If you’re looking for an unusual luxury vacation that combines sun, sea and great Latin American cuisine, with a chance to explore a unique Jewish culture, Panama is one of this year’s most rewarding destinations.
Read on to learn more about the fascinating story of the Sephardic Jews in Panama, and the country’s 400 year old history of Judaism, as well as important Jewish tourist attractions, in one of Central America’s most vibrant and welcoming nations.
A Quick Guide to Panama
Most Americans don’t know much about Panama, so it’s worth beginning with a quick overview. Panama is a slender strip of land that forms a bridge between the two giant continents of North and South America. It’s most famous for the Panama Canal, one of the world’s great civil engineering works, that connects the Pacific Ocean with the Caribbean Sea. Sitting just north of the equator, Panama is bordered by Costa Rica and Columbia.
The country has two long coastlines and some amazing unspoiled beaches. The easiest way to understand Panama’s attractions is to picture a place where you can jet ski in the Caribbean in the morning, then jump in a car and drive 50 miles, then lounge by the warm Pacific Ocean in the afternoon. When you’re done with swimming, you can relax with a cold drink and watch the sun set over the waves, before enjoying a gourmet dinner on the veranda or an outdoor barbecue.
Panama also offers tourists a modern infrastructure and city life, with luxury kosher-friendly hotels like the Waldorf Astoria and JW Marriott. In addition to private tours of Jewish Heritage sites, and opportunities to meet members of Panama’s Jewish community, Gil Travel can arrange guided excursions to areas of outstanding natural beauty like the Colba National Park.
An Introduction to Panama’s Long Jewish History
Many American Jews don’t realize that Latin America has a rich Jewish history that goes back to the period of Portuguese and Spanish colonialism that began in the late 1400s. Jewish explorers and adventurers – often Crypto-Jews or Conversos fleeing the inquisition – crossed the Atlantic to begin new lives.
There were already Sephardic Jews in Panama by the late 1500s, but their lives depended on publicly professing Catholicism and could only practice Judaism in secret. Panama’s very first Jewish community bravely maintained as much of their heritage as they could, but were unable to build synagogues or establish Jewish schools.
The end of the inquisition led to greater official tolerance and a resurgence of Jewish life. New waves of immigrants arrived in Panama from Syria as the Ottoman Empire collapsed. They were joined by Ashkenazis fleeing poverty and persecution in Eastern Europe and Russia, and then the Holocaust. Panama’s modern Jewish community is one of the most successful, secure and well-established in Latin America.
There are almost 30,000 Panamanian Jews, mostly living in the capital Panama City. Many are of Orthodox Syrian heritage and maintain Syrian Jewish culture and traditions. Meeting Panamanian Jews is a really interesting experience and Gil Travel can arrange introductions, or even home cooked Shabbat meals.
Visiting Jewish Heritage Sites in Panama City
The capital Panama City is the center of the country’s Jewish life and is an important Jewish travel destination in Central America. Gil Travel’s Panama Jewish heritage tours are tailored to include private guided tours of the city’s synagogues and can include organized visits to Jewish community centers. If you’re travelling with kids, it may also be possible to arrange activities with local youth groups.
The Panama City Synagogue
The most famous synagogue in Panama City is the Shevet Ahim Synagogue. The magnificently ornate temple has catered to Sephardic Jews in Panama since it was first established in the 1930s to serve the needs of increasingly prosperous North African, Levantine and Mizrachi communities.
The Synagogue is a spiritual home to around 3,000 Panamanian families and places a strong emphasis on following the teachings of Rabbi Sion Levy z’l and building unity amongst the diverse congregation, including many newcomers from South American countries, Iran and Israel.
As well as being a place of worship the Shevet Ahim is a community hub that actively works to promote Jewish education and values, as well as charitable projects and outreach programs across Panama. Depending what’s happening when you visit Panama, Gil Travel may be able to arrange participation in a volunteer program.
There are two other synagogues in Panama City that are also worth visiting, the Beth El and Kol Shearith Israel. Both the synagogues serve the city’s Ashkenazi residents and offer a more modern interpretation of Judaism. If you want to attend a Shabbat service, or are in Panama for the High Holidays, Gil Travel can make the necessary introductions and arrange for you to join the worshipers as a guest. You’re assured a warm welcome and an intro to Panama’s vibrant and energetic Jewish community.
Explore Panama’s Other Tourist Attractions
One of the great things about a kosher tour in Latin America is the opportunity to simultaneously explore non-Jewish sites, including some of the world’s most famous historical monuments and tourist sites. A tailored itinerary of Panama’s most important Jewish heritage sites can easily be adapted to take in a visit to the Panama Canal – the spectacular man-made waterway that revolutionised global travel. One of the most adventurous ways to see the Canal is on a private helicopter trip. When you see the Canal from the air, you really begin to appreciate the scale of the engineering achievement and its place in the global economy.
One of the great pleasures of a visit to Panama City is a leisurely walking tour of the Casco Viejo. The old colonial quarter is a charming place, full of architectural gems and some outstanding cafés and gift stores. If you’re looking for a glimpse of the colonial era Panama that the early Jewish immigrants would have known, Casca Viejo is a great place to start.
Another must-see site in Panama is the Amador Causeway, a rocky pathway and breakwater that links the four small Amador Islands to the mainland. The Causeway is at the entrance to the Panama Canal. A walk along the causeway gives you a refreshing sea breeze and a view of the nearby city and the Pacific Ocean. The causeway and the islands offer a variety of leisure development and natural maritime jungle and are a fun place to explore on foot – or you can hire bicycles.
Panama is one of the most interesting Jewish travel and tourist destinations in Central America. It’s generally a safe and friendly place that has a lot of easily accessible attractions – and amazing kosher food. Talk to Gil Travel today about a luxury family vacation or a group visit to Panama. You can build a tailored itinerary that exactly matches your personal interests and allows you to explore Panama’s 400 year old Jewish heritage, while enjoying the very best of its beach resorts, national parks and colonial history!
Questions and Answers
- Is Panama safe and welcoming for Jewish travelers?
Yes, The Panamanian Jewish community is self-confident and well respected and is integrated into mainstream society. Panama has had two Jewish presidents and there is no significant anti-Semitism. American Jews can feel completely safe.
- Are kosher restaurants common in Panama?
Panama has around 30,000 Jews and one of the largest kosher food scenes in Latin America. The food is amazing – with influences from all around the world – and you’re in for a real gourmet adventure!
- Can visitors join Shabbat services?
Yes. Talk to Gil Travel if you want to attend Shabbat or holiday services. As long as your visit is arranged in advance, you’ll receive a warm welcome.
- When is the best time to visit Panama?
Ideally you want to explore Panama in the sunny dry season. December to April are the ideal months for touring and beach time. You’ll have the added advantage of escaping the US winter.
