Congreganten

Literally congregants. Members of Jewish congregations (as opposed to yahidim), who did not pay synagogue taxes and could not vote or hold office. In early Suriname this was also a penalized and racialized category. As second-class members, Surinamese congreganten sat in the undesirable seats, could not be called up to the Torah, could not receive synagogue honors, and were buried in the swampy section of the cemetery.