Belmonte Jews
Encyclopedia
The history of the Jews
in Belmonte, Portugal
, reaches back over six hundred years.
s that have been living in Belmonte are sometimes referred to as the "Belmonte Jews." They are a community that has survived in secrecy for hundreds of years by maintaining a tradition of endogamy
and by hiding all the external signs of their faith.
The community in the municipality of Belmonte, Cova da Beira
subregion, Portugal
, goes back to the 12th century and they were only discovered in 1917 by a Polish Jewish
mining engineer named Samuel Schwarz. Some of them returned to Judaism
in the 1970s, and opened a synagogue
, Bet Eliahu, in 1996. In 2003, the Belmonte Project was founded under the auspices of the American Sephardi Federation
, in order to raise funds to acquire Judaic educational material and services for the community (which now numbers 300). A Jewish Museum of Belmonte] (Museu Judaico de Belmonte) opened on 17 April 2005.
In the summer of 2006, the American Sephardi Federation ceased to have the Belmonte Project under its auspices. Their Sephardic tradition of Crypto-Judaism
is considered unique.
William Annyas
(or Anes) - a descendant of a Marrano family from Belmonte who immigrated to Ireland
- became the Mayor of Youghal
in County Cork
in 1555, the first person of the Jewish religion to hold such an elected position in Ireland or Britain.
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
in Belmonte, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, reaches back over six hundred years.
Belmonte marranos
The marranoMarrano
Marranos were Jews living in the Iberian peninsula who converted to Christianity rather than be expelled but continued to observe rabbinic Judaism in secret...
s that have been living in Belmonte are sometimes referred to as the "Belmonte Jews." They are a community that has survived in secrecy for hundreds of years by maintaining a tradition of endogamy
Endogamy
Endogamy is the practice of marrying within a specific ethnic group, class, or social group, rejecting others on such basis as being unsuitable for marriage or other close personal relationships. A Greek Orthodox Christian endogamist, for example, would require that a marriage be only with another...
and by hiding all the external signs of their faith.
The community in the municipality of Belmonte, Cova da Beira
Cova da Beira
Cova da Beira is a NUTS3 subregion of Portugal integrated in the NUTS2 Centro region. It lies in the fertile valley between the Serra da Estrela and Gardunha mountains. It covers an area of 1,373 km², with a population of 92,460 inhabitants for a density of 67 hab/km². The major cities are Covilhã ...
subregion, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, goes back to the 12th century and they were only discovered in 1917 by a Polish Jewish
History of the Jews in Poland
The history of the Jews in Poland dates back over a millennium. For centuries, Poland was home to the largest and most significant Jewish community in the world. Poland was the centre of Jewish culture thanks to a long period of statutory religious tolerance and social autonomy. This ended with the...
mining engineer named Samuel Schwarz. Some of them returned to Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
in the 1970s, and opened a synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
, Bet Eliahu, in 1996. In 2003, the Belmonte Project was founded under the auspices of the American Sephardi Federation
American Sephardi Federation
The American Sephardi Federation, a member of the Center for Jewish History, is a non-profit Jewish organization that strengthens and organizes the religious and cultural activities of Sephardic Jews, preserves Sephardic heritage, tradition and culture in the United States and assists in the...
, in order to raise funds to acquire Judaic educational material and services for the community (which now numbers 300). A Jewish Museum of Belmonte] (Museu Judaico de Belmonte) opened on 17 April 2005.
In the summer of 2006, the American Sephardi Federation ceased to have the Belmonte Project under its auspices. Their Sephardic tradition of Crypto-Judaism
Crypto-Judaism
Crypto-Judaism is the secret adherence to Judaism while publicly professing to be of another faith; practitioners are referred to as "crypto-Jews"...
is considered unique.
William Annyas
William Annyas
In 1555 William Annyas became the Mayor of Youghal in County Cork, he was the first person of the Jewish religion to hold such an elected position in Ireland or Britain.William Annyas was the grandson of Gil Anes of Belmonte, Portugal...
(or Anes) - a descendant of a Marrano family from Belmonte who immigrated to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
- became the Mayor of Youghal
Youghal
Youghal is a town in County Cork, Ireland. Sitting on the estuary of the River Blackwater, in the past it was militarily and economically important. Being built on the edge of a steep riverbank, the town has a distinctive long and narrow layout...
in County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
in 1555, the first person of the Jewish religion to hold such an elected position in Ireland or Britain.
See also
- Auto-da-féAuto-da-féAn auto-da-fé was the ritual of public penance of condemned heretics and apostates that took place when the Spanish Inquisition or the Portuguese Inquisition had decided their punishment, followed by the execution by the civil authorities of the sentences imposed...
- History of the Jews in PortugalHistory of the Jews in PortugalThe history of the Jews in Portugal reaches back over two thousand years and is directly related to Sephardi history, a Jewish ethnic division that represents communities who have originated in the Iberian Peninsula .-Before Portugal:...
- Portuguese InquisitionPortuguese InquisitionThe Portuguese Inquisition was formally established in Portugal in 1536 at the request of the King of Portugal, João III. Manuel I had asked for the installation of the Inquisition in 1515 to fulfill the commitment of marriage with Maria of Aragon, but it was only after his death that the Pope...
- Sephardi JewsSephardi JewsSephardi Jews is a general term referring to the descendants of the Jews who lived in the Iberian Peninsula before their expulsion in the Spanish Inquisition. It can also refer to those who use a Sephardic style of liturgy or would otherwise define themselves in terms of the Jewish customs and...
- Spanish and Portuguese JewsSpanish and Portuguese JewsSpanish and Portuguese Jews are a distinctive sub-group of Sephardim who have their main ethnic origins within the Jewish communities of the Iberian peninsula and who shaped communities mainly in Western Europe and the Americas from the late 16th century on...
External links
- jewishwebindex.com (Jews of Portugal, Spain, Gibraltar and Majorca)
- Jews Bring Prosperity to Iberian Town