Central America is one of the world’s most vibrant and exciting regions. Countries like Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, and Guatemala are historical melting pots with rich cultures and traditions that can amaze even the most experienced travelers. They also offer visitors outstanding natural beauty with miles of golden beaches, mountains, and tropical rainforests.
What’s most surprising is that Central America has a Jewish heritage going back more than 500 years. Luxury Jewish heritage tours to Central America are a great way to combine adventure with high–end travel, as well as the chance to explore some unique and unusual Jewish heritage sites Jewish landmarks in Central America. In addition to private guided tours, Gil Travel can also arrange personal introductions and a warm welcome from local Jewish communities!
Central America at a Glance
We don’t need a geography lesson, but it’s helpful to begin with a quick overview of Central America. It’s basically the winding isthmus of land that separates the United States and Mexico from the massive South American continent. Central American countries are Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. Each country is different and unique, but the region is a colorful melange of indigenous American, Spanish, and African influences.
Over the centuries diverse European, Jewish, and other immigrants have added to the Central American mix. Jewish heritage tours of Central America Jewish travel to Central America can take in a wealth of other local traditions, festivals, and crafts. Central America is a fascinating cultural mosaic. In many places, you only have to walk a hundred yards down the street, or drive a mile out of town to be exposed to something completely new and amazing!
Explore Mayan Sites in Guatemala
Central America is home to some of the world’s most impressive historical and archaeological sites. One of our favorite destinations is the ruined Mayan cities of Copan in Honduras and Tikal in Guatemala.
The Copán Ruins are located in western Honduras, in the department of Copán, just 14 kilometers from the border with Guatemala. Copán is famous for its magnificent Mayan ruins, declared by UNESCO as Archaeological World Heritage Site in 1980. Today Copán Ruins is considered the Paris of the Mayan world in Central America.
Deep in Guatemala’s rainforests is the Tikal National Park.
The spectacular stone architecture dates back as far as the 4th century BCE and includes the 47–meter–high Tikal Temple with its imposing flight of stone steps. Tikal is also a UNESCO World Heritage site and a “must-see” destination for anybody who is interested in Mayan culture.
Jewish heritage tours of Central America can also be tailored to include a visit to the Guatemalan city of Antigua (not to be confused with the eponymous Caribbean island). Antigua is another UNESCO World Heritage site and is famed for its stunning colonial architecture.
If you want to catch a glimpse of how Central America looked during its colonial heyday, the old city of Antigua is like a trip back in time. There’s also a Chabad House in Antigua that welcomes guests to a weekly Shabbat dinner – with some seriously appetizing kosher Guatemalan-style cuisine! Another Jewish heritage site you won’t want to miss is the Museo del Holocausto. Opened in Guatemala City in 2017, it is the first museum in Latin America dedicated to Holocaust education.
Connect with Nature in Costa Rica and Panama
Central America is bordered by both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. There are several places in the region that come as close to an earthly paradise as it’s possible to find. If you’re looking for an adventure, or you have energetic youngsters in your group, Gil Travel can arrange all kinds of exciting activities and events like zip lining over the canopy of a tropical Costa Rican rainforest, white water rafting, or off-roading through the mountains.
Don’t panic if you’re looking for a rather more leisurely vacation in luxury settings! Costa Rica has two long coastlines with endless miles of golden beaches and some amazing fish restaurants, cafes, and cocktail bars. We can create a custom itinerary that includes day trips to nature reserves and chances to see the region’s beautiful cattleya orchids.
Costa Rica and Panama offer superb watersports with surfing, snorkeling and diving for all experience levels. The beaches are pristine and the professional instructors speak perfect English.
The Best Places to Visit in Central America for a Jewish Experience
Jewish heritage in Latin America and Central America goes back at least 500 years. The New World attracted many Sephardic Jews (often known as Marranos or Conversos) who hoped to flee the Inquisition in Spain and Portugal. The early adventurers were followed by successive waves of immigrants who established Jewish communities with synagogues, schools, and thriving commercial and agricultural enterprises. Central America was (generally) a tolerant and easy–going place for Jews to live. Although most of the modern communities are fairly small, there is a wealth of cultural heritage to explore.
A popular destination for Jewish heritage tours in Central America is the Costa Rican capital San José. The Ashkenazi Orthodox synagogue, Shaarei Zion, and the Centro Israelita Sionista, and the Museum of the Jewish Community of Costa Rica offer a wonderful insight into Jewish heritage and are also a great place to meet local people. Generations of Jews were buried in San José’s Foreign Cemetery and Hebrew Cemetery. It can be fascinating to look at the gravestones and imagine the life stories of the people buried there.
In Panama’s capital, Panama City, you will find a vibrant and diverse Jewish population that offers religious and community services to several streams of Judaism. Visitors are welcome to explore and attend services at the capital’s 5 synagogues – Shevet Ahim Synagogue (Sephardic), Beth El Synagogue (Ashkenazi), Ahavat Sion Synagogue (Syrian), Chabad Panama Synagogue, and Kol Shearith Israel Synagogue (Reform Movement). You will also find synagogues in Coronado, Gorgona, San Carlos, and Playa Blanca, which are popular destinations for locals and tourists alike due to their relaxing beaches and breathtaking mountains! Visiting a synagogue is a great way to learn about the area’s Jewish history and gain insight into the lives of the local Jewish community.
What makes Central America such an interesting destination for a Jewish heritage trip is its unique history as a sanctuary for Jews fleeing persecution and its diverse population, which is a melting pot of Sephardic Jews who arrived from Portugal and Spain during the Inquisition, German and Russian Jews, as well as Jews from the Ottoman Empire who immigrated in between the 18th and 20th centuries, and even American Jews in search of prosperity and a better life.
Seeing how the Jews in South American countries have adapted to the local culture and created their own unique customs and traditions through the centuries is a one-of-a-kind experience that Jewish heritage enthusiasts or those with Jewish roots in South America will not want to miss!
Planning Luxury Jewish Heritage Tours to Central America
Many Americans still have some outdated misconceptions about Central America and don’t realize the sheer quality of the luxury travel experience that is on offer. Costa Rica in particular is noted for its luxury resorts, boutique hotels, – and amazing self-catering units, and holiday apartments. The country has focused on a policy of sustainable eco-tourism and attracting high–value guests from the US and Europe. American Jews are waking up to Central America’s best–kept secret and the delights of a customized luxury tour with the option of kosher travel Kosher tours in Central America and Shabbat-friendly itineraries.
Gil Travel is also an expert at arranging luxury Jewish heritage tours in some less well-known Central American destinations. If you want to explore the Jewish heritage – or just soak up the local culture and history – of fascinating countries like Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama, Gil Travel can arrange luxury travel options with English–speaking guides and organized activities with the local Jewish communities. We have all the local knowledge and contacts to provide customized experiences and private tours that will take you well off the beaten tourist track.
Is Mexico Part of Central America or Latin America?
People exploring Jewish heritage in Latin America often ask us if Mexico is part of Latin America or Central America. The short answer is that it’s officially part of North America – like the US and Canada. The whole issue gets confusing because Mexico is a Spanish–speaking country with many cultural similarities to its Central American neighbors. There’s some really interesting Jewish heritage in Mexico, particularly in Mexico City, and the third largest Jewish community in the Spanish–speaking Americas, The President of Mexico Claudia Sheinbaum is also Jewish!
Gil Travel can help you to create a superb custom itinerary if you want to visit Mexico.
Mexico City has over two dozen synagogues, including the famous Nidje Israel Synagogue Synagogue Justo Sierra 71 and the Monte Sinai Synagogue – the first synagogue in Mexico, built in 1918! A guided tour of the old Downtown Neighborhood known as Zócalo (once home to the Jewish community) is a great way to explore the City’s Jewish past. Sites like the Jewish Museum, and Mexico City’s kosher delis and restaurants are also highly recommended.
Sample the Best of Jewish Culinary Heritage in Latin America
Latin and Central American Jews come from across the diaspora (and also modern Israel). Waves of immigration from Spain and Portugal, Northern Europe and Russia, the old Turkish Empire, and the Levant brought a wonderful mixture of Jewish culinary traditions to the New World. These were rapidly influenced by indigenous American and other styles. If you’re a foodie, Gil Travel will recommend the very best places to visit in Central America for a unique Jewish culinary experience.
When you visit countries like Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama, you’ll be spoiled for choice. If you ever get tired of trying traditional kosher Syrian or Turkish dishes with a Latin American twist, bagels served with tasty guacamole and bean dips, Mexican matzo ball soup, or gefilte fish a la veracruzana, you can always grab a kosher burger and fries, or an authentic Israeli falafel in a pita!
If you are a kosher traveler, you have nothing to fear! Along with many supermarkets carrying international kosher-certified food items, most Central American countries with Jewish populations have several kosher dining options. Observant Jewish travelers also have the option of joining a kosher tour in Central America. This ensures that you and your family can fully enjoy your vacation without needing to worry about where you’ll be getting your next kosher meal from.
How to Organize the Perfect Luxury Tour of Central America
One of the things we love about Central America is that it’s really easy and convenient for US travelers. There are direct flights to every major city from the US and the US dollar currently goes a long way in the region. Some destinations are more expensive than others, but you really can expect value for money almost everywhere you go. Gil Travel will ensure that your trip is personalized to provide exactly the right balance between luxury and adventure and to ensure that you get the travel experience that you expect (including kosher hotels and Shabbat observance).
Most tourist destinations in Central America are very safe, and the locals are welcoming and friendly. Your English–speaking guides will use their local knowledge to ensure that you have a great time and travel in complete safety and comfort. We’ll also make sure that you have trained and vetted drivers who prioritize passenger safety – especially if you opt for some off–road or 4×4 adventure!
Ready to embark on your next big adventure? Enlisting the help of a travel agency makes Jewish travel to Central America more convenient and accessible than ever before! Gil Travel has some excellent connections across the entire world and can arrange Jewish heritage tours to suit every interest level – from general family interests to academic and specialist interests. This includes private tours of museums, galleries and collections as well as lectures and meetings with subject matter experts. Talk to us now to create a customized group travel itinerary, either to Central America, or any other location with a Jewish history and heritage.
