The Westin in Playa Conchal welcomes frum travelers.

Shalom aleichem. Daniel Retter is a New York attorney, religious scholar and author of HaMafteach, a Talmud Bavli Indexed Reference Guide. Mr. Retter recently found himself in the capital city of Costa Rica, the lovable San Jose, whereupon he prayed at the shuls of Chabad Lubavitch in Escazu and the Zionist Israeli Center of Costa Rica in Pavas. His experience recently appeared in the Jewish Press, and it is in sharp contrast to the experience of Washington Post intern Zach Cohen as reported by the Costa Rica Star earlier this year.

Mr. Retter preludes experiences of his visit to our country as follows:

Costa Ricans are remarkably friendly to tourists, and Costa Rica has been a good friend to Israel since 1948, when it was one of the first countries to vote at the United Nations for an independent Jewish state.

The introduction above is similar to that written by Daniel Elazar in 1989 for the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs:

Costa Rica may well be Israel’s best friend among the states of the world, unswerving in its friendship since 1948 and the only state to maintain its embassy in Jerusalem.

It is important to note that Costa Rica moved her embassy in Israel to Tel Aviv in 2006 by order of former President Oscar Arias. This move, along with Costa Rica’s later support of a Palestinian State, caused a period of ruffled-feather diplomacy.

Back to Mr. Retter: He noted that visitors to Chabad Lubavitch get a discount when they stay at the elegant Wyndham Gardens Hotel, which is within walking distance. Mr. Retter’s description of the Sharei Zion Shul at the Centro Israelita is as follows:

one of the most beautiful synagogues I’ve ever seen.

And here is his description of Greater San Jose Metropolitan Area:

The Central Region has its attractions, and it includes the country’s capital, but except for the Jewish infrastructure noted above the city is not much different from most Latin American and South American cities.

Compare Mr. Retter’s impressions of San Jose to those of Mr. Cohen, who viewed San Jose as:

foul city filled with Catholics and atheists. […] San José is an ugly city. The streets are lined with storefronts due for a paint job. Trash and dog droppings line the sidewalks. At night, drug dealers and (legal) prostitutes roam the streets.

Mr. Cohen visited the Congregation B’nei Israel near La Sabana Metropolitan Park, which he described as an unassuming, small stone building. His impression of the Centro Israelita was sharply less appreciative than Mr. Retter’s:

From the street, passersby wouldn’t think this was a synagogue. Perhaps a military base or the headquarters of a gringo corporation, but never a house of worship.

It is important to note that Mr. Cohen spent a few months in Costa Rica while expanding his journalism studies. He may not be fond of San Jose, but he has emphatically stated his admiration for the rest of our country and the people he met during his visit. He is also one of the (very) few journalists to report on the education plans of the presidential candidates who hoped to succeed President Laura Chinchilla; this has been a ruefully neglected topic during the electoral campaign. Also, Mazel Tov to Mr. Cohen: Two journalism projects he has worked on have been recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists. The Costa Rica Star particularly recommends “Half the Battle,” an important online multimedia investigation on U.S. war veterans in the New Millenium.

Back Mr. Retter’s visit: He recommends the Westin Hotel in Playa Conchal, province of Guanacaste, to frum (piously observant) Jewish travelers as the manager is familiar with the needs of these devoted visitors:

the hotel is expanding its accommodations for frum travelers, including food and Shabbos arrangements. The chefs have been taught about the complexity of kosher food and know enough about double wrapping, glass plates and plastic cutlery to work with frum guests (who are advised to explain their needs prior to arrival).

Mr. Retter also found another hotel in Costa Rica willing to cater to frum travelers: The Tabacon Hotel near the Arenal Volcano. The hotel’s general manager stated that:

arrangements are underway to provide frum travelers with pre-packaged kosher food as well as accommodations for room entry on Shabbos. The hotel is also looking forward to catering to Orthodox tours and groups in the near future.