COZUMEL+ISRAEL = COZRAEL

The history of our synagogue from the website http://www.cozumeljewishcommunity.com/;

“Cozumel is a much visited island that attracts tourists from all over the world, mainly because of its diving attractions and beautiful Caribbean beaches.
The Jewish community that lives here takes care of the tourism and of everything that is related to it.

Between them there are some Israelis that are living and working in the island. Since last year in this group has awoken a great necessity to carry on a Jewish way of living, due to the fact that Cozumel didn’t have a synagogue and much less an organized kashrut each Jewish settler of the island looked after their customs within their households possibilities in this situation.

Some Israeli Jews that live in the island knew Rabbi Moshe Pinto from before, when they lived in Israel and kept in touch with him since their arrival to Cozumel. When this was no longer possible, they turned to Rabbi Moshe Pinto to found the bases and structures of a community.

Only a month of their stay in the island, Jews living here reached out to the Rabbi in his residence named “Las Iguanas” located in St. Rafael Melgar 12 which later became the Jewish spiritual center of the community. In there Torah classes and prayers were held every day.

This established the spiritual base for the community. Only after 2 weeks of his arrival, the inauguration of the synagogue was announced. It was a very special and touching moment for all the Jewish residents of the island.

The synagogue is located in the same building where the Rabbi lives and it was named “Beit Yosef” in honor of  Rav. Yosef Pinto, in blessed memory, Rabbi  Moshe Pinto’s father.

A month after his arrival, the Rabbi returned to Israel and the community continued practicing the prayers of the shabatot and others.  The community has been characterized to follow an orthodox line. In the synagogue there’s a separation between men and women and the customs are from all the different congregations, such as Ashkenazi and Sephardic but the prayers are according to the Rabbi’s beliefs.  (Sephardic)

The Rabbi is also the shojet and once in a while prepares chicken shejita for the community but mainly the meat is imported from México City because it counts with an organized Vaadot Kashrut.
There’s a special connection with Rabbi Abraham Palti Shlit”a who is the leader of the Sephardic community in Mexico. When Rabbi Pinto was in Cozumel, the Rabbi Palti helped and sent a Sefer Torah from his synagogue. In return Rabbi Pinto traveled personally to deliver the Sefer Torah.

This year the Purim was celebrated according to Jewish laws. The Rabbi brought a megillah Esther (according to tradition) and read from it in front of a big congregation. Also the Pesach was celebrated in accordance with Jewish law, participating more than 80 people, including Jews from outside of Cozumel.  It can be said that the Jewish community of Cozumel it’s the spiritual center that serves as a flag in all Quintana Roo, and we ourselves are willing to give a spiritual answer to any Jew that is interested.

Nowadays the community is small, about 100 people which creates a special and closer net community with the Rabbi.
A total change happened to the island, it stop being a material center, and transgressed from being a holiday spot to also becoming a place where now exists a spiritual answer… it’s not by any chance that hurricane Dean passed around the island, and thanks G”D it didn’t come close to it.

A witness of all this is the Mohel Michan, who came to do a Brit Mila before the inauguration of the synagogue and when he was invited again to perform another Brit Mila, he was surprised to see the new inaugurated synagogue and also greatly surprised of the Jewish life of the place. The Brit Mila was obviously performed in the synagogue.

The next goal of the Cozumel community is to build the base for a Jewish education in the place that is designated to Jewish children that live in Cozumel, also to build a mikve for the women of the community who practice the laws of family purity.

The community is glad to be in touch with other communities and Rabbis, from time to time Jews from outside of Cozumel arrive to take the Torah classes, prayers and also to eat Kosher food from the new store.

“ Get strong and be brave everyone who wants the eternal”
“’לה המיחלים כל לבבכם ויאמץ חזקו “