Thursday, December 27, 2012

Communidad Israelita El salvador update

There is not a single congregation anywhere in North America aside from the ultra Orthodox as universally committed to Judaism as these people. Big statement but here is why
1.ALL observe Shabbat (within Conservative parameters of driving to synagogue)
2. ALL observe kashrut and there is not yet a kosher butcher, but there is Walmart with many kosher producrs
3. ALL married women observe taharat hamishpacha
4. ALL married women and female heads of households make shabbat Challah each week
5. We met each night I was there for 2 1/2 hours of study and there was a phenomenal turnout, even though some families drove 1 1/2 hours to get there.
6. They have been studying Judaism for years via the internet despite being ignored by the local community, and having no rabbi in the country
7. They built a mikvah, created a synagogue, supported a Judaism ritual object and book store, have a sefer Torah, saved for a long time to afford to fly us in and put us up for the time here to convert them
8. I have never seen such enthusiasm and sincerity about Judaism from a Jewish group aside from my haredi relatives
9. We converted 45 over 2 days after skype interviews with each one and long study and each days group stayed the entire day to support the others who were next. One guy gave up two days to be our interpreter, one 2 days to do all the hatafah, one 2 days to be the mikvah shomeret










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