SSC Rabbi Elisha Salas, 53, a native of Chile, began as the Shavei Israel envoy to the Bnai Anusim communities in northern Portugal in August 2010. He holds a degree in Accounting and Administration, and taught courses in Religious Studies at the University of Santiago de Chile.
Rabbi Salas, came to Israel in 1999, living in Jerusalem, with his wife and four children. Immediately after arrival in Jerusalem, he began his religious studies and rabbinical in the Shehebar Sephardic Center in the Old City of Jerusalem. Today, is certified as a Community Rabbi and Spiritual Leader, Professor of Religion, Shochet (ritual slaughter of animals), and Mashguiaj Kashrut (Supervisor of kosher food).
Rabbi Salas is located in Belmonte, Portugal, where the community was formalized by converting anusim in the 1990s and established itself as a Jewish community in all halachic aspects and other cities across the north of Portugal, where the descendants of Sephardic Jews could live from the 1492 Spanish Expulsion until today.
Rabbi Salas teaches Torah, Halacha, Hebrew, and gives lessons to prepare Bar-Bat Mitzvah children. He oversees the shechita and kashrut to provide the community with kosher food. He also works with families as they go through shiva, the Jewish mourning period, cultural traditions, and transmits to the descendants of Marranos (B’nai Anusim) respect for social and educational activities dealing with normal Jewish life as well as the necessity to learn about their Jewish roots.
Rabbi Salas helps community teens and young adults find employment (Parnassus), and encourages the love of Eretz Israel, encouraging young people to settle in Israel.