MEXICO CITY – In a bustling garment district within the historic core of this city, the signs of Mexico’s first Jewish community can be subtly discovered amidst the lively interactions of buyers and sellers on its cobblestone streets.

A small religious scroll is perched above a doorway, partially obscured by rows of vibrant elastic goods. Faint Hebrew letters adorn a shopfront. A stained-glass Star of David is embedded in an aged stone wall.

Claudia Sheinbaum, the new president of Mexico, has remained notably reserved regarding her Jewish heritage. Nonetheless, she will be leading the second-largest economy in Latin America from the Palacio Nacional, located only three blocks away from the nation’s first synagogue and a neighborhood where early Jewish immigrants found sanctuary.

“The Barrio Judío isn’t recognized as a specific location,” noted Monica Unikel, who has dedicated thirty years to documenting the history of Jewish immigration in Mexico and conducts tours through the historic quarter. “I began inquiring where people lived, worked, and prayed, and I began marking those locations on a map.”

According to the Jewish Telegraph Agency, Sheinbaum’s paternal grandparents came from Lithuania and settled in Mexico in the 1920s, while her maternal grandparents fled Bulgaria and arrived in Veracruz in 1942, narrowly escaping the Holocaust.

Sheinbaum has indicated that she was raised with Jewish traditions. However, her parents were scholars and political activists in a nation that has historically maintained a strict separation of politics from religion, particularly the Catholic Church.

In Mexico, Jewish identity is significantly connected to religious practices and the synagogue, according to Unikel. This contrasts with the United States, where Jewish identity often encompasses ethnic and cultural dimensions as well. While nearly 6 million American adults identify as Jewish, making up about 2.4% of the population, Mexico is home to an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 Jews within a population of 124 million.

Nevertheless, the initial Jewish immigrants left an indelible mark on the cultural fabric of Mexico City.

They established a synagogue – still in use today for daily prayers – near the large Zócalo public square and the city’s sinking Cathedral, which was constructed atop the remnants of an indigenous Mexica temple.

Celebrating the Jewish New Year: A Tour through a Historic Community

Recently, historian Vania Martínez led a tour of the barrio in front of the Monte Sinaí synagogue, which opened in 1923, coinciding with Sheinbaum’s inauguration and the onset of the Jewish New Year.

Her voice managed to rise above the sounds of the bustling neighborhood. Haitian migrants loaded heavy fabric rolls into the back of a truck. Motorcycles honked as they navigated through the gridlocked streets. A fruit vendor used a microphone to promote his golden apples in a melodic tone.

Inside the temple, the prayers had concluded, leaving a serene atmosphere. Rows of wooden chairs framed a sacred chest that holds the Hebrew scriptures with care. Its unembellished design reflects the community’s modest beginnings in Mexico, Martínez explained.

Most Mexicans know the Barrio Judío as part of La Merced, renowned for its 500-year tradition of markets and its role as a first stop for newcomers to the city, similar to New York’s Lower East Side or San Francisco’s Mission District.

During the migration period that began in the early 20th century, Arab and Eastern European Jews introduced their traditions to Mexico, influencing and blending with Mexican customs, as noted by Unikel.

Jewish immigrants pioneered a business model in Mexico that persists today. Men often worked as peddlers, carrying their products on their backs and selling goods to impoverished Mexicans on interest-free credit. These merchants became known as aboneros, creating what is now a common practice in modern Mexican sales: “six months without interest,” according to Unikel.

At the same time, Jewish immigrants adapted Mexican ingredients into their traditional dishes.

“You can’t discuss Jewish cuisine in Mexico, whether Sephardic or Ashkenazi, without mentioning chiles, avocados, or tortillas,” stated Unikel. “There are unique dishes such as gefilte fish a la veracruzana, guacamole with hard-boiled eggs, and kibbeh — a dish made of ground meat and bulgur wheat — stuffed with rajas con elote, chiles, and corn. They also make kosher tamales without pork lard, creating a compelling fusion of flavors.”

While Martínez guided the tour, she shared black-and-white photographs of the people and locales that once characterized the barrio.

“Take a look at this lovely picture featuring them sharing a Shisha,” she said, showing a photo of men gathered around a table, enjoying a water pipe. “It was one of the few items they could carry in their luggage, representing a small piece of their heritage.”

In a neighborhood known as the barrio, a 14-year-old named Shimshon Feldman found employment. His journey began at a Jewish bakery where he sold black bread and braided challah, and eventually led him to a Yiddish daily newspaper.

Nearby, there was a kosher meat shop on Jesus Maria and a matzoh ball factory on Soledad. Martínez mentioned a store operated by Sara Makowsky, located under a Virgin of Guadalupe figurine, where Jewish families could purchase everything required for their holiday celebrations.

Makowsky became so prosperous and established that she also managed a community post office for other Jewish migrants who frequently moved, finding places to stay as they could.

From a synagogue to a cultural hub

Just two doors down from the Monte Sinaí synagogue, the impressive wood doors set in a neo-colonial facade suggest a grand mansion within. However, this is misleading: hidden inside, Jews—including those who escaped the Nazis—constructed a synagogue that was kept out of sight.

Today, the majority of Mexico City’s Jewish community resides outside the historic center. Fourteen years prior, Unikel played a significant role in restoring and transforming the synagogue into a cultural center known as Sinagoga Histórica Justo Sierra 71.

Unikel expressed, “When we renovated the synagogue, my aim was to how can we share our culture with everyone, whether they are Jews, non-Jews, or foreigners? It’s about presenting Jewish culture to the world. One of my goals is to showcase our diverse identity to help dispel false perceptions about Jewish people and enlighten others about our traditions and beliefs.”

Following the attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023, the cultural center reduced its public events. Despite the ongoing conflict in Israel, Gaza, and Lebanon, plans are underway to resume its programming this month, albeit with increased security measures.

“People should know us beyond stereotypes,” Unikel asserted. “There are numerous ways to live a Jewish life.”

Claudia Sheinbaum’s visit

Before ascending to the presidency, Claudia Sheinbaum served as the mayor of Mexico City. The city took steps to revitalize the previously neglected Plaza San Loreto, which is situated in front of the Sinagoga Histórico, and Sheinbaum attended the inauguration. Unikel took the opportunity to approach her and request a visit to the synagogue.

Sheinbaum obliged.

Unikel recalled that Sheinbaum mentioned she had never been to the synagogue before. Unikel informed her that it was modeled after a temple in Lithuania, to which Sheinbaum replied that her father’s family hailed from Lithuania.

Upon becoming president, Sheinbaum did not reference her heritage, though this did not prevent the spread of anti-Semitic memes in Spanish online.

In her inauguration speech, which included 100 commitments to the Mexican populace, Sheinbaum asserted her identity in a personal way.

She stated, “I am a mother, grandmother, scientist, and a woman of faith.”