The Jewish community in Venezuela has apparently begun their own Diaspora. According to figures released by the Venezuelan Confederation of Jewish Associations (CAIV) half of the community has fled the country for various reasons.

"Ten years ago, we had about 18,000 people, now we have about 9,500 (members of the Jewish community)," Salomon Cohen, the head of CAIV, told daily newspaper Jerusalem Post.

According to the Stephen Roth Institute for the Study of Contemporary Anti-Semitism and Racism, Tel-Aviv University, the number of Jews in Venezuela in 2008 amounted to 15,000, which means that in one year some 5,500 have left the country.

Cohen said that there are three main reasons to emigrate: economic crisis, violence and anti-Semitism.
rtheis@eluniversal.com

Translated by Gerardo Cárdenas