SAUDADES - KULANU - ROOT & BRANCH
A celebration of our shared Portuguese-Jewish Heritage where we "walked in the footsteps of our ancestors" By Rufina Bernardetti Silva Mausenbaum
A person should not deviate from the Minhag (customs) of his community." -Talmud Yerushalmi, Masehet Peah
Caiscais –Estoril: A Place of Exile exhibition was conceived as a project for the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II. Material catalogued at the time confirmed the importance and quality of the documents bringing clarity to the historical, social and political importance of Caiscais-Estoril as a place of refuge at a time when the rest of the world and especially Europe was at war and in devastation. Also known as the "Portuguese Rivera", it was where exiled kings, the rich and famous together with refugees and spies mingled.
Rumania’s King Carol 11, Alexandre Alekhine (chess-world- champion) ,The Count of Barcelona, The Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Italy’s King Umerto 11…….and many others were among those living and passing through this beautiful beach-front area
Report-Back on our combined, Kulanu, Saudades-Sefarad, Root & Branch Conference-Tour through Portugal. June 2002 Celebrating our Portuguese-Jewish Heritage.
Our day started at 1pm in the lobby of the Hotel Atlantic Gardens on the 9th June where we received a folder with Kulanu and Saudades motif on top. Inside we found maps, our name-tags, information on the places we were to visit, on Aristides de Sousa Mendes, Lisbon, Evora, Castelo de Vide, Coimbra, Porto together with a beautiful book on Jewish-Portugal put out by ICEP. We also received a Laura Cesara book-mark and on the bus, we each received a gift from KULANU in the form of a C.D, "Shalom Everyone" from our brothers and sisters in Uganda. A great welcome and a wonderful way of connecting the different groups Kulanu have been instrumental in assisting.
We were off in our air-conditioned bus to the Caiscais-Estoril exhibition hall in the safe hands of our driver, who with his calm and confident driving had us relax along the winding roads through Portugal. Our young guide Sergio, assisted us throughout our journey, getting us registered at hotels, helping with our luggage and many other personal needs (even getting a prescription filled for one of our members).
It was a short drive to the permanent exhibition of "A Place of Exile / Espaço Memórias do Exílio", where we were welcomed by our long-time-friend Inacio Steinhardt on behalf of Kulanu and Saudades.
After listening to Inacio's warm and mellow welcome, it was my turn to introduce Dr Steve Gomes who had officially returned to Judaism the month before. He shared his personal story, of searching and finding his way back "home". While the tears ran down his cheeks, he read a letter from another of our members who could not join us in Portugal, and who had also returned to Judaism the previous month - Pablo (Paul) da Silva. Sharing this moving account, of Paul da Silva and Steve Gomes, we listened transfixed and in awe of the power of the Jewish neshama.
Next, we had the pleasure of meeting and listening to Dr Rudo Mathivha, who shared the parallel journey of our Lemba brothers and sisters of South Africa. With her warmth and charm, she made us all feel comforted in knowing we share a common journey, a common purpose.
Members of the Associação Portuguesa de Estudos Judaicos and Associação de Amizade Portugal-Israel had traveled from Lisbon to hear Rabbi Leo Abrami's lecture on a prominent "New Christian"; a great advocate and teacher of the deaf, Dr Jacob Rodrigues Pereira, son of Portuguese-Jews who found refuge ( from the Inquisition ) in France. Rabbi Abrami told the story in his usual informed and entertaining way, of yet another exile –another journey of a Portuguese-Jew, who after fleeing Portugal, found his way to France and there became the father (inventor) of sign-language for the deaf.
We left to join the renowned artist, Laura Cesana at her home & studio for a short introduction to her research for her book, "Jewish Vestiges in Portugal", and viewed her work at her studio with the most amazing view. And off for a drive through the magical town of Sintra, where we had just enough time to buy some "queijadas" (cookies from this town) in the old Jewish Quarter, and back to the hotel for our first dinner together.
I watched as Rudo, Neide and Emelia exchanged similar feelings, thoughts and ideas –our journey had begun.
We realized that the whole spectrum of feelings Bnai Anusim experience are being faced by the Lemba as well. Silently in my mind, I thanked Kitty Teltsch for suggesting this "coming together" of our two groups. (Kitty had suggested this while I was visiting her on my way to attend the Crypto-Judaic Conference last year –just before 9/11. )
What a terrific first day –all of us different –from around the world –yet we were all so similar in our journey in search of the truth -- claiming our rightful heritage that had been denied us.
We had an early start the next day meeting in the Lobby of the Hotel with our bags ready for our drive to Évora, one of the three main Inquisition Centers of Portugal.
We watched the movie "The Last Marranos" on the bus driving to the museum city of Portugal, Évora, giving us a more in-depth understanding of the Belmonte community, their lives, prayers and beliefs before their official return to normative Judaism, and before we realized, we had arrived at our destination where we had a reception and lecture at the Évora tourism office. Dr. Carmen Balesteros, (archaeologist) gave us an update on the new archaeological finds in the area, and took us on a walking tour through the Jewish area.
We made our way to the square in front of the Inquisition Court-house where the Auto's-da- Fe took place, and stood together in the hot sun as Rabbi Leo Abrami led us in saying Kaddish. We felt the presence of our martyred ancestors, hearing them join us as we intoned, " Yig ga dal..…………and…......E-l malei rachamim, shochayn bam'romim, ham-tzay m'nucha n'chona al kanfay Hash'china, b'ma-alot k'doshim ut-horim k'zo-har haraki-a mazhirim, et nishmot hak'doshim v'hat'horim……..
"Tired, hot and hungry we got onto the bus –somehow content having said kaddish for the martyrs who were burned and tortured in this town for their belief in the G-d of Israel. This was a symbolic acknowledgement that their death was not in vain. We had survived, claiming back what was rightfully ours by celebrating our Portuguese-Jewish heritage. Am Yisrael Chai!
We stopped for a late lunch and to freshen-up before crossing the Spanish border to visit Valencia de Alcântara, the town where King Manuel and Isabela, daughter of the Spanish King and Queen, got married in 1497. A union which initiated -[until then unknown in Portugal] - a reign of terror on the Jews of Portugal which lasted for centuries, inflicting untold physiological damage on the population at large. Here, high above sea-level and close to the border of the two countries, we were taken on a walking tour of the old Jewish quarter and visited the recently reconstructed Synagogue.
Again, this was a very moving and spiritual experience as we stood together in this old house of worship –joining hands, singing and dancing with such joy it felt as if heaven had joined us in this little village in Spain.
Dusk was falling as we left with happy smiling faces –singing and rejoicing as we made our way back across the border to our hotel in Castelo de Vide. It had been a long and emotionally-charged day for all of us. We were grateful for the opportunity of relaxing over dinner, exchanging thoughts and laughs in good company.
Next morning saw us being received 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 to this old and beautiful town that many Spanish Jews joined the thriving local (Portuguese-Jewish) community when they were expelled from Spain in 1492. An appropriate choice for former Prime Minister of Portugal, Mario Soares, apologized to the Jewish people in the presence of then Israeli Ambassador to Portugal, Colette Avital in 1989 . This took place during Mr 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 was infectious. It was clear that this project remains close to his heart. He admitted quite openly that he –as 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 and intricate network of winding streets, and all the while were intensely aware of the large Jewish community that once lived in this beautiful and well-preserved Judiaria. The synagogue, together with a yeshiva, located on the corner of the Rua da Judiaria and Rua da Fonte has recently been fully restored, with archaeological research having discovered three silos, dug out of granite and used for storing grain. Once again, we sang and rejoiced in the old house-of- worship and once again, in my mind heard the voices and felt the presence of those far-away memories, joining us in song and celebration.
As the Mikvah has not yet been found, we indulged in a lively debate, all trying to work out where this essential part of Jewish-law could have been housed. We drank at the well in the square –where the community came to socialize – to drink the "healing waters" and "water the stone tulip.", discussing the folklore surrounding this stone tulip and the possible hint of something deeper not yet fully understood or discovered about this meeting place –this fountain in the form of a Tulip.
Before leaving, I had the opportunity of stopping off at the shop of the last person in Castelo de Vide to identify today as Bnei Anusim –someone with whom I share a family name –and as I identified myself I was greeted with a warm, "Shalom" . Here we heard of visitors from Izmir whose ancestors had left written documents and drawings of the Judiaria from the time of the forced conversions and who on visiting the town could identify many of the places now documented, including the midwife’s home! This was how they managed to restore the synagogue with its original architectural lines intact, found the Rabbi's house, and the oven for baking bread!
We clambered gratefully onto the air-conditioned bus as the sun beat down mercilessly onto the Alentejo .... this mystical place of gliding plains, sudden mountains, and the finest cork forests in the world. The Alentejo's Cork Country is a sparsely populated region with open horizons, where the rhythm of life follows the rhythm of regional songs. This fertile land produces more than half of the world's total cork supply.
Amid the cork and olive groves there are bits of history everywhere: ancient Dolmens and Roman vestiges mingling with the walls of medieval Portugal. Countless medieval castles loom above the gold and purple plains.
On route to Covilhã , Art Benveniste (co-founder of The Ass of Crypto-Judaic Studies) shared some fascinating accounts of contemporary Bnei Anusim; of Portuguese-Jewish history and the forced conversion. Professor Judith Cohen (ethnomusicologist) spoke about her research on musical traditions in Belmonte, Tras-os-Montes, and other parts of the Portuguese-Spanish border region, especially among crypto-Jews and once again we arrived at our destination with time on the bus having flown (due to our great speakers)
At Covilha, we visited the Textile Industry Museum Exhibition, where it was no surprise (for us) to identify the many familiar names of "New Christians" and their professions. This area, situated near the foot of the Serra da Estrela, and all along the border of Spain, was densely populated by "New Christians" before and after the Inquisition. Many well-known figures of our history were from this area. It seemed perfectly apt that we were received at the University of Beira Interior in Covilha by professor Maria Antonieta Gomes Baptista Garçia who excitedly told us of the new Jewish Studies program introduced here at the University recently.
Professor Maria Antonieta Garçia is the author of two research books on the Jews of Portugal and Belmonte and we were honored to have her give a fascinating and well researched lecture on the Jewish Influence and presence in the area, as well as the devastating affects of the Inquisition on (Jewish) life in Portugal. After questions and answers, we were on our way for the 15 minute drive to Belmonte where we were to meet and have dinner with the Belmonte community.
The air seemed somehow fresher and cleaner here in the mountain town of Belmonte. Here where the synagogue was inaugurated in 1996 to commemorate the abolishment of the Edict of Expulsion of the Jews from Portugal in 1496. The Expulsion which never took place. The town has retained much of its medieval atmosphere, and among its most interesting sights are a 13th-century castle, a Romanesque-Gothic church, and the Cabral family pantheon. The Jewish Quarter was situated outside the castle walls at the easternmost end of the town. Houses with crosses engraved in the stone close to the doors were inhabited by New Christians, Jews who had been unable to leave Portugal and were baptized by forced, and enslaved. But this was not why we had made the trip to Belmonte. We came to meet our family -people who like our people -our ancestors -had kept the flame of Judaism alive, secretly in their hearts throughout the generations.
Many of us in the group had waited for this moment not quite knowing what to expect –so many things –so many views and stories have been written and aired about this unique community high in the Serra da Estrella (mountain of stars). The lovely and deceptively small-looking synagogue (from the outside) overlooks a beautiful valley and as dusk falls we enter to join the locals for the Maariv service, well led by a young Belmonte man, perfectly versed in Hebrew.
Dinner with the community was held in the community -hall down-stairs of the same building as the synagogue. A huge flag of Israel welcomed us and we joined the people we felt we already knew from the many articles and books written about them. We decided to sit opposite our hosts so as to share as much as possible. What a dinner!
Rabbi Leo Abami, -who we were fortunate to have as part of our group, -made Ha'motzi and an evening of getting to know one another began. We did this by introducing ourselves individually -and explaining our interest and connection to Jewish Portugal. We received a warm welcome and then it was their turn to introduce themselves to us -sharing their dreams and thoughts for the future.
We talked, we laughed, we embraced, we sang "Haveinu Shalom Aleichem", hugging and singing, truly among family. For me personally it was coming home. For those who shared this dream, it was almost too much to bear. A number in our group met up with cousins in the Belmonte community. I was told by one member that I was a family member -she recognized my name -and whether this is fact or not --we bonded as if we were sisters! Singing, clapping, crying, we sang "Yerushalayim Shel Zahav" (Jerusalem of Gold) and many of us could not contain ourselves, tears rolling down our cheeks, we sang Am Yisrael Chai. In their eyes, I saw the reflection of my own feelings..... tears of happiness and of joy, shared by those of us who are connected in a very special way and who share so much more than can ever be expressed in mere words.
Sitting on the bus for the short trip back to our hotel, I felt reassured about the transition of the Belmonte Community. Yes, they need our help -our unconditional love and ongoing support -they need computers, they need a Hebrew/religious teacher, but they are on their way to a better future. We need to do our share in ensuring a Jewish future with nurturing, acceptance and love.
In spite of the years of turmoil, shame, hiding, fear and deceit, they were once again in the fold of Jewish-life. May they and their future be blessed. Am Yisrael Chai rang in my ears; what a glorious day!
Guarda, a 12th century town that recently celebrated its 800th birthday; once home to a thriving Jewish community and which set the scene for the love story between a king and a Jewish shoemaker’s daughter whose descendant would take the throne as João IV. To be continued:
E-mail: Rufina Bernardetti Silva Mausenbaum