Colonia Lapin, usually known as Lapin, is a settlement located near the town of

Rivera Rivera () is the capital of Rivera Department of Uruguay. The border with Brazil joins it with the Brazilian city of Santana do Livramento, which is only a block away from it, at the north end of Route 5 (Uruguay), Route 5. Together, they form an ...

in the southwest region of the

Province of Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, officially the Buenos Aires Province, is the largest and most populous Provinces of Argentina, Argentine province. It takes its name from the city of Buenos Aires, the capital of the country, which used to be part of the province an ...

, Argentina, in the Municipality of Adolfo Alsina.

History

Jew Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, religion, and community are highly inte ...

ish immigrants founded Colonia Lapin on November 6, 1919. Colonia Lapin was originally settled by twenty-five families from Colonia Esmeralda (Bernasconi) in the

due to the unfavorable conditions such as harsh climate and lack of drinking water. Mr. Eusebio Lapin, Director of the

Jewish Colonization Association The Jewish Colonisation Association (JCA or ICA; ) was an organisation created on September 11, 1891, by Baron Maurice de Hirsch. Its aim was to facilitate the mass emigration of Jews from Russia and other Eastern European countries, by settling ...

, facilitated the colonization after hearing about the hardships faced by these settlers. He was able to acquire of land from

Baron Maurice de Hirsch Moritz Freiherr von Hirsch auf Gereuth (; ; 9 December 1831 – 21 April 1896), commonly known as Maurice de Hirsch, was a German Jewish financier and philanthropist who set up charitable foundations to promote Jewish education and improve the l ...

of Estación Rivera to distribute among the colonists. In return, the families gave the Baron a share of the crops. The colony was originally registered as Phillippson No 3, but its first settlers took steps to rename it "Colonia Lapin" in recognition and gratitude to Eusebio Lapin. In 1921, more families arrived and the colony began to flourish. At the time of its establishment, no services or commercial infrastructure existed. By 1921, however, significant economic, social, and spiritual needs led to the creation of various institutions, including a primary school, a Hebrew school, a synagogue, and an arts center that also served as a theater and library. While "Colonia Lapin" still exists, most of the residents have left and many of the farms have been consolidated. The theater still exists and a

monument A monument is a type of structure that was explicitly created to commemorate a person or event, or which has become relevant to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, due to its artistic, historical ...

has been erected in dedication to the founding families.

External links

History of Colonia Lapin
Populated places established in 1919 Populated places in Buenos Aires Province Jewish Argentine settlements Adolfo Alsina Partido Cities in Argentina {{Jewish-hist-stub