In the heart of Loja, a small but determined community is reclaiming its Jewish faith and reconnecting with ancestral ties to Israel.
Ecuador, home to just 600 recognized Jews as of 2020 (according to the World Jewish Congress), holds a rich yet often overlooked Jewish history – one that is only now emerging. Beyond the official figures lie hundreds of Marranos, descendants of Jews who were forced to abandon their faith centuries ago. Today, some of those descendants are rediscovering and embracing their Jewish heritage.
“Crypto-Jews,” a term used to describe those who secretly maintained Jewish practices while outwardly adopting another faith, are central to the identity of Loja. The term refers specifically to the descendants of Spanish and Portuguese Jews who were forcibly converted to Catholicism or exiled after the Alhambra Decree of 1492.
Gabriel Gualán Maldonado, president of Ecuador’s Sephardi History Cultural Center, explained to The Jerusalem Post that many Jews sought refuge in remote rural areas following the decree. Traveling from Lima to isolated regions, they sought to live quieter lives, away from the dominance of Catholic institutions in urban centers.
How did Jews come to arrive in Loja?
The Alhambra Decree forced Jews out of Spain and, later, out of Portugal as well. While some Sephardi Jews found refuge in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, many moved through the Mediterranean basin. Eventually, a significant number settled along the Pacific coast in regions now known as Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Marranos arrived on these shores following Spanish colonization, as cities and trading hubs were established – Loja among them.
Loja’s Jewish history began in Lima, where the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro, known for his conquest of the Inca Empire, tasked Alonso de Mercadillo and Juan de Salinas y Loyola with founding a city in the territory of Paltas. In 1548, Loja was officially founded, covering the territory known as the Corregimiento de Loja. Notably, one of Loja’s founders, Juan de Salinas y Loyola, was himself a descendant of Jews who had been forcibly converted a century earlier.
Maldonado shared insights with the Post about his community’s history, its victories, current challenges, and aspirations for the future.
He began developing the cultural center in 2014, though it wasn’t officially inaugurated by the Ministry of Culture and Heritage until 2023. Since then, the center has become a hub for Jewish culture, uncovering much of Loja’s undocumented Jewish history.
Maldonado, honored with a partial grant from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem to pursue a master’s degree in Jewish education, is now recording and preserving this history.
Beyond discovering history, the center has focused its efforts on being a central hub for Jewish life and building a road for a Jewish future in Ecuador. Part of those efforts were realized when the documentary La Judería de Loja by Israeli filmmaker Yaron Avitov premiered at the center. It has also organized virtual forums and interviews featuring experts who have studied the Jewish presence in Loja. Recently, it welcomed Israeli Ambassador Tzach Sarid and launched new Jewish educational programs.
Extending its efforts, the center helped coordinate donations from the Israeli Embassy to combat forest fires in the region.
Today, the center supports six families – around 30 individuals – while leading various initiatives that benefit the broader community. Its mission, as Maldonado explained, is to “investigate, promote, and integrate people who have Sephardi background[s] who are not part of the traditional communities in Ecuador.”
In the spirit of Judaism
Despite the community members’ active participation in Jewish rituals and dedication to preserving Jewish culture, Maldonado explained that they are not recognized as Jews under Halacha (Jewish law) or by much of Ecuador’s established Jewish population.
Formal recognition would require members to undergo a conversion process, a journey involving over a year of study in Israel. Alternatively, they could seek historical documentation dating back centuries to prove their Jewish lineage – a process only one member of Maldonado’s community has successfully completed, enabling him to move to Israel.
Maldonado himself has only been able to secure his family’s documentation back to 1821. He has since halted his search, choosing instead to focus his efforts on the cultural center. Despite the lack of recognition, Maldonado expressed pride in what his community has accomplished in the spirit of Judaism.
“[The established Jewish communities] don’t recognize us as Jews, but it’s okay because Halacha says we are not Jews.... We practice most of the mitzvot. On the other hand, we know that we are Bnei Anusim [descendants of Spanish and Portuguese Jews forcibly converted centuries ago]. We have [a] different background than a Jew who was born in a traditional community,” Maldonado said.
“But let me tell you something.... We try to influence in a different way here in Loja with the connection of Jewish values in our schools and with our children. We plan projects for the community and the people of Loja. We work together with the mayor of the city [and now] we have programs for reforestation and literacy. Next year we are going to work together with the Israeli Embassy in Ecuador on some projects.
“Our focus is [not on recognition]; it is on education, to give to the people, to feel better in our lives, not to share about Judaism.”
Despite his acceptance of the status quo, Maldonado admitted that being seen as not Jewish is emotionally challenging. “It’s hard. It’s hard because I imagine my daughters still being [considered one of the] Bnei Anusim and that is hard for me...,” he acknowledged. He emphasized, however, that he is not fighting for recognition, even though most of his community would like to be acknowledged.
Part of the community’s desire for recognition, Maldonado explained, stems from practical needs. Being formally recognized as Jews would make it easier to obtain a rabbi, whose presence could provide vital religious guidance.
Goals for the future
When asked about the center’s goals for the next five to 10 years, Maldonado emphasized his desire to build stronger ties with Israel and visit the country with his family. He also expressed his commitment to supporting Loja’s evolving needs through projects that reflect the “values of Judaism.”
Maldonado revealed plans to seek funding for housing that would enable Bnei Anusim to fully immerse themselves in Jewish life if they chose to do so. A crucial aspect of this initiative, he explained, is ensuring the buildings are accessible, taking into account the unique needs of the community.
For centuries, the descendants of crypto-Jews maintained their identity by carefully selecting marriage partners within their community, often marrying first cousins, Maldonado explained.
While this tradition preserved their heritage, it also contributed to a higher prevalence of Laron syndrome within the community.
This rare medical condition, which has a concentrated presence in Loja, particularly among individuals of Jewish heritage, results from an inability to process growth hormones. According to the United States National Library of Medicine, those with Laron syndrome typically grow to a height of around 4.5 feet (1.37 meters), experience low glucose levels during infancy, and face delayed puberty.
Maldonado also shared a personal aspiration: the establishment of a school for Bnei Anusim that incorporates “Israeli values and Israeli connection.” While this vision remains close to his heart, he acknowledged its challenges.
“We can say a lot of lovely things for the future, but we need to be realistic,” he said.
Antisemitism in Ecuador
Living on the border of the Jewish and non-Jewish world, Maldonado explained that his community has witnessed the emergence of a new form of antisemitism – distinct from the prejudice rooted in Catholic traditions. This shift, he noted, began after October 7, 2023.
“Crypto-Jews... are in the ‘bad imagination’ of some Catholics. They have some words that make reference to crypto-Jews or Jews. They say, for example, in a bad context... ‘Pareces Judío’ (You look like a Jew). This word, ‘Jew,’ is in a bad context,” he explained. The phrase is often used as a criticism, directed at individuals who fail to fulfill Catholic religious practices.
“That is hard for us, even [from] some friends,” he admitted.
Beyond traditional antisemitism, Maldonado shared that the community has also faced hostility during pro-Palestinian protests, which have become more prominent worldwide. Despite this animosity, the center has actively countered such hatred by posting educational messages about Israel and expressing solidarity and prayers since October 8, 2023. The community also sent a heartfelt letter to the Israeli Embassy, mourning the 1,200 people murdered in Hamas’s terrorist attacks on southern Israel and the hostages taken during the raid.
When asked about the tone of pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Ecuador, Maldonado confirmed the presence of support for Hamas.
“Yes.... We need to counter this with education. Most of the people involved in the center, we are teachers and professionals, [and] we can deal with this, with any project. We plan and we do,” he said.
Undeterred by the hatred, the center has campaigned tirelessly for the adoption of the IHRA definition of antisemitism in Ecuador. It has also worked to educate institutions on the issue and to spread awareness about “the reality of Israel and October 7.”
Maldonado described the challenges and marginalization his family faces in a Catholic-majority country, particularly the lack of Jewish or multi-faith education. He recounted how his six-year-old daughter has had to navigate Christmas celebrations in her school, and the difficult decisions he’s had to make to ensure she isn’t left out. While his daughter recites the Shema every morning, Maldonado admitted, tearing up, that he didn’t feel right excluding her from the class Christmas celebrations.
This pressure to conform extends to Maldonado himself, who described having to participate in Catholic rituals at work.
“That is hard,” he said, adding that he shared these struggles with the Israeli ambassador during his recent visit. “We became strong with this.”
A life-changing discovery
While some individuals supported by the center have known about their Jewish heritage since birth, Maldonado uncovered his identity after years of investigation. When he was growing up, his family practiced traditions that puzzled the Catholic neighbors – such as a subtle form of kashrut and specific rituals around cutting hair. They observed these customs devoutly, yet Maldonado explained that his mother and grandparents had no understanding of why they were so committed to them.
When Maldonado’s grandmother died, the family unknowingly performed a distinctly Jewish burial practice, wrapping her in a white funeral shroud similar to those used in Jewish funerals. Even within a Catholic framework, the family maintained hidden connections to Judaism.
In their rural community, where resources were limited, Maldonado’s grandmother adhered to unusual dietary habits. She ate only poultry and refused to prepare other meats brought home by his grandfather. The family also avoided mixing cotton and linen in their textiles – a practice consistent with Jewish tradition, despite it being unexpected in their social and educational environment.
Beyond rituals, Maldonado highlighted his grandparents’ generosity and commitment to helping others as further evidence of their Jewish heritage.
Years of unanswered questions finally began to make sense when Maldonado came across the book La Herencia Sefardita En La Provincia De Loja (The Sephardi Heritage in the Province of Loja). As he connected the Sephardi traditions described in the book to his family’s unique practices, the truth became clear.
The decision to embrace Judaism came naturally to Maldonado, who explained that he resonated deeply with the “universal beliefs of Judaism.” While he made his journey into Judaism alone, his Catholic family has largely supported him, encouraging him to continue exploring their “interesting” heritage.
“They respect [me]. They know I am observing Judaism. When I visit my grandmother in the countryside, [she] tries to prepare food that is [kosher],” he shared.
Maldonado concluded with a reflection on his path and his faith in a greater purpose. Whether his future involves continuing to help others reconnect with their Judaism or making aliyah, he expressed trust in God’s plan.
“While we wait for the answer, we are still working here,” he said. “We are still observing Judaism and praying for the safety of Israel, the soldiers of Israel, [and] for the community of Israel.”