After surnames, the next best place to start is relatives, particularly older ones. Take advantage of this while you can to regain your heritage and have the opportunity to travel in a place that was your home., Very interesting. 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. My grandmothers family was Jewish and we knew about the Jewish background, but she was not religious. They had numerous international contacts due not only to their commercial activities, but also to the family ties worldwide. Find Portugalist on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
The first company Jonah worked with were incredibly impersonal and ended up firing him as a client, but at least it gave him lots of information and pointed him in the right direction. 8 hours - Shore private tour - from 299 for 2 people. Those who wish to apply for a Sephardic heritage certificate can apply online at . These include the community of Porto or Lisbon. Could you please also send me a list of the lawyers you recommend. Lisbon's Jewish community is centered around the Comunidade Israelita de Lisboa, or the Jewish Community of Lisbon, a community center that houses Shaare Tikva. It says once youve submitted youll be given an access code. The secret community was discovered in 1917 by a Polish Jewish mining engineer named Samuel Schwartz. We can help you turn that letter into a Portuguese citizenship. We have Portuguese Friends. LISBON. They are very friendly and professional. Portugal Jewish community to end work with state in certifying citizenship The announcement comes in light of the investigation into Roman Abramovich's Portugese citizenship By ZVIKA KLEIN. It meant that people from all over the world could easily obtain a second passport, many of whom had never been to Portugal. The first step towards the official recognition of the Hebrew Community of Lisbon dates back to 1868, when a license is conceded by the Government, through a charter from D.Lus giving the Jews of Lisbon permission to install a cemetery for the burial of their coreligionists. The presence of these communities in the Iberian Peninsula goes a long way back, and in fact precedes the formation of the Iberian Christian kingdoms, namely Portugal. Always ready to assist without regard to the time it takes. They also both provide a bullet-point list to guide you through the application. In addition to the first Jewish quarter, in Pedreira neighbourhood . Tribunals were set up in a number of towns in Portugal, but also in the kingdoms overseas possessions, namely Brazil, Goa and Cape Verde. GUEMILUT HASSADIM: founded in 1892 by Moses Anahory to provide spiritual aid and deal with Jewish burials. Incredibly knowledgeable, approachable, accessible, and evident across the board that they truly care about the people they are helping. I have needed legal advice and assistance with immigration due to a complex situation of mine, and he has been extremely available and responsive, honest and clear about my route and how to proceed. Exclusive and specialized guide/driver. Certificate to Prove Portuguese Sephardic Ancestry and Tradition. Many have received their letter from the Jewish Community, but have not gone through the legal hurdles of processing their application for citizenship. Until the 60s the community remained demographically stable, but the creation of the State of Israel and the outbreak of the Colonial War lead to the departure of some families. Of them, in the mainland venues alone, 1,175 were burned at the stake, and an additional 633 burned in effigy. Jonah paid around $1350, which also included his flight to Washington, DC, where the Portuguese embassy is located which was essential as he was applying from the US. PUBLIC ATTENDANCE: Monday to Thursday from 10am to 1pm | 2pm to 5 pm. We definitely recommend using them. Nationality due to Sephardic progeny. 3603 Quentin Road Brooklyn, NY 11234 (347) 434-3973 sarina@roffe.com. The Jewish community is small in Lisbon, and kosher food has been extremely difficult to get in the city, often impossible in the past. In 1143, when King D. Afonso Henriques received recognition of Portugal as an independent kingdom, the Jews had been present on the Iberian Peninsula for over a millennium. Accomodations Meals Other entrance fees. Power of attorney 4. The process until we received the extension for another year for my wife was not long (3 months). A simple copy of a valid passport (page containing personal data, picture and signature) expiring date larger than 6 months. and must be sent through the We Transfer system. Party time in the heart, my beloved husband received his residence after so much time of battles and faith. You'll also stop by historic . The Sephardic Heritage Project. If you need to, click to watch our support tutorial. A truly incredible development and one which brings me deep joy. Genealogical According to the Conservatria dos Registos Centrais the certificates issued by the Jewish communities must be followed by the applicants genealogical tree. Married to a Portuguese Citizen? To be on the safe side, Trevor collected more documents from the synagogue and was able to trace his family tree back even further. Aiming to give their clients the advice possible regarding the normative and the law of Israel. The Jewish Federation of New Mexico will be accepting applications until the Spanish law expires on Oct. 1, 2018. 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. Right now a lot of people are rethinking whether its worth having a second passport.. The Jewish Community of Lisbon (Comunidade Israelita de Lisboa) has appointed Rabbi Natan Peres, who formerly served in Manchester, London ( Lauderdale Road and Bevis Marks) and at the Esnoga in Amsterdam, to lead the congregation. I appreciate your candor and evident integrity. The capital is home to the country's main Jewish community. It is so difficult to get straight answers from the Misrad Hapnim, but you guys are straight shooters. The rabbi was able to look at his parents ketubah (Jewish marriage contract) and was able to confirm that it was Sephardic. You are Eligible for a Portuguese Citizenship Through Marriage! On 1 June 2022 the Jewish Community of Lisbon issued a statement. I really appreciate his courteous and direct approach. Jonah applied to Porto while Trevor applied to Lisbon. Make your donation here. Emotional memory we expect the applicant to explain in short his motivation to apply for Portuguese nationality based on his Sephardic family and tradition roots. I think I paid around 2,000 in the end, says Trevor, which isnt nothing, but I would rather know that this is going to happen rather than being stuck in limbo forever.. 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. If you have recommendations on lawyers that would be greatly appreciated. Not being able to obtain the legalization of the community, the Jews from Lisbon created, especially during the second half of the 19th century, charities in the form of autonomous organizations, whose statutes were subject to approval by the civil government, or in the form of private foundations, usually managed by ladies. Visit to Shaar Tikva, the synagogue of Lisbon. Hi James, They helped me to obtain my expert working visa in Israel and even after that they responded further questions and gave me advices related to administrative issues in Israel which saved me a lot of time. Financed by Joint and other international Jewish institutions, the community kept the Economic Kitchen/cuisine?? Jonah also speaks Portuguese, and has managed to get himself to roughly the C1-level by studying for around 3 hours per day for more than 18 months. 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. Mr. Joshua Pex is knowledgeable and Professional. Thank you for your guidance and support. Thanks so much for the useful information. The Jewish Canadian Community Portuguese Citizenship Eligibility, The Portuguese Jewish community in Germany Entitlement to Portugal Citizenship, The Moroccan Expellee Community and Portuguese Citizenship, The Jewish community in Portugal Recommendation letter, Jewish Portuguese Citizenship for Spouses and Children, Multiple Names When Applying for Jewish Portuguese Citizenship, Applying for Jewish Portuguese Citizenship with a Criminal Record, Cost for Jewish Descendants to Obtain Portuguese Citizenship, How Long It Takes to Get Jewish Portuguese Citizenship, Documents for Jewish Portuguese Citizenship, Algerian Jewish expellees communities and eligibility for Portuguese citizenship, Greek Jews Spanish Jewish Expellees Eligible for Portuguese Citizenship, Famous Jews of Sephardic or Portuguese descent obtaining Portuguese citizenship. Dont scrimp on the paperwork either: in Portugal, the rule is always the more paperwork the better. For Trevor, getting all the paperwork he needed wasnt hugely complicated. 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. Construction of the Shaar Tikv Synagogue. That evidence, along with your family tree, is submitted to the Portuguese Jewish community in either Porto or Lisbon. She was very professional in all her dealings and kept us informed all the way. I just found this website! He had just married his wife, Agatha Barbasch, in April 1914, in Odessa. The Shaar-Tikv synagogue celebrates 100 years, see here. The first grave is of Jos Amzalak, who died on February 26, 1804, and buried on land belonging to the English Cemetery of Estrela, undoubtedly because of the English nationality of the first Jews in Lisbon, originating, as seen, from Gibraltar. Irena Rosenberg and Michael Decker worked on my case, they are very professional and helpful. A while ago, visitors who eat only kosher food were required to bring back from home their own products to eat. Closed on Shabbat, Jewish Holidays and Portuguese Bank Holidays. So it is time to get your application in to the Portuguese government now, while the process is understood and well navigated, and your chances of receiving the necessary recommendation can be easily evaluated. We achieved our goal and the fear of deportation has been lifted! One day while looking at a photo of his grandfathers family, he was struck by how similar his relatives looked to hers. His family members were also regularly married a day before a major Jewish holiday, another trait of Sephardic Jews. I couldnt dealt with my situation without their professionalism and effectiveness. I need to see if you can recommend a reliable attorney. 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 . The Lisbon City Council issues certificates exclusively to Lisbon residents. Wander through Shaare Tikva, Lisbon's synagogue, and learn about the history of various religions in the city. Photos: Oded Kaizerman/Anash.org. The JewishGen site is offered as a free public resource. Usually, we expect a pre-approval from the Porto Jewish Community roughly around 48 hours after the Lisbon Jewish Community roughly around 45 days after applying. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Certificate from Jewish Community in Portugal or evidence as requested in next column: A) or B) 2. Administration staff to answer all questions, receive and perform a pre-check of the documentation. Can you suggest any genealogist and lawyers we can use? Inaugurated in 1904 and designed by Miguel Ventura Terra, the synagogue was the first synagogue to be built in Portugal since the 15th century. Thank you for such an excellent article. Thanks to Michael Decker and the other good people at the law office, as well as to the virtue of my ancestors, the cruelty of the Inquisition, reparations issued in the Iberian Peninsula, and etc, I am delighted to be on track for Portuguese and European Union Citizenship! Thanks for your cooperation. Hes so confident in his language abilities that whenever he spoke to his lawyer in Lisbon, he did so in Portuguese. It was the best decision choosing you as my lawyer. Lisbon prosecutors and police searched Oporto's synagogue, the Jewish Museum and the houses of Jewish leaders. A surname is definitely a good place to start, but be aware that having a Portuguese or Spanish-sounding surname isnt enough. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors or omissions or damages arising from its display or use. Cristina. Donations. Since 1914, we've put Jewish values into action to save lives and strengthen communities. Adi Berger was a wonderful advocate for me and I am deeply grateful for her help! ThePortuguese Inquisition was formally established inPortugalin1536 under King Joo III and, althoughthe last public auto-da-f took place in 1765,was only extinguished in1821 when the country went through a constitutionalist insurrection. The choice was either convert, try living as a Jew in secret as many did in places like Belmonte, or leave the Iberian Peninsula altogether. Private Jewish Heritage Tour of Lisbon. Jewish community certificate with religious-related status in Portugal, under the law in force at the date of entry of the Regulation, proving Sephardic Jewish lineage of Portuguese origin, through surname, family language, genealogy, and family memory. International Association of Jewish Genealogy Associations. We will be forever grateful for all of the help, guidance and support which Ariel Galili of Decker, Pex, Ofir & Co. provided through this process.