U.S. Commonwealth, occupying the easternmost island of the Greater Antilles. Puerto Rico was ruled by Spain until ceded to the U.S. in 1898. Jewish businesspeople and government officials arrived in the island after its occupation by the U.S. Most of them came in connection with American industrial plants set up in recent years. Until 1955, when an Orthodox congregation was founded under the leadership of a rabbi from the U.S., there was no organized Jewish community life on the island. Today, there are also Reform and Conservative congregations on the island, serving a community of 1,500.