Sukkot by the Sea

A Community Celebration on the Las Conchas Peninsula

Tessoro was proud to host the first annual Sukkot by the Sea celebration the first week of October. This celebration brought together Jewish families from Mexico City, Arizona and California at Tessoro to celebrate their common interests in Rocky Point. It is a beautiful story and the first step in bringing together two wonderful Jewish communities.

It is an unexpected nexus point. For Arizona and California residents, Puerto Peñasco is the primary beach resort and place for family vacations or retirement. For Mexico City Jews, Puerto Peñasco is a popular place to invest in real estate, develop and do business. Amazingly, the thousands of Jews from Arizona and California who frequent Rocky Point did not know about the role the Mexico City community has played in building their beach resort. On the other hand, the Jewish families from Mexico City had no idea there were so many Jewish visitors supporting their investments (in fact, many had no idea there were even Jews in Arizona!). Sukkot by the Sea was the first concrete step in raising awareness on both ends.

Visitors came from Los Angeles, Tucson, Phoenix/Scottsdale, New York City (by way of Italy) and Mexico City. Together, we built a Sukka by the Sea on Puerto Peñasco’s most beautiful beachfront on the Las Conchas Peninsula. There were guests who stopped by from Sandy Beach and Las Conchas. The participants blessed the Sukka and then spent the weekend eating in it, praying in it and enjoying each other’s company. There were three kosher lulav/etrogs, a Friday night Kabbalat Shabbat, a Saturday Minion complete with Cohanim. Chaim Mayer Hazan, whose grandfather is the chief Rabbi of Italy, presided over services all weekend. We all enjoyed the pool and beach as well — the weather was amazing.

Tessoro donated the space and food for the event. The Scottsdale JCC helped promote and organize the event, and Tessoro would like to thank Moises Paz and Harriet Colan for all of their support. The development, its architects and investors look forward to welcoming back all of our guests and many more for the Second Annual Sukkot by the Sea in 2010.

By Marcos Rayek