The Jews of Indonesia descended from Jews who traveled there from Peru 400 or so years ago, after Catholic missionaries tried to force conversion. These same Jews went to Peru after the exile from Spain and Portugal, but even there they were forced to convert and so they fled. The Jewish people are a resilient people, reflects Emmanuil Grinshpun.“It’s true that as of today they live as Jews and not as forced converts,”said Rabbi Birnbaum. “They have a synagogue, Torat Chaim, they keep Shabbat and the high holidays and they have a deep Jewish identity. I met Daniel and Tikva on a visit to the community in Indonesia, and I felt that they could be the leaders of the community.”