[2] Migration began primarily from Europe in the late 19th century, where the first waves of Jewish immigrants to Paraguay came from countries such as France and Italy.

[5] Jewish immigration to Paraguay increased during World War II, as many sought temporary refuge in the nation before attempting to seek entry into neighbouring countries, such as Argentina and Brazil.

[6] Following World War II, Israel and Paraguay opened diplomatic relations in 1949, however in 1970, the Israeli Embassy in Asunción was attacked.

Between 1933 and 1939, Jews from Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia took advantage of Paraguay's liberal immigration laws to escape from Nazi-occupied Europe.

In 1881, Paraguayan media published news about the persecution of Jewish people in Europe, raising awareness of widespread discrimination.

[11] As such, after peace was attained, in order to encourage immigration and recover from large population losses, the Paraguayan government created a clause in their 1870 Constitution that offered religious freedom in the territory.

[12] These factors, specifically the country's liberal immigration policy and 1870 constitution clause, culminated in an increase in Jews seeking refuge in Paraguay.

As such, in the 1890s, Jewish people emigrated initially from France and Italy to seek temporary or permanent residency in Paraguay, seeing an opportunity to escape discrimination in Europe.

[5] Paraguay has historically acted as a temporary destination for many Jewish migrants seeking to gain entry into other South American nations, such as Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay.

[7] This was unlike other immigration patterns within South America, such as in Argentina and Brazil, where a majority of Jewish migrants worked in rural areas and in agricultural colonies, rather than in cities.

It is estimated between 15,000 and 20,000 Jewish people from Poland, Ukraine, Germany and Czechoslovakia temporarily sought refuge in Paraguay during World War I and throughout the early 1920s.

[8] Another contributing factor that encouraged migration to Paraguay were the lower barriers to entry compared to, for instance, North America and neighbouring South American countries.

[6] Many Jewish people sought both permanent and temporary refuge in Paraguay as countries such as Argentina and Brazil had tightened immigration restrictions.

For example, Polish Jews fleeing to Brazil in 1940 a boat called the 'Cabo de Hornos' were refused entry due to tightened immigration restrictions.

[17] Josef Mengele, the Nazi physician, is thought to have originally sought refuge with this Mennonite community after he fled to Paraguay following World War II.

Another Paraguayan Mennonite settlement, Menno Colony, founded in Paraguay in 1870, numbered 1,800 members and was less aligned with the Nazi regime's ideologies.

[19] This was due to a report released that year by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), that identified Paraguay and other Latin American nations as a hotspot for Nazi activities.

However, that year there was a change in presidency in Paraguay from Horacio Cartes to Mario Benitez, and the embassy was reinstated to Tel Aviv.

'Barrio Palestina' by Susana Gertopan, 2005, narrates the story of a Polish Jewish family who emigrated to Paraguay during World War II.

[23] An example of increased educational opportunities after World War II was the Jewish Paraguayan School, Escuela Integral Estado de Israel, which opened in 1959.