Jewish Autonomy in a Slave Society: Suriname in the Atlantic World, 1651–1825 by Aviva Ben-Ur

A groundbreaking study reveals that the Jewish community in Suriname, particularly at Jodensavanne, thrived not as a haven of religious freedom but as a frontier settlement deeply intertwined with colonial slavery. Aviva Ben-Ur challenges the romanticized narrative of Jodensavanne by exposing its reliance on enslaved African labor and its role in advancing imperial interests. The research employs an Atlantic history model to center the voices of enslaved peoples, highlighting their agency and integration into Jewish society through practices like slave concubinage and manumission. This approach corrects previous scholarship that marginalized enslaved Africans, demonstrating how Eurafrican Jews emerged as a distinct class with cultural and institutional independence, reshaping our understanding of Caribbean Jewish history.

Casteel, S. P. (2021). Jewish Autonomy in a Slave Society: Suriname in the Atlantic World, 1651–1825 by Aviva Ben-Ur. American Jewish History, 105(3), 431–433. https://doi.org/10.1353/ajh.2021.0038