Welcome to Jewish Mexico City

A rabbinical student and 45 Jews walk into a cantina and … voila … the premiere of Tudela Project, a tour tailor made for Jewish heritage exploration and culture immersion.

This November, this group will not only see the Mexican pyramids but also meet a Jewish community most of them didn’t know existed: 45,000 people strong, split between Ashkenazi and Sephardic roots, according to co-founders and trip leaders, Matt Adler and Zach Woodin.

Adler explained, “Mexico City is a deeply multicultural place with a sizable Jewish, tight-knit community with Ashkenazi and Sephardic roots. It’s close to the U.S. but allows us to explore this Jewish culture in a unique context.”

The itinerary, running Nov. 11–15, was built around timing and content. “The tourists from The Day of the Dead have mostly left and you don’t have to deal with unbearable heat. Fewer crowds, comfortable weather, and more locals to meet,” is the “why” for November.

Adler and Woodin, both Atlanta residents, met outside of Atlanta. The former grew up in Washington, D.C., speaks eight languages, and is currently a rabbinical student. He has already visited many disparate Jewish communities across the globe and collected their stories: Budapest, Belgium, El Salvador, Slovenia. Woodin, a Philadelphia native, spent four years as a travel industry professional, before the two decided to build something of their own. Between them, they’ve set foot in 107 countries.

The name they chose dates back to Benjamin of Tudela, a 12th-century Jewish traveler from Spain whose journals mapped Jewish communities across Europe, Asia, and Africa centuries before modern travel existed.

“He’s someone who inspires us, a wanderer who treated distant Jewish communities not as curiosities, but as connected chapters of one long story,” related Woodin.

Woodin has visited Mexico City four times; Adler once. It was Woodin’s earlier encounters with the city’s Jewish community that put Mexico City as a top choice as the inaugural tour.

At the center of the trip is a Jewish history walking tour and a Shabbat dinner with local community members to see firsthand what makes Mexico distinct. “Part of what is unique about Mexican Jewry is its incredible diversity, yet close-knit feel,” Adler said, pointing to a community that has managed to hold together multiple traditions without losing its cohesion.

Both founders will be on hand for the entire trip, rather than handing the tour off to a single local “fixer.” Local guides will be brought in for broader Mexican culture and history, but Adler and Woodin plan to stay present throughout. “We will both be going on the trip to make it memorable and fun.”

Logistically, the trip is designed to stay small. There will be no more than a single busload of travelers, a cap set intentionally. “We want to keep the trip intimate so people can really get to know each other,” they relayed. Lodging will be a nice four-star hotel, and meals will be vegetarian and vegan-friendly, though not strictly kosher. Pricing runs $1,895 for single occupancy and $1,745 per person for double occupancy, covering four breakfasts, two lunches, three dinners, ground transportation, and tour activities. Airfare not included.

The pace, they caution, isn’t for everyone. “Our trips are designed to be engaging and active, without veering into hiking or strenuous physical activity. It’s a middle register, not slow travel, but not a boot camp either.”

Adler and Woodin will be available for consultation to see if it’s a match with anyone interested in the tour but is still unsure. “We want to make sure we’re a good fit for your journey.”

Though both men live in Atlanta and expect a strong local contingent, they’re anticipating a broader mélange. “It will be a great mix of travelers, which is already drawing interest from outside Georgia,” said Adler

If Mexico City goes well, it won’t be the last stop. Adler and Woodin are already looking outward to Panama City and Cuba as future possibilities, each with its own under-told Jewish history.

“We are excited to see where we can help people explore next,” Adler said, echoing the medieval traveler whose name they borrowed, and whose curiosity about scattered Jewish life across the world is very much in vogue.

For more information, please visit https://thetudelaproject.squadtrip.com/trip/explore-multicultural-mexico-14989