As a serious sunseeker, the fact that I hadn’t been to Ibiza before now is a bit odd but the White Isle had somehow eluded me. Friends and family promised that I’d fall in love with the gorgeous beaches, the laid-back vibe, the stunning scenery, the beautiful hotels and charming Old Town. Reader, they were right.
But it wasn’t only sun I was seeking. I was on a mission to discover a bit more about the little-known Jewish community of Ibiza and Formentera, pre-dating the Spanish Inquisition — and to check out the luxurious new Seven Pines Hotel resort.
Opened mere weeks before on the more remote western side of Ibiza, the hotel has already been creating a serious buzz.
Few things make a 6am flight from Stansted airport feel worth it, but for Seven Pines, I will gladly make an exception. Arriving practically in time for breakfast, I found that the sprawling hotel has one of the most spectacular settings I have ever seen.
Located on a cliff top overlooking the famed Es Vedra rock island, its 186 suites are designed to be almost village-style. You can wander round the large site, taking in the gym, the spa, the infinity pool and the two restaurants, before retiring to your bedroom.
Our Laguna Suite was centered around an exclusive pool, complimentary snacks in the open-plan kitchen, and a décor of neutral Scandi-esque light wood with Mediterranean accents such as turquoise curtains.
Each day started with a breakfast buffet in a sensational setting, high above the sea, choosing from cheeses, fruits, cereals, and an excellent array of breads, all supplemented with eggs and pancakes made to order.
On Friday night, we opt for fine dining in The View restaurant, for a Balearic-meets-Korea (Chef Bijendra is Korean) style Shabbat dinner.
Attracting a glamorous crowd, the restaurant is an opulent feast for the stomach and eyes, looking out to a fiery sunset. Almost Michelin-like in its quality and presentation, the fresh fish is sublime and everything, from the truffle bread to the well-curated gin menu, impeccably thought out.
The party people only come out when it gets dark, so if you are heading to Ibiza, don’t book dinner before 9pm. I came to realise that what they call a siesta, and we call a schluf, was a daily necessity come 5pm.
You won’t want to leave the hotel, but leave it you must, for Formentera beckons. It’s the fourth largest of the Balearic Islands (Ibiza is the third), less than four miles south — or a 35-minute ferry — of its big sister.
After enjoying the crystal clear, Caribbean-like waters and excellent yacht watching opportunities, head to Juan Y Andrea, the iconic (and seriously expensive) Formentera beachside restaurant serving up burrata and platters of fried anchovies to the great and the good.
Do order what the menu calls ‘Kosher’ paella with fish from Formentera — a Kosher-friendly take on a Spanish classic.
Looking at it today, Ibiza and Formentera seem unlikely places to have ancient Jewish communities. But you need only scratch beneath the surface to uncover this history.
Spanish Jews — including Ibizan ones — were expelled during the Spanish Inquisition in 1492, spurring the rise of crypto-Jews, also known as Chuetas or Anusim, who practised their religion in secret.
Brit Milahs were reportedly carried out in hidden cellars, while Formentera Jews made do with a room hidden beneath the basement of a wine store in place of a synagogue. Jews remained hidden away until it was safe to be more openly Jewish.
A shul was in use on Formentera until 1936, when a house was built over it. There is no Ibiza shul in existence any more, and Jewish life here is very limited.
However, the old adage that no matter where you are, you’re never far from a Chabad, rings true in Ibiza — as of 2016, when a Chabad House was opened by Rabbi Mendel and Rina Baitz. As it stands, there are 500 Jews in Ibiza, Rabbi Mendy tells me.
The problem is there’s no Jewish infrastructure. “Generally, when a Chabad Rabbi moves to an area, there’s a shul, a community. Here, there’s nothing.”
There’s no Jewish school, so their kids are home-schooled. There are no Kosher shops or options, so Mendy takes a nine-hour ferry to Barcelona to bring back kosher bread, wine, meat.
Mendy and Rina moved here from the Ukraine, he says, because they wanted the challenge, and to make a difference. Now, they’re building up the community, which expands in the summer months.
The couple host Shabbat dinners and a minyan at home, but they would like to become even more established.
“We want to find the support to build a shul with a mikve on site,” Mendy says. He and his wife are hiring a couple of girls to come over from Israel to help teach the kids, as well as organise activities. It’s a case of ‘watch this space’.
While Jewish life may be limited here, Israeli influences are becoming more high-profile. The brand new beachside restaurant Chiringuito Blue, on the east of Ibiza, is headed by renowned Tel Aviv chef (and Israeli MasterChef judge) Haim Cohen.
We visit for dinner one night, and enjoy dishes such as chickpeas with tahini, grilled sea bass and a host of wonderful salads including a moreish beets, blue cheese and lentil offering.
The blend of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine is excellent: even the grilled vegetables are upgraded with a base of hummus and sprinkling of zaatar. Decor is modern and decidedly cool: think fishnet-style drapery hung from the ceiling, multi coloured glasses and candles dotted around, and low music playing.
Strolling around the shops of the charming Old Town, where the high price points quickly stop us from mistaking the tasselled kaftans and fringed beach bags for shmutter, I know Ibiza is somewhere I hope to return to many, many times.
And if Rabbi Mendel and his wife have anything to do with it, it may start to tick the Jewish box in a much more meaningful way, too.
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