Preserving Jewish History in Mexico City

To mark Day of the Dead on Nov. 1, thousands of Mexican families will flock to the Pantheon of Dolores, one of Mexico City's biggest cemeteries, to light candles, play mariachi songs, and eat food on the graves of their dead relatives. Right across the street, in the smaller Ashkenazi cemetery, Monica Unikel will be leading an exclusive tour to make up for the lack of Jewish-Mexican rituals to mark the day. Unlike most Mexicans, Jews in Mexico don't set up altars to their deceased ancestors or visit cemeteries for Day of the Dead, so her annual Jewish tour is, according to Unikel, “a one-of-a-kind opportunity for Jews in Mexico to participate in the festivities and show the wider world how we think about death.”