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Portuguese Jews

The Musaf prayer for Rosh Hashanah in a page of the rare 15th century Lisbon Mahzor now at the National Library of Israel. (Courtesy Kedem Auction House via JTA)
September 21, 2025, 1:01 pm
15th-century Portuguese High Holiday prayer book completed with discovery of lost pages
Rare manuscript was divided into 3 sections at some point in history; final 2 parts found when they came up for auction, were purchased on behalf of National Library of Israel
By Grace Gilson
The Kadoorie Mekor Haim Synagogue in Porto, Portugal, vandalized with graffiti tied to the Israel-Hamas war, October 11, 2023. (CIP via JTA)
October 16, 2023, 12:24 pm
Porto synagogue vandalized with pro-Palestinian slogans
Local Jews anticipate backlash, brace for antisemitism as Israel-Hamas war rages; community leader meets Muslim, Catholic representatives about preventing violence
By JTA and ToI Staff
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, left, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a pre-Passover toast, April 4, 2023. (Ariel Hermoni/Defense Ministry)
May 16, 2023, 12:58 pm
Daily Briefing May 16: From foes to bros — Why Netanyahu is no longer mad at Gallant
Political correspondent Tal Schneider discusses blip in overhaul talks and new PM-Gallant bromance; Diaspora reporter Canaan Lidor talks challenges facing Jews in Portugal, Tunisia
By ToI Staff
Leaders and members of the Jewish Community of Porto posing at the Portuguese city's Boeira Hotel on May 16, 2023. (Canaan Lidor/Times of Israel)
May 16, 2023, 3:32 am
European Jewish leaders gather in Portugal’s Porto to observe community’s revival
The number of Jews living in the northern Portuguese city has tripled in recent years thanks to new citizenship law and the arrival of hundreds of French-Jewish medical students
By Canaan Lidor
Arthur Carlos de Barros Basto (1887-1961) (public domain, via wikipedia)
February 28, 2023, 2:08 pm
Jewish community blasts state for refusing to reinstate ‘Portuguese Alfred Dreyfus’
Granddaughter of late army captain Arthur Carlos de Barros Basto says he was denied posthumous honor because he can’t make request in person
By Michael Horovitz and JTA
Illustrative: The Kadoorie Mekor Haim Synagogue in Porto, Portugal, on September 2, 2016. (AFP Photo/ Miguel Riopa)
September 29, 2022, 11:14 pm
Restrictions lifted from Porto rabbi as Portuguese citizenship fraud case continues
Lisbon court says no ‘single fact’ shows Rabbi Daniel Litvak gave priority to requests of Jews for Portuguese citizenship, in investigation tied to oligarch Roman Abramovich
By PHILISSA CRAMER
Chelsea soccer club owner Roman Abramovich attends the UEFA Women's Champions League final soccer match against FC Barcelona in Gothenburg, Sweden, on May 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
December 30, 2021, 5:19 am
Abramovich claim of Sephardic descent to get Portuguese citizenship draws scrutiny
Questions raised after Russian-Israeli billionaire uses law that repatriates descendants of Sephardic Jews expelled during the Inquisition; officials say criticism ‘unjustified’
By Cnaan Liphshiz
The interior of the Holocaust Museum of Porto, January 2021. (Courtesy of the Jewish Community of Porto/ via JTA)
January 22, 2021, 5:25 am
Jewish community shaped by Inquisition opens Portugal’s first Holocaust museum
Opening ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, facility reflects a resurgence as the number of Jews in the country hits 3,100, up 75% from 20 years ago
By Cnaan Liphshiz
In this still from the 2018 film 'Back to Maracana,' some long overdue bonding takes place between Brazilian-Israeli father Roberto (Asaf Goldstien) and his son Itai (Rom Barnea). (Courtesy)
January 15, 2020, 8:56 pm
Spotlight on Ibero-Jewish films at Miami festival celebrates influx of Sephardim
Held in a city that’s home to increasing numbers of Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking Jews, festival focuses on movies from Spain, Argentina, Portugal, and Brazil, through January
By Rich Tenorio
Portuguese actor Rodrigo Santos, center, portrays Artur Carlos de Barros Basto in the filming of "Sefarad" in 2018 in Porto, Portugal. (Courtesy/JTA)
November 16, 2019, 6:49 am
Tiny Portuguese Jewish community makes a $1.2 million movie about its history
‘Sefarad’ chronicles centuries of Jewish life in Porto, Portugal; film financed by vetting applications of people claiming citizenship as descendants of Sephardic Jews
By Cnaan Liphshiz
The Tomar Synagogue in Tomar, Portugal. (CC BY-SA 3.0, fulviusbsas, Wikipedia)
October 25, 2019, 11:38 pm
Museum inside Portugal’s oldest Jewish synagogue reopens
Reopening comes after 2 years of renovations at the Tomar Synagogue, which was built in the 15th century and abandoned for years until the 1920s
By Cnaan Liphshiz
A cyclist passes by signs for Portuguese political parties during national elections in Porto, Portugal, on October 6, 2019. (Melanie Lidman/Times of Israel)
October 6, 2019, 1:09 pm
New citizenship in hand, Israelis vote from abroad in Portuguese elections
Thousands of recently naturalized Jews of Sephardic descent were able to cast absentee ballots ahead of Sunday’s parliamentary poll — even if they had never lived in Portugal
By Melanie Lidman
The Spanish Inquisition Tribunal, a 19th-century work by Spanish artist Francisco Goya. (Wikimedia Commons/CC BY)
July 17, 2019, 7:20 pm
Portugal grants citizenship to 10,000 descendants of Sephardi Jews
After 2015 law opens up opportunity for citizenship, Israelis soar to second place in list of nations requesting Portuguese passports
By Cnaan Liphshiz
Actors re-enact scenes from the Inquisition period outside Belmonte's Jewish museum, October 14, 2018. (Cnaan Liphshiz)
January 19, 2019, 8:00 am
Portugal’s only rural Jewish community seeks a seat at the table
Synagogues in Lisbon and Porto are stonewalling a 70-strong community in Belmonte, whose crypto-Jewish ancestors secretly retained their faith since the Inquisition
By Cnaan Liphshiz
Illustrative: The Kadoorie Mekor Haim Synagogue in Porto, Portugal, on September 2, 2016. (AFP Photo/ Miguel Riopa)
February 24, 2018, 2:41 am
A soaring number of Jews acquired Portuguese citizenship in 2017
Increase in naturalization under 2015 law comes amid host of government initiatives to strengthen country’s ties to Jewish world
By Cnaan Liphshiz
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