Arrived in Recife

Yay! After a long day of travel, we arrived safely in Brazil. Ruben and I, and our group, made it to South America by way of NY, to Miami and then an overnight flight to Recife (with a quick layover in Salvador). When we got off the plane in Salvador, it was a great opportunity to stretch my legs and have the famous Brazilian soda, Guarana.
Yummmy!

 We then arrived in Recife, where we met one of our guides, Pricilla, who is a representative of the government in Pernambuco (the state where Recife is located). From there, we hit the ground running - well, driving. Our first site- one of the things for which I was most excited- was a visit to Kahal Tzur Israel- the first synagogue in the Americas. It was an amazing day of meeting representatives of the community and learning about the amazing Jewish history of Recife and Brazil.

Here is a picture from the following website, with great info about the synagogue-
http://www.kahalzurisrael.com/en/index.html

After a great time at the synagogue and museum, we travelled to see one of the first five sugar plantations in Recife, which was owned by a Jewish family- it was a fascinating and sad history filled with the trials of living in Brazil while the Portugese Inquisition was raging.

Our day then concluded with a visit to Olinda- a very cool island off of Recife where there are amazing views of the city, cool artists and street vendors and the oldest ¨hidden synagogue¨ in Recife¨.

The evening ended with a great dinner at an amazing restaurant. Eventhough I am a vegetarian, I still had the chance to taste some wonderful Brazilian delicacies.

Tomorrow we are off for more touring and really getting a chance to meet with more members of the Jewish community in Recife and even visit a Jewish school.

And, by the way, if you are wondering, the weather here is beautiful!

Get Ready, Get Set, GO!!!

 

In just a few days, I will be part of a small group of Reform Rabbis who will have the distinct pleasure and honor of travelling to Brazil. We'll have the chance to meet with various members of the Jewish community and learn all about the vibrant Jewish history of Brazil, dating back hundreds of years.  In fact, our trip even includes a visit to Kahal Zur-Israel in Recife, which is the first synagogue in the Americas!

 

While in Brazil, our itinerary also includes many wonderful plans such as spending Shabbat with the Jewish community of São Paulo and visiting the Jewish Museum and the Great Temple in Rio de Janeiro and much, much more!

It is my hope that through this blog, you'll have the opportunity to learn a little more about the Jewish communities in Brazil. You'll get to "see" some amazing sights and even make some wonderful "connections."