Incredible Bar Mitzvahs for Indian Chief’s Sons in the Maya Jungle

When Rabbi Dudi Caplin of Cozumel, Mexico, met an Indian Chief at an event for religious leaders, he could never have imagined that this would lead to a double bar mitzvah in the heart of the Maya Jungle.

By Anash.org reporter

Rabbi Dudi Caplin from the Mexican island of Cozumel shared an amazing story highlighting the neshama in every Yid waiting to be ignited.

Rabbi Caplin shared with Anash.org the incredible story that just recently occurred:

“Before Pesach, I was invited to attend a large event for religious leaders in Latin America, to represent the Jewish communities of Quintana Roo, the region in which Cozumel is located.

“During the course of the event, an Indian chief stood up and spoke about how important it is to maintain one’s traditions and religious beliefs. After the speech, I approached him to praise his proud words. The Indian, who lives in Mexico’s Maya jungle, surprised me by saying that his wife is Jewish. Her name was Dana Silverman and she originated from New Jersey.

“The chief put his wife on the phone, and I spoke to her and tried to persuade her to come for Shabbos, but she declined the invitation. I took their number and promised to stay in touch. Over the last three months, I attempted to get them to come, but they did not agree.

“A recent appointment in Merida, had me and my wife driving through the Maya Jungle, so I called them up and offered to visit. When we arrived, we discovered that the couple had three boys, ages 10, 15, and 17.

“The mother, Dana, welcomed us warmly and shared her story. She grew up to conservative parents in New Jersey who kept kosher at home, but out of the house they ate pork. She couldn’t tolerate the hypocrisy, so she went searching for the truth, and ended up with the head of this Indian tribe. She had been living in the jungle for the last 20 years.

“I offered to put tefillin on the bar mitzva boys, and at first she declined. But I suggested that we ask the boys, which she agreed to, and they gladly agreed. Dana, who not seen anything Jewish in 20 years, remembered how to read Hebrew, and she read Shema as her sons repeated after her.

“The neshama in the mother and her sons has been ignited BH,” Rabbi Caplin concludes, “and they are enthusiastic about learning more about Yiddishkeit.”