RE-EMERGE asks what it means to “belong” and invites us to rethink who gets to be part of the Jewish story.
An intimate and eye-opening portrait of Latin America’s emerging Jewish communities, meet the ordinary people taking extraordinary steps to reclaim a fait that was once stripped away.
Directed by Jewish filmmaker and educator Dani Rotstein, and produced by Rotstein and Mexican filmmaker Patricio Serna, this short documentary series spotlights communities across Latin America rediscovering their Jewish identity, often after generations of silence.
Join us online to screen the first episode together. Set in Puerto Rico, a small group of devoted individuals build a Jewish life independently from scratch: learning online, gathering in a repurposed synagogue, and reconnecting with a lost heritage despite resistance from both outside and within the Jewish world.
Following the screening, join us for a live dialogue with the filmmakers and Puerto Rican participants featured in the documentary.
Register to receive the Zoom link to join us online. Barring technical issues, the discussion portion of this program will be posted in our Program Archive.
You can learn more about the RE-EMERGE project here.
MEET THE TEAM
A documentary filmmaker and community leader, New Jersey native Dani Rotstein spent years traveling the world producing advertisements for large commercial firms. When he moved to the Spanish island of Majorca in 2014 to produce TV commercials, he didn’t expect there to be much Jewish life there. His surprising discoveries led to his first feature length documentary film entitled Xueta Island: A Hidden History, for which he is not only a director, but also a subject. He became involved with the local Jewish community, founding Limud Mallorca as well as Jewish Majorca--a company that offers educational tours of Jewish heritage sites around the island.
Patricio Serna Salazar, born in Monterrey, Mexico studied film at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and at Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona. His work has screened at festivals including Sundance, Clermont-Ferrand, and Morelia. Notable titles include Tromba D’oro (Best Latin American Short, São Paulo), Mating Call (awarded by Canal+), and Victoria para Chino, co-written and produced with Cary Fukunaga (Silver Medal, Student Academy Awards). His feature documentary 12 Onzas(2010), co-produced with IMCINE, premiered at Morelia and toured with Ambulante. Since 2024, he has been a producer on Re-Emerge, an ongoing documentary series directed by Dani Rotstein about Jewish communities in Latin America. He continues to develop film projects through his production company, Pakidermo.
Ernesto Rivera Pardo was born and raised in Puerto Rico, where he discovered his Jewish heritage early in life. In 2007, he began a return-to-Judaism journey with his family, formally embracing the faith in Philadelphia in 2011. He later served as Jewish Lay Leader at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. Since 2019, Ernesto has worked closely with an Anusim community in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, supporting their efforts to reclaim Jewish identity and deepen their learning. After 13 years in the U.S., he has returned to Puerto Rico to continue guiding others on their path back to Judaism.
Pedro José Sierra was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and raised in Manatí. He first encountered Judaism at age nine through a book he found in his school library, sparking an immediate and lasting connection. By fifteen, he had begun observing Jewish dietary practices and felt increasingly drawn to Jewish life and values. His deep love for God led him to study theology at a Franciscan seminary and later with the Episcopal Church. However, theological differences led a mentor to encourage him to explore Judaism more seriously. After facing challenges integrating into synagogue communities, Pedro eventually began studying for giur (conversion) under Rabbi Laurence Rubinstein and completed his conversion after several years of dedicated study.
Now, more than two decades later, Pedro, along with his wife and children, is an active member of the Jewish community, committed to building a Jewish future for his family and others.
Marcy Shub is a dynamic Jewish community leader and cultural ambassador based in Puerto Rico. Originally from Westchester, NY, her lifelong dedication to Jewish tradition and service began early and continues to shape her work. She held leadership roles in Hadassah, promoting Jewish values, education, and women’s empowerment. After relocating to Puerto Rico with her “Jewban”; (Jewish-Cuban) husband, Marcy became a central figure in the island’s Conservative Jewish community.
Marcy is the founder of Jewish Community tours of Puerto Rico, which have been embraced by diverse groups. Known for her warmth and deep knowledge, she fosters connections across Conservative, Orthodox, and Reform communities, building bridges through culture, dialogue, and hospitality.
We extend a special thank you to Andrew R. Ammerman for sponsoring our Fall 2025 program lineup. He dedicates the our learning in loving memory of Josephine and H. Max Ammerman and Stephen C. Ammerman.