At Temple Emanu-El, we believe in the importance of travel as a way to connect with Jewish history, culture, and peoplehood. This winter our members traveled the world, interacting with Jewish communities from Central Europe to Mexico. This is the second in a series on those travels. Read Part I.
The room was relaxed, infused with the laid-back spirit of Shabbat in Mexico City. As worshippers arrived at Comunidad Bet-El synagogue, they greeted each other with hugs and kisses. Congregants started arriving 30 minutes before services were scheduled to begin, eager to catch up.
“It was incredible,” said Rita Haves, a longtime Temple Emanu-El member. “It was so warm and welcoming.”
Services featured a special guest on the pulpit that night: Temple Emanu-El’s Rabbi Joshua M. Davidson, Peter and Mary Kalikow Senior Rabbinic Chair. For travelers on Temple Emanu-El’s Mission to Mexico City, it was a peek inside Mexico City’s vibrant Jewish community.
“I did not expect that honor,” Rabbi Davidson said. “It just shows the power of the Jewish community and what a special one Mexico City has.”
After services, members from each congregation shared a Shabbat meal together. They bonded over mutual connections throughout the world.
Shabbat at Bet-El was one of the group’s many unique experiences. They visited the Justo Sierra synagogue and Mount Sinai Synagogue, two of the country’s oldest congregations. Members spent a morning at CDI-Centro Deportivo Israelita, the community’s sprawling community center, which serves 18,000 members.
In addition to exploring Mexico City’s Jewish life, travelers visited cultural and archaeological landmarks, including the Palace of Fine Arts, Frida Kahlo’s Blue House (La Casa Azul), and the Teotihuacan Pyramids, a UNESCO World Heritage site that was home to a pre-Columbian city.
The trip to Mexico is the beginning of a year packed with educational travel for Temple Emanu-El. In October, Rabbi Davidson and Dr. Alyssa M. Cady, Director of the Temple’s Center for Interfaith Dialogue, will lead an interfaith trip to Spain focused on Spain’s Jewish, Muslim, and Catholic legacies.
“Travel with the Jewish community is so inspiring,” Rabbi Davidson said. “Visiting, interacting, and learning about different Jewish congregations and organizations enhances our understanding of Jewish history and draws us closer as a Jewish people. Our moving experience in Mexico reaffirmed this.”
Hit the road with Temple Emanu-El! Members, join us this October as we head to Spain for an interfaith trip with Rabbi Joshua M. Davidson and Dr. Alyssa M. Cady. Learn more here.
