Yesterday we visited Reuben in Cidra, PR. He is a very special man who has had a lot of trouble with his health over the past few years. He celebrated the past Shabbat with us in San Juan. In exchange, he begged us to visit him at his mountaintop home, an hour and a half drive south.

We made the trek up windy roads and dangerous cliffs, and at long last, arrived at the beautiful home which he had built. The house is decorated with classic judaica, including a menorah, and Jewish art. He was overjoyed to be able to offer us produce from his garden. The emotion was palpable as Reuben showed us the tefillin which he wears every morning.

Talk about isolation, Reuben tells us that he is the only Jew for an hour's drive in every direction. Can you imagine? When he lights his menorah, there is probably not another one within a hundred miles. Quite a far cry from the Midwestern suburbs where we grew up among kosher butcheries and bagel shops!

We climbed up on his roof overlooking a valley and took this picture together.

So Jews go on vacation, and vacationers need food. But where can you get kosher food in the Caribbean? One of the many changes that came about since Rabbi and Mrs. Zarchi arrived in Puerto Rico 10 years ago to establish the Chabad center is the availability of fresh, delicious kosher food delivered all over the islands.

A Jewish tourist from Palm Springs, CA receives his kosher delivery at the El San Juan Hotel.

These kosher kits go quite far. In fact, we were told that some of them have even been sent into communist Cuba!

One of the upshots of being based out of a Chabad center that doubles as a catering company is the full time chef. This is a far cry from the chicken and rice fare we know so well from yeshivah. The other day, we asked the chef for something to drink. The only problem is that she does not speak English, and we know no Spanish. In response to our gestures and motions, she bustled into the kitchen and returned triumphantly bearing a bottle of vodka! Good guess, but not quite what we were looking for.

Adios!

Good news for rum aficionados! Bacardi is kosher. We know because today we visited the Bacardi Rum Factory in Catano, Puerto Rico, to review the production process and to see first hand whether the rum is kosher and okay for Jewish consumers. Turns out that…it is! According to the people we spoke to, they produce a hundred thousand bottles of rum each day—now that is a lot of kosher drink!

Some highlights of our trip included shmoozing with the senior manager of the plant, donning hardhats and touring the entire factory, a private lesson on how to mix the best rum-based cocktails that Puerto Rico has to offer, and the beautiful view of the Atlantic we enjoyed both ways from Isla Verda. Best of all, they were giving free drinks! (Too bad we had to drive…)

Got to run, we are making a yahrtzeit Mincha minyan!