This special tour to the Jewish Quarter in Lisbon and the Jewish sites in Lisbon. We will take you through the Jewish presence in Lisbon and Portugal- that is, the visible and the invisible history!
In the late 15th century, Jews had to respect a royal law of either conversion to Catholicism or departure from Portugal. In the early 16th century, the court of the Inquisition opened doors in the heart of the city where they performed terrifying “acts of faith”. But there are still some vestiges of the Jewish presence in Lisbon till the 16th century and more recently, during WW II a Portuguese diplomat saved thousands with his transit visas.
Let’s pass or visit Lisbon’s 100-year-old Sephardi synagogue, built in a hidden way because the Catholic Church wanted people to stay focused on Catholicism and did not want other religions to be visible and attractive. Let’s then focus on the layout of Lisbon as we walk through the district in Alfama and our downtown district. We’ll also visit the remaining labyrinthine and narrow streets of the Jewish Quarter in Lisbon.
As we go, we’ll let you know about Jewish roots in our culture. Even if the Jewish presence is not very tangible, our Jewish history is so rich and full of incredible stories, and it exists today once again!!
You cannot miss this special Jewish Tour, where you will learn more about the Jewish community and the Jews’ influence on Portuguese history.
