steady financial decline, due not only to demographic and economic circumstances, but in large part due to the high costs of both expatriate rabbinic expenses and the maintenance of our historical heritage - including the 1732 synagogue and our two cemeteries, dating from 1668 and 1864.
Life Since the Pandemic
The pandemic shutdown essentially brought the tourist industry to a halt, affecting both the direct income received from our visiting guests as well as local rental income on properties owned by MIE. This accelerated the decline and drained reserves. The congregation is currently operating with a 3–6-month runway of funds, continually raising money from within our extended community to cover urgent needs.