We were honored to be hosting the first-ever official Chabad seder in Las Palmas, and the turnout exceeded our expectations. We arrived on Monday, and the next few days were a whirlwind of shopping, cleaning, cooking, and meeting the local Jewish population–approximately 60 in all. Each night 20 people attended, enjoying shmurah matzah, wine, a delicious kosher meal, reciting passages from the haggadah together, and simply basking in the company of their fellow Jews.
Late afternoon on the second day of Passover we strolled through the beautiful streets of Las Palmas, enjoying the seventy-degree weather and the first opportunity to unwind after a very hectic week.
We were scheduled to return home early the next morning, so our walk was not strictly for recreational purposes—it was our last opportunity to try and connect with any local Jews we may not yet have met. We brought along some matzah, just in case.
We passed a large shopping mall and noticed an elderly woman staring at us. She looked both astonished and excited, and beckoned for us to approach.
“I’m Jewish,” she told us. “I’m from Argentina and moved her with my son a few weeks ago.” Her face clouded over. “My daughter passed away suddenly and we needed a fresh start. I just found out today that it’s Passover, so I came here and asked in all the supermarkets if they had matzah. Nobody knew what I was talking about. I was so upset and couldn’t imagine not having matzah on Passover. I walk out of the mall, feeling so sad and missing my daughter terribly. Then, I lift my head, and I see two young rabbis rushing right by me! In Argentina, I had many Jewish friends, but here, I haven’t met any Jews. This is a miracle, G‑d made you appear at this very moment...”
We couldn’t agree with her more, especially when we opened our bags and handed her two boxes of matzah, one for her and one for her son.
This brief encounter perfectly encapsulates our mission—to share the light and joy of Judaism with every Jew, wherever they may be found.
