My Passover seder this year was spent in the company of the small Reform Jewish community in Lisbon, Portugal. My last name is Salita and Ive known my whole life that my family comes from either Spain or Portugal.. Thus, despite the difficulties originated by the lack of official recognition, the community is able to acquire land for the construction of a new, proper and decent building. Their dedication to every legal aspect and their drive its how a true lawyer house can be! Lisbon - Conquered from the Moors in 1147 by Dom Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal, the Castle of Sao Jorge stands proudly atop one of the city's seven hills. He had just married his wife, Agatha Barbasch, in April 1914, in Odessa. 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. Gratitude, God has blessed us with wonderful beings who have accompanied us, including a "precious angel" who touched our hearts, our excellent and fantastic lawyer: Maria Chernin Dekel, sweet and wonderful human being, who has guided us and stayed On our side. This group of Jews, mostly Poles, would play a remarkable role in the dynamization of this religious space, a singular synagogue, characterized by its openness to the outside, tolerance and understanding for Jews . We recommend all those looking for immigration lawyers to get in touch. Lisbon Jewish community continues handling Sephardic - ECO News Theres a lot of waiting involved. In 1860, a synagogue was built in Faro. A simple copy of a valid passport (page containing personal data, picture and signature) expiring date larger than 6 months. 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. Her surname was Bair, which is a German-Jewish surname and she was 3/4 Ashkenazi, but he had to look a bit further before he found the Sephardic connection. Any conviction with a crime punishable in Portugal with three years or more years imprisonment will make the applicant non-eligible; Power of attorney, when not presented by the applicant himself. James Cave / Last Updated: June 10, 2020 / Posted in: Sephardic Jewish Heritage? We have been Jews forever. When you hear Decker,Pex,Ofir &Co, you hear 10+ class services, luxurious professionals, confidentiality and exclusive attention to your needs. Site Powered By SiteBuilderAvenue.com How do you get the access code if you are posting off documents? . He was also able to find letters between old family members, one of which contained a hand-drawn family tree. She didnt talk about her background very much, so we didnt know many details about her background. I just found this website! Contact us. Get the book Moving to Portugal Made Simple on Amazon now. 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. Certificate of Confirmation 10-pack. JDC Lisbon List of Polish Jewish Passengers to . 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. By chance when his parents visited Lisbon for their 25th wedding anniversary, a tour guide mentioned this new law that Portugal had passed to allow Sephardic Jews to regain their citizenship. Aiming to give their clients the advice possible regarding the normative and the law of Israel. 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. I want to know that I hire good attorneys that know what they are doing. [More Info]. Ultimately, your goal is to put together clear evidence that you have Sephardic Jewish heritage. Do I have to hire the services of a lawyer? The new process will be announced by September 2022, and the Jewish community will not issue new recommendations after 30.04.22. Today, although smaller in number and with a tendency for gradual assimilation, the community keeps its essential services running: Synagogue, Cemetery, Social Center, Somej Nophlim Charitable Association. It was built in the early 20th century as Jews, some but not all of the Portuguese descent, returned to Portugal from Gibraltar and North Africa. 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. It says once youve submitted youll be given an access code. The Lisbon Jewish Community (CIL) has confirmed 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 That evidence, along with your family tree, is submitted to the Portuguese Jewish community in either Porto or Lisbon. While Trevors great great grandmother used the surname De Pinna, generations prior to that used De Pina, Pina, or just Sarfati. Thanks in advance. 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. Our emigration law office specializes in helping the descendants of Spanish and Portuguese Jews prove their ancestry so as to obtain a Portuguese passport. Applications should be presented at the Central Registry Offices (Conservatria dos Registos Centrais) in Lisbon, in diplomatic services, and the Portuguese Minister of Justice was invested the power of granting nationality. They said that the Portuguese Government had not responded to their request for clarification on citizenship for people of Sephardic ancestry. The most popular Jewish Quarter of Lisbon is located in Alfama. I can highly recommend these services! Do I have to come to Portugal in person? They will not let you down, feel free to contact them. 2,000 is still a lot of money, but its much cheaper than many other routes to citizenship such as Portugals Golden Visa Scheme. All the above may be presented in Portuguese, Spanish, French or English. Birth certificate issued in the previous six months. 2 Jewish museums open in Portugal amid opposition to 3rd one in Lisbon Just found your page and it is fantastic! That is not the case. Learn how your comment data is processed. It will be sufficient to submit one of the following: Certificate from a Sephardic Community. It's also very nice to know that you will receive response promptly; it made us feel we can really trust their services. I am excited to move to Lisbon next year. I would like to thank Anat Levi and Ariel Galili from the Jerusalem branch for all of their efforts and patience, we could not have been Able to reach to where we are now without them. This document indicates that the Portuguese Jewish community recognizes the individual as having Portuguese heritage. I appreciate your candor and evident integrity. A truly incredible development and one which brings me deep joy. Jonah personally has helped five people in these groups with their applications. CITIZENSHIP FOR SEPHARDIC JEWS - Consular services - Consular matters Petition to one of the Jewish Communities (Lisbon or Porto) is just the first stage of the process. Using them guaranteed honesty above all. Finding a good lawyer and knowing when you need one is hard.. ? and the Hebrew Hospital, providing at a daily basis food, clothing and health care to the refugees. Unfortunately, a right to live in Portugal doesnt necessarily mean that people are able to move to Portugal as wages and opportunities are often lower here than in other Western countries. Lisbon Jewish Community web site. Trevor speaks what he describes as passable Portuguese, having studied through Duolingo and later through a Portuguese class he took in London. if possible, could you by chance share the names of one or two reliable laywers in Portugal? Guide of frequently asked questions on the acquisition of Portuguese Did anyone get the Portuguese nationality yet? Applying for membership in Lisbon and Porto's official Jewish community costs $300-$560 and is a required step for a Jew to become a Portuguese citizen under the 2013 law. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. We have been working with Decker, Pex Ofir & Co - Law Firm in Tel Aviv for many years very well. Accomodations Meals Other entrance fees. competent consulting, fast processing, reliable, warm & good team. jewish community lisbon certificate Lisbon Synagogue was built in the early 1900s appropriately enough by Jews who had returned from a long exile in Morocco and Gibraltar. The rabbi was able to look at his parents ketubah (Jewish marriage contract) and was able to confirm that it was Sephardic. idovsk obec v Praze PUBLIC ATTENDANCE: Monday to Thursday from 10am to 1pm | 2pm to 5 pm. 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. The Jewish Community of Lisbon. Nadia gave us service behind what we expected; she was professional which lead to fast and easy process with great result And. Closed on Shabbat, Jewish Holidays and Portuguese Bank Holidays. The fact that anyone arrested by the Inquisition was subject to having his property confiscated insured that the campaign was carried out with alacrity. Married partners unfortunately dont get an automatic right to Portuguese citizenship as part of the Sephardic Citizenship scheme but may be able to apply for citizenship via the normal marriage or partner route once their partner obtains theirs. As well as lawyers, another professional service that many people work with is a genealogist. 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. International Association of Jewish Genealogy Associations. He says finding someone else who has done it is key, and will signiciatnly cut down your own research time significantly. Testimonial to be provided either/or by external experts, your Sephardic communitys rabbi, people who know the applicant, etc. Also, we inform you that, in case of no approval, the donations given are not refundable, without prejudice of the process come to be analyzed again through presentation of additional documents. 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. I've got Austrian citizenship in 4 months for all family members which consists of 12 people! The support to the refugees of World War II. If you need to solve any complicated legal issue in Israel, don't hesitate to contact them. Extrmely friendly, professional and helpful. 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. Thanks for all you do! The family tree should be as complete as possible, based in the submitted documentation. The Shaar-Tikv synagogue celebrates 100 years, see here. The official recognition of the community and the construction of the synagogue brought a new impulse to the community life in Lisbon. EU PASSPORT ! Despite numbering around two dozen, they are the only option in town other than the Orthodox, which numbers around 500, as the Masorti (Conservatives) shut down a few years ago. Since submitting his application, he has been able to trace the family tree back to Amsterdam and even back to Portugal. 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. 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. The Ohel Jacob Synagogue ("Tent of Jacob") was founded in 1934 by a small Jewish group of Ashkenazic origin from Central Europe. All of this adds up to a lot of documents, and its recommended that you keep them all in a tidy, organised folder on your computer. Explore the historic sites of vora and Belmonte, then make your way to the Douro Valley for a wine tasting and a river cruise. An open letter to the UN Secretary-General from the Portuguese Jewish We bless and thank the entire team at Decker Pex Tal Ofir Law Firm. Click here to get in contact with us. A recommendation is currently a mandatory first step on the path to acquiring citizenship for descendants of Sephardic Jews, but the bureaucratic process still take several years after this point. Receipt of citizenship a birth registration form in Portuguese currently takes anywhere from 24 to 29 months. Do I have to reside in Portugal? Portugal Jewish community ends work with state in certifying Studio Libeskind Unveils Jewish Museum in Lisbon Links to external websites do not constitute an endorsement. The creation of a bulletin, directed by Joseph Benoliel, link between the community members, the organization of a library in 1915 and the foundation of the Hehaver Israeli Youth Association, in 1925, represent other stones of the consolidation of the Hebrew Community of Lisbon. He slowly gained the trust of Belmonte's crypto-Jews when he recited the Shema Yisrael prayer and uttered the . For this reason, its a good idea to submit other evidence as well. 1 - applying for certification at the jewish community of lisbon (cil) 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). Ultimately, your goal is to put together clear evidence that you have Sephardic Jewish heritage. During the inquisition period, Jews were persecuted in Spain and Portugal. This new criteria is confusing, but it shouldnt take too long too work out whether you meet this criteria. 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. Youll find all the contacts below. The Lisbon City Council issues certificates exclusively to Lisbon residents. Is a recommendation letter from the Jewish community in Porto or Lisbon enough to acquire Portuguese citizenship? We contacted Mr. Pex and he was ready to help us when he heard of our situation. In 2019, Spain got rid of its law offering Sephardic Heritage and there are expectations that Portugal will at least amend its law. All Jews share the same Synagogue, Shar Tikva, which has kept the original post Inquisition Sephardic Moroccan ritual. He first contacted the Portuguese Law Firm in the Autumn of 2015 and then, once he had carried out sufficient research, was able to submit his application around a year later. These returning Jews originally worshipped in their homes. 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. Home; About Us; Contact. Following a Russian oligarch scandal in 2022[1]https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60724509window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() { jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_15863_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_15863_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });});, the rules were tightened and this will ultimately make it more difficult for many people to claim their heritage this way. 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. 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). Both communities have records from the time and will be able to verify whether you are, in fact, of Sephardic heritage. Have you received a letter of recommendation from one of the Jewish Communities in Portugal, whether Porto or Lisbon? Because we appreciated their lawyers services, we recommended businesses and individuals again and again to go there as well. 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. I will take a look at all of the Facebook groups you mentioned. Considering this historical heritage, the Portuguese Citizenship Act (Lei da Nacionalidade) was amended as to permit the acquisition of Portuguese citizenship by the descendants of Portugal's Sephardic Jews. They had numerous international contacts due not only to their commercial activities, but also to the family ties worldwide. In 1904 the Shaare Tikvah (Gates of Hope) Synagogue, still in use today, opened in Lisbon. The smaller Jewish communities of Lisbon and Porto are the only organizations that can approve applications, which must show ties to one of them. (list of documentation)
Following the Alhambra Edict of 1492 and their persecution by theSpanish Inquisition, a very large number of Spanish Jews sought refuge in Portugal and joined the Portuguese Jewish communities. Donations. After 3 months of arrival in Portugal, citizens will be required to apply for a certificate at the Municipal Council of . The JewishGen site is offered as a free public resource. But from that time, the community will suffer, due to the European events, a profound change both in its action and in its composition. Lisbon Jewish Community - Official Site . Thus, many Sephardic Jews were forced into exile and compelled to leave Portugal from the late fifteenth and early sixteenthcentury onwards, including thosewho had converted to Catholicism the conversos, also known as New Christians, Anusim or Marranos. . Please note that our internal Experts Committee verifies the information provided but does not run genealogical studies itself. Thank you Jewish Vital Records FamilySearch He is trustworthy, fair, and goes above and beyond to advocate for the vulnerable. 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. Administration staff to answer all questions, receive and perform a pre-check of the documentation. 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. Full passport copy certified by a Portuguese Consulate or apostilled 3. Construction of the Shaar Tikv Synagogue. 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. All taxes. For Sephardic Jews Descendants - Relocate to Portugal Critics of schemes like this suggest that, while it may help Portugal right a historical wrong (somewhat), it doesnt necessarily help Portugal advance. The project of the synagogue was designed by one the greatest architects of that time, Miguel Ventura Terra. We will be applying from the US. side in this intense legal transit whom we bless on every occasion. 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. Trevor Lewis, whos from the US and lives in London with his husband, was unaware of his Portuguese background until he started looking into his grandmothers family tree. The Jewish community in Lisbon released an official document earlier this month announcing a return to full activity after ceasing to issue new permits for Portuguese citizenship processes. 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. If Im going to have this citizenship, I think its my responsibility to speak the language of that country, he says. Thank you for your amazing job, your professionalism, your consultation and honesty. Opened in 1904, the synagogue was named Shaare Tikva, which means Gates of Hope . The services I have received for both our Israeli non profit association but also our social business have helped us solve many issues at hand and provided solutions in complicated situations. Personalized transport in a luxury Mercedes vehicle which is disinfected several times a day. highly recommended. The Jewish quarters were located inside castle walls and were named Big Jewish quarter, Small Jewish quarter and Jewish quarter of Alfama. Turning Portuguese - BBC News The process itself is not complicated but it does take time for the documentation to be gathered, duly translated and certified, and obviously thoroughly verified by all the parties involved. These were mostly marketers, from Gibraltar and Morocco (Tangier, Tetouan and Mogador) and some of their names still expressed the connection with their places of origin in the Iberian Peninsula, before the expulsion period. I feel most at home when Im in Lisbon, says Jonah, who has already spent time living in Portugal. [2]https://www.larraurimarti.com/en/amendments-portuguese-nationality-process-for-sephardimwindow.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() { jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_15863_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_15863_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });});. LISBON. Although you can make a correction to your application once it has been submitted, its highly recommended that you try and get everything right the first time round. Lisbon, 1941: The Messiah, the Invalid and the Fish - Chabad Those who wish to apply for a Sephardic heritage certificate can apply online at . 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 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! Kosher Food in Lisbon - The Lisbon Travel Guide - Updated 2023 I dont think this law will be around forever, says Jonah. I was impressed with his incredibly solid character. After a little bit more research, we realised that it was a Portuguese-Jewish surname., For Jonah Salita, also from the US and living in London, it was less of a surprise. But are they worth it? 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. Always ready to assist without regard to the time it takes. Studio Libeskind designs geometric Jewish Museum for Lisbon The Jewish community in Kobe, Japan compiled this list of European refugees and their relatives overseas, so that JDC can solicit aid from family members.