Colonia Lapin

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[edit] History

Monument Dedicated to the Jewish Families That Founded Colonia Lapin

Colonia Lapin is located near the town of Rivera in the southwest region of the Province of Buenos Aires Argentina, in the Municipality (Partido) of Adolfo Alsina. Jewish immigrants founded Colonia Lapin on November 6, 1919. Colonia Lapin was originally settled by twenty five families from Colonia Esmeralda (Bernasconi) in the Province of La Pampa due to the unfavorable conditions, given the climate and the lack of drinking water. Mr. Eusebio Lapin, the Director of the Jewish Colonization Association, brought about the colonization that had listened the sufferings of these colonists. He was able to acquire 36 square miles of land from Baron Maurice de Hirsch of Estación Rivera to pass on to the colonist. 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 carried out the procedures to call it "Colonia Lapin", in recognition and gratitude to Eusebio Lapin.

In 1921 more families arrived and the colony begins to have life. When the Colony was installed, no services or commerce existed. By 1921 significant economic, social, and spiritual needs brought about different institutions such as a primary school, Hebrew school, synagogue, and an arts center/theater/library.

While “Colonia Lapin” still remains, most of the residences have left and many of the farms have been consolidated. The theater still exists and a monument has been erected in dedication to the founding families.