Jewish Convention
Guadalajara is host to the 13th international convention of the Jewish Union of Latin American and Caribbean Congregations (Unión Judía de Congregaciones de Latinoamérica y el Caribe—UJCL). The conference began January 25 and runs until the end of Saturday, January 28. The convention brings together representatives from 16 countries to participate in seminars and workshops tackling issues such as the Jewish diaspora’s relationship to Israel, pluralism and contributions to society.
The UJCL webpage is available in Spanish and English at ujcl.org.
See change
Retiring cardinal and archbishop of the Guadalajara archdiocese, Juan Sandoval Iñiguez, will get a special homage on his way out the door. Benito Juarez auditorium will host the ceremony on Sunday, January 29.
The event will begin with a celebration of the Eucharist at noon. Food stands will be available after the ceremony.
Sandoval’s retirement has come as a relief for moderate to liberal Catholics, who often saw his controversial public comments and involvement in a number of political scandals as an embarrassment to the organization.
Meanwhile, Sandoval’s successor, Cardinal Jose Francisco Robles Ortega arrives to take charge of his new archdiocese on February 7.
The formalities will begin at noon in the Metropolitan Cathedral. At 5 p.m., there will be a ceremony with the new archbishop in Estadio 3 de Marzo.
Robles served as archbishop of Monterrey from 2003 to 2011. Pope Benedict XVI created him cardinal in 2007.
… y, acción!
A joint Mexican-Guatemalan-Brazilian film production is under way in the Primavera forest on the outskirts of Guadalajara. Kenneth Müller directs the thriller, called “12 Seconds,” about a murder and a mysterious disappearance. The 35-day shoot expects to hit popular area spots such as the Tapalpa forest and Plaza Andares.
Paseo closed
Guadalajara interim Mayor Francisco Ayon Lopez has shut down the Paseo Minerva program for lack of public interest. The initiative, which closed down the glorieta around the Minerva statue on Saturday evenings, attracted around 700 people at first but has been in significant decline since.
The activities and events that took place in the Paseo Minerva will be moved to other locales, such as Parque Morelos or Parque San Rafael.
Paseo bolstered
On any given Saturday, vendors with their artisan knickknacks and paintings of fruit and misshapen bare-breasted women, along with a thick current of pedestrian sightseers, line the boulevard of Chapultepec — souvenir shop culture shot straight through the marrow of the wide, winsome avenue. It’s the Paseo Chapultepec program, initiated by the city government six years ago to encourage cultural exchange and promote local crafts.
Now, the Guadalajara City Hall has passed a new ordinance to crack down on the commercialization of the space. The mandate limits vendors on the strip to three specific categories: book exchanges, artisans, and pictorial art.
All works (except books) must be hand-made, fitting the cultural theme of the market.
The law also forbids wandering peddlers, who the city and the established vendors say make the space less attractive.
The market runs every Saturday from 6 p.m. to midnight down the center strip of Avenida Chapultepec.
Safe traveling
The Búho Nocturno (night owl) night bus service, started during the Pan American Games last year, has just extended two of its routes in efforts to improve the number of passengers making use of the service.
Route G, running from downtown near the Central Viejo down Niños Heroes and Mariano Otero, now extends all the way to Miramar, while route E, traveling from Plaza del Sol down López Mateos now goes all the way to the town of San Agustin.
The night buses are equipped with security cameras and pass every thirty minutes from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Apple for the teacher
The American School Foundation of Guadalajara boasts several educators that have been honored by Apple’s Distinguished Educator program for their innovative use of Apple products in the classroom. This year, Kerry Feeney, a preschool and education technology specialist, joins their ranks.
The recognition initiates her as an Apple Distinguished Educator, and opens a two-way channel through which she can also advise the technology leviathan on the realities of the classroom, help write materials and present at educational events.
A flock of other instructors at the school have already joined more than 1,700 teachers worldwide in this decoration. They are William Cotter, science; Brian Zink, social studies; Rhett Butler, geometry; Jose Sandoval, music.
Beer on tap
Half a block off Avenida Chapultepec—the mecca of Guadalajara’s midtown scene—The Tap Room has opened its doors to the public, and opened all comers to the elements dancing spherically in the complex and amorphous play of meaning taking place in any tawny glass of quality beer. The scantily describable joie de vivre of good brew, shared with friends and washed down with a bite of succulent food, forms Carlos and Gerardo Padilla’s vision for their new bar. With aspirations of becoming the go-to spot for Guadalajara’s discerning beer drinkers, their variety of draught beers instantly mark the place as more than a watering hole.
They’ll certainly not have an easy time of it. In addition to competing against the familiarity and price of simpler bars, Guadalajara over the last few years has been growing specialty beer joints like freckles. With luck, as the population gets used to a more thoughtful approach to malty, hoppy libations, there will be plenty of room for posterity.
Swim lessons
The Olympic-size swimming pool at the University of Guadalajara is offering public swimming classes for all ages and levels. Children come at 10 a.m. or from 2 to 6 p.m. to participate in many levels of guided practice. Adults can get assistance between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. Mario Rodriguez, in charge of the pool, is considering adding diving and synchronized swimming classes this year because of high demand from advanced swimmers.
Monthly membership costs vary by days of attendance per week (up to 550 pesos per month). Information online at www.cgsu.udg.mx/alberca, by calling 3619 6913, or by stopping by the pool at avenida Olpímica 740.
Soccer matches:
Leones Negros vs. Dorados de Sinaloa (Estadio Jalisco) Friday, January 27, 8.45 p.m.
Atlas vs. Toluca (Estadio Jalisco) Saturday, January 28, 8.45 p.m.