The Jewish presence in Chile dates from the expedition of Diego de Almagro in 1535. Conversos were widely persecuted until Chile gained independence from Spain in 1818. Even after independence, it wasn’t until 1865 that a special law permitted non-Catholics to practice their religion in private homes and establish private schools.

Over time, Chile has received several contingents of Jewish immigrants. The first Jews who arrived in Valparaíso were from Europe, especially from Germany and France.

The most prominent immigrants until World War I were East Europeans who had first tried to settle in Argentina and Sephardi Jews from Monastir, Macedonia, who arrived in Temuco, southern Chile, and laid the cornerstone of Chile’s Sephardi community. The first communal prayers were held in Santiago in 1906, and the first Jewish organization, Sociedad Unión Israelita de Chile, was founded in 1909.

On the eve of World War II a new committee for immigration was established whose composition and activities were agreeable to both sides. Meanwhile, despite the restrictions and the difficulties imposed on immigration, thousands of Jews from Germany entered the country during the 1930.

Between 10,000 and 12,000 Jews were able to enter Chile in 1933–40. The two last ships, Augusto and Virgilio, arrived in January 1940 with a few hundred Jews who were moved to the south in a special train under military custody. After World War II a small number of Jews continued to arrive in Chile, and in 1957 some refugees from Hungary were permitted to enter the country.

Bomba Israel, the Jewish volunteer fire department of Santiago was created by the Jewish community in 1954 to serve all those in its area who need assistance.

Their emblem is the Star of David and their trucks proudly fly the flag of Israel alongside that of Chile. It owns two pieces of equipment, one of which is a state-of-the-art rescue truck that is used for automobile accidents more often than fires.

In 1973 to 1981, Pinochet was in power. Pinochet’s regime did not embrace antisemitism as state policy. He admired Nazis while simultaneously embracing benevolent and protective treatment of Jews (unless they were left wing).  He and his underlings visited synagogues on Yom Kippur to express their goodwill and regularly met communal leaders. Pinochet admired Israel’s armed forces and bought armaments from Israel, but simultaneously was careful to also cultivate the Arab states for oil.

Currently, there are approximately 18,300 Jews in Chile. The majority live in Santiago, and the rest mostly in the small communities of Valparaíso-Viña del Mar, Concepción, Temuco, and Valdivia.

Jewish education in Chile, is under the supervision of the Education Committee. In 1967, there were 1,217 students, and 140 in Valparaíso. The Instituto Hebreo Dr. Chaim Weizmann was the main Jewish day school in Santiago, with 1,400 students from kindergarten to high school.