Boquete Inaugurates New Center

Last week, a new Chabad Center was inaugurated in Boquete, a town in the province of Chiriquí located in Panama’s interior.

1000 meters above sea level, the town is the most popular retirement location for Americans in South America due to its natural beauty and year-round comfortable climate.

Rabbi Yakov and Hana Poliwoda moved to Boquete last summer, and have been tending to the local Jewish community’s needs, giving Torah classes and leading holiday services and events.

The new center, located in the Hotel Fundadores which is on the town’s main road, will serve as a Chabad Center and synagogue and will provide a base for the Poliwodas to hold events and cater meals for the Jewish visitors to the area.

At the center’s opening, some of the last remaining members of the town’s original Jewish families joined with Jewish locals who have retired from the United States to this corner of Panama.

Israeli Ambassador Gil Artzyeli and his wife Viviana were in attendance.

Hotel Fundadores will also serve as the base for a summer Yeshiva study program the Poliwodas will launch this summer for Latin American boys who want to get a taste of Chassidus and Torah learning, together with extreme activities like water rafting, hikes and more. The program will take place from July 3 – July 9th and is open for registration, Polwoda said.

Later in the week, the Ambassador gave a talk on Israeli input in technology, medicine and its involvement with Panama. Around 60 locals were in attendance.

The ambassador was also instrumental in beginning the process for one of the Poliwoda’s most crucial tasks in the town.

“The ambassador succeeded in getting the concession from the local government to make a Jewish cemetery in the town,” Poliwoda said. “One of our crucial tasks here will be to create a Jewish cemetery for the city, since many local Jews choose cremation instead of a Jewish burial, because of the exorbitant expenses to ship the body back to the United States or even to Panama City,” Poliwoda said.

To donate to the new Shluchim, visit www.chabadboquete.com.