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. The new process will be announced by September 2022, and the Jewish community will not issue new recommendations after 30.04.22. Jonah personally has helped five people in these groups with their applications. They knew exactly how to handle my situation effectively and efficiently, and we got the result I needed without much fuss. 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. These institutions played a crucial role in the unity and organization of the Portuguese Judaism. When we have the money, well get a vacation home there, he promises himself. I am a Jewish, 80-year-old American, and my wife is not Jewish. b. Click on "Places within Portugal, Lisboa" and a list of towns and cities will open. A surname is definitely a good place to start, but be aware that having a Portuguese or Spanish-sounding surname isnt enough. Aiming to give their clients the advice possible regarding the normative and the law of Israel. 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). Close to 40 years after the Rebbe asked that the Tanya be printed in every city where a Yid lives, the 8,000th edition of Tanya came rolling off the press. Right now a lot of people are rethinking whether its worth having a second passport.. 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. The JewishGen site is offered as a free public resource. Thank you I have been receiving services from this Law Firm for several years now and I want to say THANK YOU to the team, especially Joshua Pex. 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. I dont think this law will be around forever, says Jonah. This new criteria is confusing, but it shouldnt take too long too work out whether you meet this criteria. 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. The fact that anyone arrested by the Inquisition was subject to having his property confiscated insured that the campaign was carried out with alacrity. 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. Bar Mitzvah Certificate 10-pack. This royal diploma has a real historical importance, as it represents an implicit recognition, although not yet formal, of the Hebrew Community of Lisbon. You Could be Eligible for Portuguese Citizenship, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60724509, https://www.larraurimarti.com/en/amendments-portuguese-nationality-process-for-sephardim, People of Sephardic Ancestry Pursuing Portuguese Citizenship, Spanish & Portuguese Citizenship by Sephardic Origin, From Erasmus Student to Lisbon Tour Guide: An Interview with Elena Bicu. 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. Rua Alexandre Herculano, 59 Lisbon 1250-010. Later, in 1916, this association will open the Hebrew Hospital that came to play such an important role in supporting the Jewish refugees during the 2nd World War. The entire team is very friendly and responsive. If you have recommendations on lawyers that would be greatly appreciated. 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. Personally, I am grateful for support in visa issues as a foreigner living now in Israel for many years. During the pandemic, my wife and I decided to move to Israel where I am originally from after living in the U.S. for over 20 years, but we had no idea how to go about securing visas before and after arriving in Israel. 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. Lisbon Jewish Community web site. Depends on and is the responsibility of the Analysis Committee due final opinion, based on due historical analysis, and its process is subject to possible requests for additional documentation from this Committee. Any documents used to create that family tree. Sephardic Community Allliance. 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. if possible, could you by chance share the names of one or two reliable laywers in Portugal? 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. Its headquarters are on Avenida Alexandre Herculano, no.59 in Lisbon, where the synagogue Shaar Tikvah (Gates of Hope) is located. Neither CIL (the Lisbon community) nor CIP (the Porto community) make their records public, so in a sense youre doing things blind but, unfortunately, thats just a part of the process. My Passover seder this year was spent in the company of the small Reform Jewish community in Lisbon, Portugal. They had numerous international contacts due not only to their commercial activities, but also to the family ties worldwide. However the law does state that the following documents should be presented, including their translation into Portuguese, duly certified by the Portuguese consulate at the country of origin or residence and bearing the Hague Convention Apostille: The Portuguese Central Registry Office charges a non-refundable and pre-paid 250 fee per applicant. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 150 Menachem Begin st., Tel Aviv, 6492105, Israel, Tel: (+972)3-3724722, Fax: (+972)774702790. The application should be presented to the Portuguese Central Registry Office (Conservatria dos Registos Centrais) in Lisbon and the Jewish Community of Lisbon has no involvement in the decision or even in the process. A really excellent firm. Shaar Tikv Synagogue. The current Hebrew community of Lisbon originates from the groups of Sephardic Jews who settled in Portugal in the beginning of the 19th century. These records, along with church books for the rest of the population, made up civil registration; however, when such books have been microfilmed . . The biggest mystery in this is which lawyer to pick and when do I need a lawyer, says Jonah. [More Info]. 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. It felt a lot more authentic, he says. He slowly gained the trust of Belmonte's crypto-Jews when he recited the Shema Yisrael prayer and uttered the . But let's just quick gather the facts in few words: Portugal became an independent country back in 1143, almost one thousand years old, but the Jewish population already existed in Portugal for a long time. We will be applying from the US. Lisbon's modern Jewish community: Lisbon's main synagogue called Shaare Tikva, or Gates of Hope, is a historic synagogue in Lisbon. She didnt talk about her background very much, so we didnt know many details about her background. International Association of Jewish Genealogy Associations. Their dedication to every legal aspect and their drive its how a true lawyer house can be! c. Click on the town or city you wish to search. 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. She was very professional in all her dealings and kept us informed all the way. They really care about helping their customers without any other interest 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. The following documents are required for the preparation of applications in our offices: 1. 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. We have been working with Decker, Pex Ofir & Co - Law Firm in Tel Aviv for many years very well. The support to the refugees of World War II. I will take a look at all of the Facebook groups you mentioned. Go to the Junta da Freguesia. The project of the synagogue was designed by one the greatest architects of that time, Miguel Ventura Terra. Please note that our internal Experts Committee verifies the information provided but does not run genealogical studies itself. How long does it take? We were in a devastating situation when my wife received an order from the immigration office to leave Israel within 30 days, without any explanation, after we have been married and in the process for six and a half years. Are you sure that you want to switch to desktop version. 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. 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. Their patience, clear explanation and experience are very valuable. They supported us 100% and solved our case successfully, we couldn't be happier. All files sent digitally must be accompanied by a SINGLE file with the necessary documents, in PDF, A4 format, We highly recommend Adv. Receipt of citizenship a birth registration form in Portuguese currently takes anywhere from 24 to 29 months. 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. 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. We are very happy with the services. Therefore, the certificate must be provided with the genealogical tree indicating dates and places of ancestors birth, death and marriage. A simple letter will do. Critics of schemes like this suggest that, while it may help Portugal right a historical wrong (somewhat), it doesnt necessarily help Portugal advance. The small print: Portugalist may generate a commission from mentioned products or services. Jonah applied to Porto while Trevor applied to Lisbon. Jonah coincidentally already had a strong connection to Portugal, as he was previously dating a Portuguese girl. Cristina. A while ago, visitors who eat only kosher food were required to bring back from home their own products to eat. There is no such requirement concerning the issuing of Jewish Community of Lisbons certification and our community has neither a special partnership with any law office nor shall recommend any specific one. 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. The certification period of the Jewish Community of Lisbon varies and will depend on the quality and organization of the documentation with which the process is submitted by the applicant and the degree of complexity of the respective process. Thanks in advance. Is a recommendation letter from the Jewish community in Porto or Lisbon enough to acquire Portuguese citizenship? However, King Manuel I of Portugal, who had initially issued a royal-decree law guaranteeing their protection, ordered in 1496 the expulsion of all Jews thatdid not convert to Catholicism. Fee: For the application with the "Conservatria dos Registos Centrais": 250 EUROS - Methods accepted: Cashier's check, in EUROS, of bank in Portugal, payable to IRN, IP; Since 1810 several houses of prayer existed in Lisbon, but these hardly met the necessary conditions for worship, as they were located in modest floors. In just a matter of weeks (as of 01.04.22) these letters may no longer be valid. 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. Hope to work with you in the future, and will send everyone I know in need of legal aid your way. James, thank you for sending lawyer recommendations to others. 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. All the legal requirements regarding the application of descendants of Sephardic Jews of Portuguese origin for Portuguese nationality (through naturalization) are clearly defined and stated in thePortuguese Decree-Law 30-A/2015and 26/2022 , which amended DL 237-A/2006 in which the Regulation on Portuguese Nationality is approved. Proof of residence such as electricity bills. Petition to one of the Jewish Communities (Lisbon or Porto) is just the first stage of the process. Jewish Community of Lisbon Tel: +351 213 931 130; sephardi.naturalization@comunidadeisraelitalisboa.org; www.cilisboa.org. Consequently, it is hardly news that Jewish quarters existed in Lisbon. The Portuguese Government may grant nationality to descendants of Portuguese Sephardic Jews [over 18 years old] who demonstrate a traditional connection to a Community with Portuguese Sephardic origins, based on proven objective requirements of a connection with Portugal, such as family names, family language, direct or collateral ancestry.. Despite the expedited application, however, with research included the entire process still took around 17 months. 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! We so much appreciate Mikes representation of us. My grandmothers family was Jewish and we knew about the Jewish background, but she was not religious. Do I have to reside in Portugal? competent consulting, fast processing, reliable, warm & good team. Theres a lot of waiting involved. April 30, 2021. 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. My step-mother (who adopted me at age 4 -- I'm 55 yrs old) has been eligible for citizenship (her brother already got citizenship in spain); i'm wondering if, as an adoptee, I am eligible for citizenship? Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser. Alex. Visit to Shaar Tikva, the synagogue of Lisbon. They are very friendly and professional. Highly recommend. However, it costs a lot of money to maintain and expand our services. You showed me from your experience how it can be done differently. My last name is Salita and Ive known my whole life that my family comes from either Spain or Portugal.. Hi James, A truly incredible development and one which brings me deep joy. Hi James, That evidence, along with your family tree, is submitted to the Portuguese Jewish community in either Porto or Lisbon. Upon the granting of nationality, the Central Registry Office shall issue and mail to the applicants address a Portuguese birth certificate. 2. It's also very nice to know that you will receive response promptly; it made us feel we can really trust their services. Very much recommended! 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. For Jonah, the process went a lot faster. 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. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The 1826 Constitutional Charter recognized only Catholicism as the religion allowed to Portuguese citizens, being the other cults only permitted to foreigners. Actually, it will only be officially recognized by the Republican Government in 1912, precisely 416 years after the Edict of Expulsion and almost one century after the extinction of the Inquisition. The Jewish Community of Lisbon has made available: The burden of proof rests on the applicant, who must provide as much evidence as possible, of all kinds, showing direct or collateral progenyand the tradition of belonging to a Sephardic community of Portuguese origin. On 1 June 2022 the Jewish Community of Lisbon issued a statement. Once you have citizenship you can request your passport. For Trevor, the process was a long one. The city of Lisbon grew with three Jewish quarters and at one point, five synagogues. Under the impulse of Isaac Levy and Simo Anahory a process is started culminating in the creation, in 1897, of a committee for the edification of a unique synagogue, and the election of the 1st Committee of the Jewish community of Lisbon, whose honorary president is Abraham Bensade and the effective president Simo Anahory. 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. These returning Jews originally worshipped in their homes. See below the complete list of documents to be presented (end of page). Another important step to the constitution of the present Jewish community of Lisbon is taken in 1894 with the holding of a general meeting of the Jews of Lisbon in order to unify the Shehit services (Ritual slaughter and provisioning of Kosher meat). 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. JDC Lisbon List of Polish Jewish Passengers to . Conservatriados Registos CentraisRua Rodrigo da Fonseca, 1981099-003 LisboaE-mail:registos.centrais@irn.mj.pt, Phone: (+351) 213 817 600Fax: (+351) 213 817 698. Home; About Us; Contact. We had started the process on our own back in November 2020 via the Jewish Agency and Nefesh BNefesh, but soon became entangled in the delays and often-changing regulations due to Covid-19. Every time we turned to Joshua we always got a professional quick and helpful respond. $32.95. 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). Registering a Public-Benefit Company in Israel, UAE NGO Permits to the Palestinian Territories, Registration for Foreign NGOs Operating in Israel. Did anyone get the Portuguese nationality yet? Testimonial to be provided either/or by external experts, your Sephardic communitys rabbi, people who know the applicant, etc. Trevors law firm also spoke to the Portuguese government and were able to allow him to submit his application without obtaining a criminal records check from Kenya, which would only have added more complications. Until the 15th century, some Jews occupied very prominent places in Portuguese political and economic 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. Decree Law No. 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. Do I have to come to Portugal in person? It is the main synagogue of the . The team of lawyers and assistants are incredibly professional. His family members were also regularly married a day before a major Jewish holiday, another trait of Sephardic Jews. Get the book Moving to Portugal Made Simple on Amazon now. Can you suggest any genealogist and lawyers we can use? The advice Mr. Pex gave us was great, such as what to do, he gave useful links, and advice about which officials to contact. While Trevors great great grandmother used the surname De Pinna, generations prior to that used De Pina, Pina, or just Sarfati. 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. Thank you for your guidance and support. Those who wish to apply for a Sephardic heritage certificate can apply online at . Private Historical Jewish Tour of Lisbon 74 Reviews Lisbon, Portugal Share Save to Wishlist From $136.15 Price varies by group size Lowest Price Guarantee Select Date and Travelers Check Availability Reserve Now & Pay Later Free cancellation Up to 24 hours in advance. Thanks so much for the useful information. We have Portuguese Friends. He was able to get his application expedited to less than 6 months as he was living in London, citing Brexit as the reason. The price for the service was great! Excellent service, very friendly and helpful, fast responding and very patient. I really recommend the law office's services. 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 Sephardic synagogue offers traditional services, study groups, children's activities, and cultural events and houses documents and religious objects dating back to the 1300s. A Jewish community certificate: first step to a Portuguese citizenship Contact Us: 03-3724722 | 055-9781688 | office@lawoffice.org.il Home About About Us Meet the Team Media Coverage Payment Areas of Practice Real Estate Lawyer Family Law Inheritance Lawyer Traffic Lawyer Notary Services in Israel Amutot and non-profit organizations Arnona A Committee of Experts in Jewish Sephardic genealogy and the historical routes of the Jewish Iberian Diaspora to evaluate the provided means of proof. 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. The smaller Jewish communities of Lisbon and Porto are the only organizations that can approve applications, which must show ties to one of them. How do you get the access code if you are posting off documents? The most popular Jewish Quarter of Lisbon is located in Alfama. 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. Tribunals were set up in a number of towns in Portugal, but also in the kingdoms overseas possessions, namely Brazil, Goa and Cape Verde. 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!!! But you will not be able to request a passport with a letter from the Jewish Community alone. It's a great way to share success, ask questions, and stay informed of the happenings throughout the Jewish genealogical community. Some people already know that they have Sephardic Jewish heritage, while it can come as a surprise to others. Public liability and personal accidents insurance. ? and the Hebrew Hospital, providing at a daily basis food, clothing and health care to the refugees. Owner: Comunidade Israelita de Lisboa (CIL), Agency: Marqus de Pombal (Lisboa - Portugal), New applicants and general information - click here, Phones:+351 213 931 130 (Portuguese/English). I feel most at home when Im in Lisbon, says Jonah, who has already spent time living in Portugal. I am honored to know them. Ariel did a superb job of leading us through the process, helping us to understand which documents were essential, which would most likely be required, and which, though included on the list of required documents, were rarely required.

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