Kosher Ranges Far & Wide
Uruguay, meaning “River of Birds,” is a tiny country sandwiched between the neighboring giants of Brazil and Argentina. About 90% of Uruguay is used for cattle and sheep grazing, and its Gaucho version is a colorful and important part of Uruguayan society.

Uruguay’s world class resort at Punta del Este combines quiet and rough beaches, sands full of people, and places so empty you can feel you own them. Hot temperatures by day and refreshing breezes at night.

South America's second smallest country, Uruguay draws more visitors per capita than any other. Its 250 mile coastline is a long white sandy beach interrupted by dunes, pine, acacia and eucalyptus trees. Uruguay is renowned for its colonial towns and fortresses, natural forestry resources, hot water springs, and art festivals.

In 1726, the governor of Montevideo called on Uruguay’s first settlers to be "persons of worth, good habits, repute and family, so that they be not inferior nor of the Jewish race." After the Inquisition ended in 1813, Uruguay’s political and social system evolved to more tolerance that allowed for Jewish residence.

One hundred fifty Jews lived in Montevideo in 1909, forming a chevra kaddisha burial society in 1916. Uruguay’s first synagogue opened in 1917, and they established an educational network in 1929

Most Jews arrived between 1920-30, but then Fascist elements opposed immigration. This abated during WWII due to the anti-fascist General Alfredo Baldomir. Despite harsh immigration quotas during WWII, 2,200 German Jews managed to enter. When Jews were forced out of Arab lands after Israel’s establishment, 18,000 Jews arrived from Algeria, Egypt and Rhodes.

There were several failed attempts to create Jewish agricultural settlement in Uruguay. Jews engaged primarily in commerce, light industry, crafts, and the professions. The Jewish community became predominately middle class, helped by Jewish loan and assistance funds.

There were sporadic anti-Semitic outbursts in the ‘60s, especially during the 1961 Eichmann trial, by neo-Nazi Argentinean based organizations.

In the late twentieth century few anti-Semitic incidents were recorded; except when a Molotov cocktail was thrown through the window of the Anshei Emet synagogue in 1998.

Rabbi Eliezer and Rochel Shemtov direct Uruguay’s Chabad-Lubavitch (shemtov@askmoses.com or shemtov@chasque.net ) The Peretz and Frieda Friedberg Community Center - Beit Jabad offers educational and social activities for all segments of the community in Montevideo, as well as in the Punta del Este resort and isolated families in Uruguay’s interior.

Uruguay’s Jewish community is composed of 10,000 families of Polish-Russian, Sephardi (predominantly of Turkish origin), German and Hungarian descent. About 75% of Uruguay's Jews are Ashkenazi, while only 11% are Sephardi (75% were Sephardi in 1917).

The Latin American economic crisis five years ago hit Uruguayan Jews hard. Over half of the community emigrated between 1998-2003, mostly to Israel. Today, 16,000 Jews live in Uruguay, with 95% residing in Montevideo.

Uruguay and Israel
Uruguay supported Jewish aspirations and the Balfour Declaration at the 1920 San Remo Conference. In 1947, it voted for the establishment of the UN Special Committee on Palestine, whose Uruguayan delegate was one of Israel’s most ardent supporters. Uruguay was among the first to recognize the State of Israel. Montevideo was the first Latin American capital (and fourth globally) in which Israel established a diplomatic mission. Uruguay is also one of the few nations to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, upgraded its diplomatic representation to an embassy in 1958 (subsequently downgraded to a consulate due to Arab pressure).

Montevideo has a Jewish museum, documentation center and a national historic landmark Holocaust memorial. There is a Golda Meir Square next to the major opera house (Téatro Solis) and the Albert Einstein Monument in Rodo Park was inaugurated in 1935 in recognition of the prominent physicist. The bronze sculpture was made by Uruguayan sculptor Amadeo Rossi Magliano. Various sections, like the neighborhood of Goes and the Old City, show traces of a long-abandoned Jewish past.

Uruguay’s natural, healthy and less costly Kosher Meats
Livestock production is a major part of Uruguayan agriculture. Blessed with lots of rain and open land, Uruguay’s temperate and moderate climate, as well as technical expertise, allow stock to be kept out in the open air year round.

Uruguay exports over 400,000 tons of beef annually to 60 countries, including Europe and Japan. The Uruguayan meat industry combines production experience and technological innovation to satisfy the most exacting markets, focusing on Kosher requirements.

Clean air, pure water, sunshine and grass are the main ingredients Uruguayan farmers use to raise cattle. The abundance of lush grazing means that animals are raised the way that nature intended, resulting in combined freshness and flavor in the meat to satisfy the most discerning customers.

“Grass beef” is crucial to a healthy diet and Uruguary beef is 91% lean. The feeding system determines meat quality and composition, and meat produced in pastures has a better quality and less cholesterol than those fed grain. A person’s cholesterol intake should not exceed 300 mg/day, or it can lead to stroke and Diabetes. Grass-fed cattle is less expensive to maintain.

Cattle in the U.S. are usually shipped many miles to the processing plant, adding to the animal’s stress, while in Uruguay licensed USDA inspected plants that meet the most rigorous international hygiene standards are located on the ranch.

Uruguay’s advanced beef production techniques are hormone free. They have no mad cow disease and are free of Foot and Mouth Disease, Bovine Spongy form Encephalitis (BSE) and E. Coli.

Great care is given to meat packaging, handling, storage and transport. Ante and post-mortem veterinary inspections by Uruguay’s Ministry of Livestock guarantee that the meat complies with health and hygiene requirements. Sanitary procedures, systems and compliance are regularly reviewed by the importing countries’ veterinarians.

OK KOSHER CERTIFICATION is a leader among supervising agencies that certify Uruguayan meat as kosher. The OK KOSHER CERTIFICATION is responsible for a highly trained and certified team of ritual Shochetim and Mashgichim supervisors housed nearby during production who are provided with a comfortable Bet Midrash and amenities to relieve them of any stress or fatigue during their highly specialized work.

The OK Kosher CERTIFICATION stamp of approval is the most reliable assurance that the entire process from the animal preparation and Shechita to the soaking and salting of the meat is performed at the highest kashrut levels and meets the most stringent standards.

The South American and New York partners who developed the Kosher Uruguay meat supply are personally observant, “We’ve got a personal ‘steak’ in this,” and are happy to provide this service for the North American Kosher Consumer. They can’t stop praising the OK KOSHER CERTIFICATION agency for their highly professional and competent manner which helps this major international complicated Kosher operation to run along very “Glatt’ and smooth.

Heading the staff, Rabbi Yosef Feigelstock is present at all times during production. Besides being a renowned halachic authority, Rabbi Feigelstock is personally certified as a Shochet, and is thus experienced and competent to render Kashrut decisions.

It’s a mitzvah to celebrate the holidays, especially Sukkot, with festive meat dinners, so here’s a good taste of Uruguay that’s Kosher and healthy, too!