This single document is seen as the most important document in the process. It should mention the respective ancestry and descendancy (if necessary), places and dates of birth, marriage and death. The Liminal Life of Jewish Refugees in WWII Portugaland What it Can document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. They were people with an above average cultural level, knowing how to read and write and speaking, besides the liturgical Hebrew, Arabic or English and the Haketia, jewish-hispanic-moroccan dialect. If/when possible, evidence of some level of ladino speaking proficiency/culture will be highly appreciated although its not a must. Between 1826-1835 Poland, Russia, and other Central and Eastern Europe countries required separate Jewish birth, marriage, and death records be kept in areas where several Jewish families lived. It says once youve submitted youll be given an access code. But since the turn of the 21st century it has been experiencing a renaissance of its Jewish life. Issue. After surnames, the next best place to start is relatives, particularly older ones. Altogether, there are thousands of pending applications and the applicant must be patient and wait for a nationality assignment process to take place beyond 18 months. Lists in the Names Index | JDC Archives - American Jewish Joint Thanks for all you do! Links to external websites do not constitute an endorsement. There are indeed some family names which are commonly accepted to belong to descendants of Portuguese Jewish families but your family name may have changed along the years. I am delighted to report that my wife and I have just obtained our Israeli citizenship. His partners and employees are very blessed to work with him. Applicants are expected to provide different means of proof and it is understood that they will not be the same in each particular case and some people wont be able to provide all of them: We propose this model bellow - A genealogical description with the direct ancestors in text . For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. The Lisbon City Council issues certificates exclusively to Lisbon residents. A Committee of Experts in Jewish Sephardic genealogy and the historical routes of the Jewish Iberian Diaspora to evaluate the provided means of proof. Both Trevor and Jonah initially turned to the internet for help. The sumptuous Synagogue of Shaar Tikva is a must-see when you want to meet Lisbon's Jewish community. We had a pleasure of working with Irena Rosenberg who assisted in getting our two U.S. born children registered in Israel and supported visa process for my wife in 2021. Despite the expedited application, however, with research included the entire process still took around 17 months. How To Get Tax Refunds on a Donation to an Association (Israeli Amuta) or Public-Benefit Corporation? And while the Jewish Communities were delegated governmental authority for the purpose of recognizing applicants as descended from Jews, they are otherwise unconnected to the government. You may be represented by a third party in your application and you neither have to come or reside in Portugal nor to speak Portuguese. Lisbon Jewish Community continues handing out nationalities If youre not sure whether youre your surname is potentially Sephardic or not, take a look at Sephardim.co. Make your donation here. We can handle the bureaucratic side of the process and get your application submitted to the government before its too late. Accomodations Meals Other entrance fees. The family tree should fit on two pages at most, visible and understandable. In 1904 the Shaare Tikvah (Gates of Hope) Synagogue, still in use today, opened in Lisbon. Thus, in 1912 is created the Ub le Zion Hebrew studies association, whose great promoter is Adolfo Benarus, professor at the Faculty of Letters of Lisbon, writer and pedagogue, also founder of the Hebrew School in 1929, which once had close to a hundred students. They supported us 100% and solved our case successfully, we couldn't be happier. I couldn't recommend them highly enough. These last two Jewish quarters were located in the vicinities of commercial ports and shipyards. He was also able to find letters between old family members, one of which contained a hand-drawn family tree. Thank you. We heard of Advocate Pex through a friend of a friend. Lisbon | Jewish Tours in Portugal Kaplan became inspired about the topic while researching her 2008 book, Dominican Haven: The Jewish Refugee Settlement in Sosua, 1940-1945, which chronicles the eventual path taken by German Jews who had been able to cross the Atlantic by way of Lisbon.Expanding upon that focus, she sought out diaries, letters, and other archives housed at the USC Shoah Foundation, the Fortunoff Archive at . Despite the expulsion and the persecution of their ancestral territory, they have kept, along with their descendants, not only the Portuguese language, in some cases, but also the traditional rites of the ancient Jewish worship in Portugal, saving their surnames over generations, objects and documents proving their Portuguese origin, along with a strong memorial connection to Portugal. No. LISBON: Portuguese prosecutors have detained a rabbi and carried out raids over the naturalisation process of a number of Jewish people, including Roman Abramovich, the Russian billionaire owner of Chelsea football club.. Portugal's Public Prosecution Service said late Friday that it has detained the leader of Porto's Jewish community, Daniel Litvak, as part of their investigation into . Less practical but more sentimental is the birth certificate that the Portuguese government issues you. Hi James, Certificate of Confirmation 10-pack. 30-A/2015 and 26/2022 which amended DL 237-A/2006, where is approaved the Regulation of Portuguese Natioanlity concession for descendants of Jews of Sephardic origin. Jewish Community of Lisbon Tel: +351 213 931 130; sephardi.naturalization@comunidadeisraelitalisboa.org; www.cilisboa.org. We highly recommend Adv. We recently received our permanent residency after 23 years in Israel. b. Click on "Places within Portugal, Lisboa" and a list of towns and cities will open. I know that my son can qualify for Portuguese Citizenship because all our ancestors are Sephardic and spoke Ladino. Have you received a letter of recommendation from one of the Jewish Communities in Portugal, whether Porto or Lisbon? These institutions played a crucial role in the unity and organization of the Portuguese Judaism. I will take a look at all of the Facebook groups you mentioned. That evidence, along with your family tree, is submitted to the Portuguese Jewish community in either Porto or Lisbon. JDC is the leading global Jewish humanitarian organization. They deserve more then 5 stars!! The Sephardic Heritage Project. The first step to the official recognition of Israeli Community of Lisbon dates from 1868, when the Government grants a Permit, through a Charter from King D. Lus that gives "Jews from Lisbon the permission to establish a cemetery to bury their co-religionists". With well trained and professional secretary at the front desk to the lawyers team, I could say that I had one of the most professional services possible. As of February 2020, the Israeli Community of Lisbon requires the payment of a donation amounting 500 for the first certificate application and 250 for the applications of any other members of the same family. The Inquisition focused its attention on New Christians and crypto-Jews. The capital is home to the country's main Jewish community. Since submitting his application, he has been able to trace the family tree back to Amsterdam and even back to Portugal. History of the Jews in Belmonte - Wikipedia side in this intense legal transit whom we bless on every occasion. End your trip with walking tours in the cities of Porto and Lisbon . Today the Jewish Community of Lisbon has Sephardi and Ashkenazi members made up of post-war migrants from Germany, Poland, Eastern Europe and South America (mainly Brazil). I highly recommend! Inspiring Ohel Jacob Synagogue and Hehaver Community - 1934 Past events; Future event; January 01,01 09:00:00 Parallel to their rapid and successful integration in the Portuguese living, the first groups of Jews immediately sought to organize as such, creating prayer rooms and acquiring land to bury the dead according to the Jewish ritual. Sephardic Jewish Heritage? You Could be Eligible for Portuguese Lisbon - jewish heritage, history, synagogues, museums, areas and sites Get the book Moving to Portugal Made Simple on Amazon now. Photos: Oded Kaizerman/Anash.org. These returning Jews originally worshipped in their homes. There is also many believe an economic incentive to the scheme as well: attracting Jews, particularly from countries like the US and Canada, many of whom are extremely well-educated and successful in their fields, would have a very positive effect on the Portuguese economy. When we have the money, well get a vacation home there, he promises himself. He eventually needed a lawyer to submit the application to the Portuguese government, but was able to do a lot of the other work himself. After the massacre the crown softened its New Christian stance for a time, allowing migration. 8,000th Tanya Tells the Story of Thousands of Stories. We have Portuguese Friends. Conservatriados Registos CentraisRua Rodrigo da Fonseca, 1981099-003 LisboaE-mail:registos.centrais@irn.mj.pt, Phone: (+351) 213 817 600Fax: (+351) 213 817 698. Neither the passport nor the birth certificate mention your Jewish identity nor the avenue by which you were able to get it: its exactly the same as any non-Jewish Portuguese persons passport. Their patience, clear explanation and experience are very valuable. The most popular Jewish Quarter of Lisbon is located in Alfama. Another decisive step towards the constitution of the present Jewish community of Lisbon was given in 1894 with the holding of a General Assembly of the Jews of Lisbon in order to unify the services of Shehit (ritual slaughtering and provisioning of cacher meat). Nadia gave us service behind what we expected; she was professional which lead to fast and easy process with great result Irena Rosenberg and Michael Decker worked on my case, they are very professional and helpful. The Shaar-Tikv synagogue celebrates 100 years, see here. These factors explain the fast economic and cultural growth both of the Jews from Lisbon and of the groups that were installing in Faro and Azores in that first half of the 19th century. I was impressed with his incredibly solid character. As a result of the war, locating work in Western Europe was nearly impossible. In 1515 the king requested to establish an inquisition to systematically persecute New Christians, but it was initially denied by the Pope. But from that time, the community will suffer, due to the European events, a profound change both in its action and in its composition. Documents from when your ancestors arrived in their current country. I am interested in finding some good lawyers who speak English. Studio Libeskind Unveils Jewish Museum in Lisbon Each member of the family, including the children, should file the application separately although, for the purpose of the certification issued by our community (step 1 above), having already checked the documentation of a member of the same family does make it easier to check the documentation. In 2019, Spain got rid of its law offering Sephardic Heritage and there are expectations that Portugal will at least amend its law. After 3 months of arrival in Portugal, citizens will be required to apply for a certificate at the Municipal Council of . This 10-day tour guides you through Portugal's Jewish heritage, starting in quintessential villages like Marvo and Castelo de Vide, as well as the hillside medieval towns of Monsanto, and Sortelha. You were a calming energy during a storm - always breathed a sigh of relief after speaking with you. Thankfully for Trevors aunt, family members who have the same family tree typically have a faster application process once one family member has already been accepted. ATTENTION: Filling out this form does not replace or dispense with the proper sending of documents namely - the complete pdf with OFFICIAL FORM duly completed and signed, the means of proof, identification documents (see list of documentation) and the required family tree. However, regarding the stage of preparation and submission of the applications to the Portuguese authorities, you may find that the services of an experienced and qualified lawyer will proof to be quite useful. They are always answering questions and support during the process. Portugal - jewish heritage, history, synagogues, museums, areas and Are you sure that you want to switch to desktop version. On the other hand, the power of the final decision whether it is an approval or a request for more documents that corroborates your sephardic origins is solely taken by theCommission of Analysis. We bless and thank the entire team at Decker Pex Tal Ofir Law Firm. Proof of residence such as electricity bills. Ultimately, your goal is to put together clear evidence that you have Sephardic Jewish heritage. JDC Lisbon List of Polish Jewish Passengers to . If you need to solve any complicated legal issue in Israel, don't hesitate to contact them. administrativo@cilisboa.org info@cilisboa.org. Guide of frequently asked questions on the acquisition of Portuguese Lisbon If Jews had to flee the city in the 16th century, Lisbon was also the city that welcomed Jews fleeing the Spanish Inquisition or the transit of Jews fleeing Nazism to the American continent. For Trevor, he doesnt have any immediate plans to live there due to work commitments in London but he still reminisces of a trip he took to Portugal several years ago. The Jewish Community of Lisbon. By Decree-Law, it is mandatory to hold a certificate issued by the Portuguese Jewish Communities - duly registered locally under the status of religious legal entities, that is, the Jewish Communities of Lisbon (CIL) and of Porto (CIP). If you are applying yourself, you can either send the documents or come to Portugal and submit them in person. Once you have citizenship you can request your passport. At that point, he decided to investigate further. I am satisfied with the services I needed and happy to have known them. Some people already know that they have Sephardic Jewish heritage, while it can come as a surprise to others. In fact, since a very large number of Spanish Jews migrated to Portugal when they were expelled from Spain, proving Spanish ancestry from families known to have lived in Portugal is also acceptable. We reiterate the importance of using this model in order to simplify the analysis. When we started looking into her family, we saw her grandmother [Trevors great great grandmother] had the surname De Pinna and we thought maybe she wasnt entirely Jewish or maybe she was Italian? . We have been working with Decker, Pex Ofir & Co - Law Firm in Tel Aviv for many years very well. While he was approved in November of 2018, around 3 years after he began the process, it wasnt until August of 2019 when he received his birth certificate and was able to apply for his passport. Besides his knowing the laws, regulations and procedures, Ariel also made us feel that he was truly interested in helping us to successfully work through this process in as smooth, timely, and frustration-free manner as possible. The charge was that the Community granted certificates that affirmed the Sephardi heritage of anyone who sought Portuguese nationality and was willing to pay for it. Thank you for your amazing job, your professionalism, your consultation and honesty. Upon the granting of nationality, the Central Registry Office shall issue and mail to the applicants address a Portuguese birth certificate. Absolutely certainty means knowing all the facts about them, including their birth date, death date, marriage date, country of origin, and original full name. We achieved our goal and the fear of deportation has been lifted! The anti-Semitic persecutions at the East, the fast rising of Nazism on Germany, cause the arrival at Portugal of the first Ashkenazi Jews, who quickly integrate into the Portuguese society and into the Community. Portugal Jewish community ends work with state in certifying Go to the Junta da Freguesia. God bless you dear Maria, you have exceeded your professional duty by containing us and collaborating with us in hard times, very hard, for that we want to thank you publicly, you are unique!!! We found them online; they were the only law firm from all of our searchings which were completely honest and NOT gave us just what we wanted to hear Many have received their letter from the Jewish Community, but have not gone through the legal hurdles of processing their application for citizenship. Its not longer enough to simply have Sephardic Jewish heritage; you now need to show ties to Portugal such as inherited property or regular trips to Portugal throughout your life. I imagine this must be tiring re-sharing with everyone who asks, but would it be possible to share with me your list of suggested lawyers. Thank you for such an excellent article. For example, duringpassover, his family would always eat rice, something that is very specific to Sephardic Jews. But, despite that stumbling block, both Trevor and Jonah have developed strong ties to Portugal. This royal diploma has a real historical importance, as it represents an implicit recognition, although not yet formal, of the Hebrew Community of Lisbon. Unfortunately, however, this route isnt as easy as it once was. His grandmothers grandmother was British and belonged to the Bevis Marks Synagogue in London. To be on the safe side, Trevor collected more documents from the synagogue and was able to trace his family tree back even further. The process until we received the extension for another year for my wife was not long (3 months). The service is very professional and efficient, the price is right. Kosher Food in Lisbon - The Lisbon Travel Guide - Updated 2023 Spanish Jewish Expellees in Jamaica Process for Acquiring a Portuguese Passport, Spanish Anusim in Venezuela Portuguese Jewish Heritage, The Jewish History of Spain Issuance of a Portuguese Passport for Sephardic Jews, Jewish family names of Spanish/Portuguese origin in North and South America, Sephardic Jewish Spanish Citizenship Last Names, Civil Law Business & Administrative Lawyer, the community Rabbi was arrested for charges of corruption, Exploitation as a Reason for Canceling a Contract in Israel. Critics of schemes like this suggest that, while it may help Portugal right a historical wrong (somewhat), it doesnt necessarily help Portugal advance. Click here to get in contact with us. About us. This coming, increasingly growing, may give a new configuration to the Jewish community in Portugal. Consequently, they are often referred to as Portuguese Jews or Jews of the Portuguese Nation. Proving Sephardic Jewish Heritage to Obtain Portugal Citizenship Nevertheless, while this letter from the Jewish Community does not mean you hold citizenship, it is absolutely crucial to the citizenship application process. I feel most at home when Im in Lisbon, says Jonah, who has already spent time living in Portugal. A Jewish community certificate: first step to a Portuguese citizenship Theres a lot of waiting involved. Do you have any reputable ones that are successfully doing it for less? Best lawyer house from Israel! But are they worth it? The Lisbon Jewish Community (CIL) has confirmed that it will continue the process of certifying descendants of Sephardic Jews for the purposes of a law under which they can secure Portuguese nationality, despite the criminal investigation into alleged irregularities on the part of the Jewish Community of Porto (CIP) in the naturalisation of Roman Their dedication to every legal aspect and their drive its how a true lawyer house can be! After Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich had obtained a recommendation for Portuguese citizenship, the community Rabbi was arrested for charges of corruption, and the process of ascertaining who has Sephardic roots will be removed from the purview of the Jewish communities in Portugal in the near future. An open letter to the UN Secretary-General from the Portuguese Jewish The majority of Jews are scattered throughout Portugal and not affiliated with religious communities. Hi James, While both Jonah and Trevor recommend sites like Ancestry.com, the main resource they recommend are the Facebook groups dedicated to the subject of Portuguese and Spanish Sephardic ancestry. Somehow they managed to translate the law lingo into language we actually understand and their outstanding YouTube videos helped us to have a better grasp of what process we had to go through. The next stage, researching the family tree, will take considerably longer. In the meantime, some of them might be available at a FamilySearch Center near you. Opened in 1904, the synagogue was named Shaare Tikva, which means Gates of Hope . Turning Portuguese - BBC News Links. The Jewish Community of Prague (JCP) unites persons of Jewish religion, nationality or lineage who have a permanent residence in the sphere of JCPs territorial authority or are in other kind of relation to Prague and who are not members of any other religious denominations or non-Jewish religious communities.