A Pilgrimage to Portugal
"A Pilgrimage to Portugal
By Rufina Bernardetti Silva Mausenbaum
("Celebrating Our Portuguese-Jewish Heritage,"an eight-day conference- tour of Portugal in June 2002 . The group of 25, many of whom are descendants of Crypto-Jews from Portugal, included scholars, artists, history buffs and Sephardi activists. We toured the major sights of Jewish significance in Portugal in a motor coach, hearing a continuous flow of lectures and presentations by experts . Kulanu encouraged the participation of Dr. Rudo Mathivha from the Lemba community in South Africa to share the parallel and similar story of the Lemba)
We were welcomed at a reception by Castelo de Vide�s mayor, former mayor and other city officials, where we were briefed regarding the Jewish history and had the former-mayor, Carolino Tapadejo, take us on a walking tour of the old Jewish quarter.
He was proud - and rightfully so - of his role in getting Castelo de Vide�s Jewish history recognized. It was in this old and beautiful town that Mario Soares, then president of Portugal, apologized to the Jewish people in the presence of then Israeli Ambassador (to Portugal) Colette Avital in 1989. It occurred during Carolino Tapadejo's tenure as mayor, so we were fortunate to have someone who was involved and instrumental in the restoration of the Jewish quarter take us on our tour. His passion and interest were infectious. It was clear that this project remains close to his heart. He admitted quite openly that he - and possibly most of the Portuguese in this town - could well be descendants of the forced converts from so long ago.
We negotiated the picturesque narrow cobble-stoned network of winding streets, and all the while were intensely aware of the lar"
Melungeons: The Last Lost Tribe in America
By Rufina Bernardetti Silva Mausenbaum
("Celebrating Our Portuguese-Jewish Heritage,"an eight-day conference- tour of Portugal in June 2002 . The group of 25, many of whom are descendants of Crypto-Jews from Portugal, included scholars, artists, history buffs and Sephardi activists. We toured the major sights of Jewish significance in Portugal in a motor coach, hearing a continuous flow of lectures and presentations by experts . Kulanu encouraged the participation of Dr. Rudo Mathivha from the Lemba community in South Africa to share the parallel and similar story of the Lemba)
We were welcomed at a reception by Castelo de Vide�s mayor, former mayor and other city officials, where we were briefed regarding the Jewish history and had the former-mayor, Carolino Tapadejo, take us on a walking tour of the old Jewish quarter.
He was proud - and rightfully so - of his role in getting Castelo de Vide�s Jewish history recognized. It was in this old and beautiful town that Mario Soares, then president of Portugal, apologized to the Jewish people in the presence of then Israeli Ambassador (to Portugal) Colette Avital in 1989. It occurred during Carolino Tapadejo's tenure as mayor, so we were fortunate to have someone who was involved and instrumental in the restoration of the Jewish quarter take us on our tour. His passion and interest were infectious. It was clear that this project remains close to his heart. He admitted quite openly that he - and possibly most of the Portuguese in this town - could well be descendants of the forced converts from so long ago.
We negotiated the picturesque narrow cobble-stoned network of winding streets, and all the while were intensely aware of the lar"
Melungeons: The Last Lost Tribe in America
posted by Helen Campbell @ 12:38 AM
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