Seeking to use some expiring travel credits, I booked a quick visit to El Salvador last month. With $160 roundtrip non-stop fares from Washington Dulles, easy and cheap local connectivity using Uber, and an impressive Jewish community, this seemed like a no-brainer.
There must be a
catch, I thought. Why was it so cheap? Was El Salvador dangerous? Initial
research showed that El Salvador was in fact – but is no longer – among
the most dangerous countries in Latin America. In a complete recent turnaround,
it is now considered among the safest! Having visited much of Central America
years earlier but avoiding El Salvador due to safety, I was excited to finally
add this country to my list. With the goal of minimizing time away from the
family – and missing no more than two morning drives to TA – I planned for a
very short visit.
Mountains and
Markets
With beautiful
mountains and absolutely perfect weather, El Salvador is an ideal escape for
adventurous travelers. I spent my day in and around the capital and largest
city, San Salvador. Starting with a 45-minute ($8) Uber journey to El Boquerón
National Park in the mountains, I hiked and viewed the crater of the San
Salvador Volcano, stepping onto the brand-new glass floor observation deck. I
also visited the famous Rainbow Slide, high up in the mountains, took a guided
tour of the Palacio Nacional in San Salvador’s historic district,
meandered for hours through the massive vibrant colorful markets downtown,
shopped in the national craft market, and enjoyed night strolls among the
lights and fountains of Plaza Salvador del Mundo and the Gran Via shopping
district.
The Jewish Community
Jews have been
present in El Salvador since the early 19th century, but the first
community, the Comunidad Israelita de El Salvador, was established in the
1940s. That community, with about 150 members today, considers itself “masorti,” traditional, and its practices
are similar to those of the Conservative movement in the U.S.
The Orthodox
community that I visited is newer and includes around 250 people, most of whom
are descended from Spanish/Portuguese émigrés fleeing the Spanish Inquisition,
and they have undergone halachic conversions. Split between San Salvador and a
small town called Armenia (more on that below), the community is very
impressive in terms of its faithful adherence to Torah u’mitzvos,
strong synagogue attendance, and year-round Jewish programming.
Prior to visiting,
I did some research, scrolling through the San
Salvador Orthodox shul’s website, reading about their makolet
(kosher shop) and trying to find a minyan schedule (not published). The Go Daven
website did provide minyan times, which proved to be incorrect, as
well as a very helpful email address to the community.
I reached out via
email and received a welcoming response within a couple of hours. I learned
that the makolet was open throughout the day for basic shopping and that
kosher meals for visitors can be prepared with advanced notice. I also learned
that a weekday Shacharis minyan takes place at 6:00 a.m., followed by breakfast
– but only on Mondays and Thursdays. Unfortunately, my short visit did not
include either of those mornings, and it wasn’t possible to change my flight.
Still seeking to learn about the community, I was happy when its wonderful
leader, Yehoshua Ruiz, graciously invited me to a traditional pupusa dinner in the shul.
The Beit Israel
Sefardi Orthodox Synagogue
Following a full
day of touring, I excitedly hopped on an Uber to reach the shul. Upon arriving,
I learned that Uber, as well as Google Maps, showed an incorrect address when I
entered the name of the shul, so please make sure to reach out before you
visit.
Having arrived at
the wrong place, I reached out to Yehoshua, who offered to pick me up and drive
me to the correct location. As soon as I saw his yarmulke and heard Ishay
Ribbo’s music blaring from his car, I knew I was being picked up by the right
person.
Speaking fluent
English, Yehoshua first gave me a tour of the shul grounds, which were already
decorated for Chanukah. The shul is a true community center, which houses many
activities for its local families, taking place in its beautiful courtyard and
adjacent small social hall.
Most
interestingly, the campus includes sleeping space for the entire community.
Since most of the people live far away from the shul, they gather every Shabbos
and spend it all together!
There are also two
guest rooms that can be rented out by visitors, as well as numerous hotels
within walking distance.
Yehoshua explained
that most of the shul’s members are geirei tzedek, having converted
according to halacha by a bis din consisting of dayanim from
three different countries. Every Shabbos, about 45 people join the minyan,
which operates according to Sefardi traditions.
While they are
actively searching for a rabbi, Yehoshua – a native of El Salvador whose wife
was also born in the country – is now the main person in charge of community
affairs.
With very few
kosher products available on the local supermarket shelves, it takes tremendous
mesirus nefesh to live the dedicated Jewish life that the members of
this community are committed to. While there is one type of cheese that they
are able to provide hashgacha for, and which is used for the pupusas (see below), most of the kosher
products are driven in once a month from Guatemala.
Three Orthodox
Jewish Centers
As mentioned
above, the local Orthodox community is split between two cities. Yehoshua told
me about their “sister community” with 125 members in the small town of
Armenia, located about 45 minutes west of San Salvador. You can simply search
“Sinagoga ortodoxa Beit Shemaya ve Abtalion” into Google Maps to see its
location and some pictures!
In addition, there
is a new Chabad House in El Tunco, which is a beach town about 45 minutes south
of San Salvador. While I saw almost no other tourists in San Salvador, most of
the country’s tourists – including many Israeli backpackers – apparently head
to El Tunco, known for its excellent surfing conditions. Yehoshua mentioned
that he shares warm relations with the new Chabad rabbi and was excited that
there are now no less than three Orthodox synagogues/Jewish centers in his
small country.
Pupusa Dinner
After a long day
of touring and no kosher food, I thoroughly enjoyed the thick corn tortillas,
stuffed with beans and cheese and cooked to perfection on a traditional grill.
These were accompanied by a tomato dip as well as some vegetables. This is El
Salvador’s national food, which I saw (and smelled) all day as I toured the
capital.
Yehoshua told me
to wash my hands. Without knowing the ingredients in advance, I did so and was
ready to recite Hamotzi. But Yehoshua
explained that we washed our hands because this entire meal is traditionally
eaten with the hands, and that the bracha was in fact shehakol!
Yehoshua asked our
wonderful cook – a woman from the community – to also prepare me some pupusas “to go,” which was a perfect
lunch for my flight home.
Big Plans for the Future
Yehoshua has a
young daughter and may at some point need to relocate for her to attend a
Jewish school. But for now, he feels his community needs him as he keeps
planning for its future.
The community
already has a website, but I suggested that they could perhaps improve it with
more tourist information and a more formalized system for visitors to order
both weekday and Shabbos meals, as well as to reserve one of the rooms for
Shabbos. This could provide for a sustainable source of income for the
community as well as an opportunity to connect with more Jews from around the
world.
Yehoshua shared
that he is actively considering an expansion of the community’s visitor
offerings – including a more formal restaurant arrangement – and welcomed my
additional suggestions. I promised that I would share the word about this
wonderful community, and this article is one such step.
Is El Salvador
Safe?
El Salvador has
changed drastically in just two years and is now considered one of the
safest in Central America. But did it truly feel safe? As soon as I
arrived, I walked late at night toward one of San Salvador’s main squares. At
10:00 p.m., it felt exponentially safer than anywhere in Baltimore.
Parents and kids were walking around casually as if it were the middle of the
day, and dozens of families with young children sat in the major squares to
enjoy the lights and the beautiful weather. In many ways, the family atmosphere
and large number of small kids reminded me of Israel. And they also drink
chocolate milk in little bags!
El Salvador has in
fact traditionally been an important friend of Israel. Following the October 7
attacks, its President, Nayib Bukele, shared the following statement: “As a
Salvadoran with Palestinian ancestry, I’m sure the best thing that could happen
to the Palestinian people is for Hamas to completely disappear. Those savage
beasts do not represent the Palestinians.” Bukele compared Hamas to Salvadoran
gangs, on whom his government has declared war. And this war on gangs has been
incredibly successful.
There were dozens
of national police officers, local security personnel, and soldiers everywhere
I went. They all seemed friendly and calm, providing me with a consistent sense
of security. With its zero tolerance for crime and immediate and consistent
enforcement, San Salvador is a place where I would be much more comfortable
walking with my kids in than anywhere in Baltimore, especially late at night.
With that said, El
Salvador is still a “developing country,” with messy roads full of old
polluting vehicles, poor sewage, and a very poor population. At the same time,
a modern airport, efficient Uber service, and multiple glitzy shopping areas and
high-end hotels, make it comfortable for tourists to visit.
Future Visits
My visit was
clearly too short. With cheap direct flights still readily available, I am
already planning a second trip, to include a Shabbos, so that I can meet and
join the community for davening and meals. I also hope to explore other parts
of the country, such as the mountain town of Suchitoto, Lake Coatepeque, Santa
Ana Volcano, as well as the Beit Shemaya and Avtalion Jewish community in the
town of Armenia and the Chabad House in El Tunco. Stay tuned for another
update!
In the meantime,
if you would like to find out more about the community, please feel free to
reach out to me at yitz.szyf@gmail.com.
