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Welcome back to Three Wishes Travel! For the last installment of the Puerto Rico series, I will be diving into an important subsection of this blog, Traveling Jewish. Being a part of the Jewish community is something that I am extremely proud of, and provides a distinct + vibrant culture that welcomes anyone who wants to learn more.
Traveling Jewish will start out as a guide to the best of Jewish sights to see in every city coupled with a quick history of that Jewish community, but with future trips, I will hopefully be able to meet with Jewish community members and learn more about what being Jewish looks like in that city/country.
If you ever have any questions about Judaism, our culture, or anything related, please do not hesitate to reach out! If I do not know the answer I know someone that does :)
Now let's go to Puerto Rico! 🧞♀️💜✡️
Table of Contents
History of Jewish People in Puerto Rico📜
Jewish people have lived in Puerto Rico since the late 15th century. The first Jewish people to arrive in Puerto Rico came with Christopher Columbus's exhibition in 1492. It is believed that Louis de Torres was a Jewish sailor aboard with Christopher Columbus, who himself was rumored to be Jewish.
These Jews, referred to as "Anusim" were fleeing persecution under the Spanish Inquisition; They were forced to convert to Catholicism but continued to practice Judaism in secret. But Puerto Rico was not free of scrutiny for the Jewish people. Anusim were pushed into remote, mountainous parts of the island's interior. This made life difficult for the Anusim, especially in keeping their community together. Eventually, the Anusim fully assimilated into Puerto Rican society.
Things in Puerto Rico stayed the same for more than 300 years until the 19th century. As Spanish influence dropped around the Caribbean, Cuba and Puerto Rico began calling for their autonomy. The Jewish people remaining in Puerto Rico joined the pro-independence movements as they also felt Spain's injustice.
Mathias Brugman, a well-known Puerto Rican Jew, founded the "Capá Prieto", a revolutionary group that later participated in the famed “Grito de Lares” revolt. Mathias and his son Hector were passionate believers in Puerto Rican independence believing in a better future for all Puerto Ricans. After the revolt, Spanish authorities executed many pro-independence leaders, including Mathias and Hector Brugman.
30 years later, following the Spanish-American War of 1898, Spain transferred Puerto Rico to American control. This allowed the Puerto Rican Jewish community to finally live openly on the island, although their numbers were small.
Beginning in the 1930s, Jewish immigration to Puerto Rico began expanding. European Jews were fleeing Nazism and Puerto Rico was a rare case of a government accepting these refugees. Most European Jews settled in San Juan, and in 1942, they founded the first Jewish Community Center on the island.
By 1952, Puerto Rico became a Commonwealth of the United States, and in the same year, the first synagogue on the island was established in San Juan. Built in the former residence of wealthy German Jew, William Korber, Sa’are Zedeck synagogue became the religious home for the San Juan Jewish Community. 7 years later, the Jewish population increased as Castro's Cuban Revolution forced out Cuban Jews and many found refuge in Puerto Rico. In 1976, Argentine Jews also found safety in Puerto Rico following a military junta in their home country. One of these Argentine Jews was Diego Mandelbaum, the current director of Puerto Rico's Jewish Community Center. In recent years, political instability has lead to a number of Venezuelan Jews to the island as Puerto Rico continues to be a sanctuary for the Jewish community.
Today, there are around 3,000 Jewish Puerto Ricans, making up 1% of the total population. This makes Puerto Rico home to the Caribbean's largest Jewish community! Puerto Rican Jews continue to thrive on the island and build a vibrant community. Puerto Rico is also home to the most diverse Jewish community in the Caribbean with active Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform communities.
The Jewish Agricultural History of Ponce 🚜
Ponce, located on the southern coast of the island, has a unique Jewish history centered around agriculture. This began with the Spanish-American War when 5,000 American Jewish soldiers served on the island, and afterwards, a small handful remained in Puerto Rico and settled in Ponce. Rabbi Adolph Spiegel and Colonial Noah Shepard lead this small Jewish community.
The Ponce Jewish community grew when the 1940s program "Operation Bootstrap" passed, transforming Puerto Rico's economy and industry. As a result of the program, many Jewish families moved south to the city of Ponce and tried their hand at farming. In the 1970s, there was another brief influx of Israeli migration into Ponce. These immigrants came to work in agriculture through former governor Luis Muñoz Marín’s “¡Manos a la Obra!” program.
Today, Ponce's Jewish agricultural history is continued with the Gan Eden Farm. Yoav and Ada Cohen founded their fruit and vegetable farm in 2001, and became known internationally for their high-quality Mangos. The family takes great pride in their ability to provide employment for numerous Puerto Ricans and even regularly donate crops to the Chabad Center of Puerto Rico. Gan Eden Farms carries on a deep history of Jewish Puerto Rican agriculture, as well as the values of charity and perseverance.
Jewish Sites to Visit in Puerto Rico✡️
Puerto Rico has a variety of Jewish sites and synagogues to visit while on the island! Celebrated for having a synagogue for each of the three major branches of Judaism, Puerto Rico is the perfect place to learn more about Jewish history!
Temple Beth Shalom in San Juan, Puerto Rico
Reform Synagogue
Temple Beth Shalom, founded in 1967, is the only Reform synagogue on the island. TBS was founded by 10 San Juan families and has continued its tradition of a proud, warm, and intimate congregation to this day. These families started out meeting in the San Geronimo Hotel, but in 1971, the congregation was able to purchase and renovate a local Sports Bar into their elegant sanctuary. Today, the community offers online Shabbat and Holiday services, education sessions and life cycle events. The synagogue in located near the Bayola neighborhood in San Juan, a 5-minute walk from Punta Piedrita, making it a great stop on a beach day!
Shaare Zedeck Synagogue and Jewish Community Center in San Juan, Puerto Rico
Conservative Synagogue
Originally the Kerber Mansion designed and built by Czech architect Antonin Nechodoma, the building was renovated in1953 to house the growing Puerto Rican Jewish community. Shaare Zedeck "Gates of Justice" was named after the first synagogue destroyed during Kristallnacht in Leipzig, Germany. The community hired its first rabbi two years later and the community has only expanded since. Shaare Zedeck has become home to the largest Jewish community in the Caribbean. Today, the synagogue is also host to the island's Jewish Community Center. Shaare Zedeck synagogue and JCC is located in the Miramar neighborhood of San Juan, down the street from the San Juan Capitol Building and in the same area as the San Juan Holocaust Memorial.
Holocaust Memorial in San Juan, Puerto Rico
Designed by Michael Berkowicz and Bonnie Srolovitz and completed in 2012, the Holocaust Memorial in San Juan is a beautiful multi-sided monument. The curved metal sheet represents a page torn from history, with flames from a smokestack rising up to the sky. The top edge of the monument is torn to show the Jewish tradition of Kri'ah. The memorial reads "Let six million candles glow against the darkness of these unfinished lives" and symbolizes this void by cutting a family out of this "page of history". Located across from the Capitol Building, this statute was a joint effort between the Puerto Rican government and the local Jewish community.
Lod Massacre Memorial in San Juan, Puerto Rico
Also inside the monument is a memorial to the 1972 Lod Massacre. 78 people were wounded and 26 people were killed in this attack on the Lod airport in Israel. Included in this tragedy were 17 Puerto Rican citizens who came to Israel for pilgrimage in the Holy Land. This monument is a stark reminder of all the terror the Jewish Community and those around it have faced, and the importance of universal love and tolerance.
Holocaust Museam in Morovis, Puerto Rico
The National Holocaust Museum was founded in 2007 as a research and education center. The goal of the center is to promote a pluralistic, tolerant culture that celebrates the contribution of the Jewish community to Puerto Rican society and never forgets the history of the Shoa. Although the museum is closed due to COVID, normally it offers free admission by appointment. The museum is affiliated with Yad Vashem and the Anti-Defamation League and even offers zoom events. The mission of this organization is beautiful, and I hope my next trip to Puerto Rico includes a trip to learn here.
Chabad Jewish Center in Carolina, Puerto Rico
Orthodox Hasidic Synagogue
Founded in 1999 outside of San Juan in Carolina, Puerto Rico, the Chabad center serves as the home for the Lubavitch movement on the island. The Chabad Center houses the only Mikvah and the only Kosher restaurant in Puerto Rico. There are a variety of events held by the center, as well as a strong volunteering culture. The stunning Chabad building is located near the airport in Carolina, making it the perfect first stop on your trip!
Centro Hasídico Puertorriqueño Toiras Jesed Synagouge in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico
Orthodox Synagogue
On the west coast of the island, this Orthodox community founded the first synagogue outside of San Juan. Mayaguez is a beautiful coastal town on the Central Mountain Range with a long Jewish history. It is known that Jewish physician Isaac de Lima lived and practiced in the town around the 1840s. Mayaguez is on the beachy side of the island, near Playuela white sand beach and the Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge!
Kosher Restaurants in Puerto Rico🍽️
Kosher in Paradise
Vegetarian Options: Yes
Address: Calle Rosa 18 Carolina, Puerto Rico 00979
Kosher in Paradise is the only kosher restaurant and grocery on the island of Puerto Rico! It is owned and operated by Chabad of Puerto Rico, offering sit-in meals, take-out, groceries, and Judaica. Kosher in Paradise is located in a beautiful part of San Juan right next to Playa Isla Verde. Kosher in Paradise is a wonderful lunch option on a beach day, formal dinners, or holiday catering.
Thank you for reading about my exploration of Jewish Puerto Rico! Even if you are not Jewish, finding the Jewish sections of cities can provide a new and distinct part of a city for you to explore.
Check out our Instagram @3WishesTravel for more. If you are thinking about your own Puerto Rico visit, contact us and we will plan your entire trip for you when it is COVID safe!
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