Pondering Portugal
As I walked Portugal’s medieval streets, and spoke to its people, I began to understand Portuguese Jewish history. I now ‘get’ the Portuguese Jews of long ago. I more fully […]
Tag Archives: Converso
Shaare Tikva, Lisbon (& Tomar)
I ended my visit to Portugal in Lisbon, where Jewish life first resurfaced in Portugal during the early 19th century. Fittingly, I first went to see Portugal’s oldest remaining synagogue, […]
Belmonte, Trancoso and Guarda
I had no idea what to expect when I planned to spend Shabbat in the almost mythical Converso community of Belmonte, but what I experienced I won’t ever forget. There, […]
Coimbra University
A paper trail of Jewish life remains in Portugal, and is preserved in the libraries of Coimbra University. It is the oldest university in Portugal, dating back to the 13th […]
Porto Remnants
Memories of Jewish life lie just beneath the surface in Portugal. Amazingly, most of the people that I’ve met have told me that they have Jewish ancestry, ‘Jewish customs’ (cleaning […]
Mekor Haim Synagogue, Porto
In my mind, Portugal has been one of those place that Jews left, and not where Jews go. But here I am arriving. My three hour plus layover in Lisbon, […]
Returning to Portugal
On Wednesday, November 27, 2013, I return to Portugal. Well, return might not be the right right word, as I’ve never been there before, and as far as I know, […]
Gomez Mill House
Before even starting my first day at Shearith Israel, I set out to connect with its past, in August of 2009. And that I did with an excursion up the […]
Touro Synagogue – Newport, RI
In June, 2009, I first interviewed for my current position at Shearith Israel. Little did I know that it would mark the beginning of a journey that would lead not […]
Marranos/Conversos
As I am a rabbi at a synagogue called the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue, I guess some people figured I was the ideal destination for Converso descendants, looking to reclaim […]
Shalom Says Hello 