Excellent service, very friendly and helpful, fast responding and very patient. Our emigration law office specializes in helping the descendants of Spanish and Portuguese Jews prove their ancestry so as to obtain a Portuguese passport. 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. 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. We have been Jews forever. Tilted walls covered in blue ceramic tiles will break up the white geometric exterior of Tikva, a Jewish museum that New York office Studio Libeskind is designing in the district of Belm in Lisbon. My wife and I strongly recommend anyone planning to go through this process seriously consider hiring Decker, Pex, Ofir & Co. and, specifically, Ariel Galili. The support to the refugees of World War II. How To Get Tax Refunds on a Donation to an Association (Israeli Amuta) or Public-Benefit Corporation? 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. However, it costs a lot of money to maintain and expand our services. In 1904 the Shaare Tikvah (Gates of Hope) Synagogue, still in use today, opened in Lisbon. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser. Despite the expedited application, however, with research included the entire process still took around 17 months. According to larraurimarti.com, applicants will now also need to show A) The acquisition mortis causa of real estate located in Portugal, (or of rights of use and enjoyment of the same) B) the holding of shares or social participations in Portuguese trading companies or cooperatives, or C) Regular trips to Portugal throughout the applicants life. The capital is home to the country's main Jewish community. Thanks so much for the useful information. Jonah applied to Porto while Trevor applied to Lisbon. I believe my son can get all necessary documents to qualify for. His grandmothers grandmother was British and belonged to the Bevis Marks Synagogue in London. He is trustworthy, fair, and goes above and beyond to advocate for the vulnerable. She was very professional in all her dealings and kept us informed all the way. They also both provide a bullet-point list to guide you through the application. which must respect the order of the documents as they appear in the table indicated in the procedures A Certification Committee to issue the certificates to be mailed to the applicants or to their legal representatives. The pandemic also caused delays in obtaining the required apostilles for various documents from various state agencies and the US State Department. Private Jewish Heritage Tour of Lisbon. We recently received our permanent residency after 23 years in Israel. All taxes. 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). This royal diploma has a real historical importance, as it represents an implicit recognition, although not yet formal, of the Hebrew Community of Lisbon. 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. Nadia gave us service behind what we expected; she was professional which lead to fast and easy process with great result Incredibly knowledgeable, approachable, accessible, and evident across the board that they truly care about the people they are helping. 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. In case of the Israelite Community of Porto, the amount of such donations is 250. 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; Important Jewish communities settled in this region and contributed to the flourishing of Its trade and culture. He has helped our family with many battles over the years. In 1920 Captain Barros Bastos founded the Jewish community of Porto and embarked on a campaign to persuade crypto-Jews to return to the Judaism of their ancestors. International Association of Jewish Genealogy Associations. Born in Brazil, Rabbi Peres grew up in New York and received ordination there as well as from Chacham Pinchas . $32.95. Rua Alexandre Herculano, 59 Lisbon 1250-010. Naturally, there are costs to all of this, especially when you start getting lawyers involved, but there are other benefits to using a law firm as well. 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. Both used as many resources as they could find, citing Ancestry.com as one of the most helpful along with other sites like JewishGen. JDC events and trips offer a rare window into corners of the global Jewish community that often go unseen, and an opportunity to witness firsthand the life-changing impact JDC makes every day . The price for the service was great! The current Hebrew community of Lisbon originates from the groups of Sephardic Jews who settled in Portugal in the beginning of the 19th century. They are very friendly and professional. 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 . The process until we received the extension for another year for my wife was not long (3 months). 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 am delighted to report that my wife and I have just obtained our Israeli citizenship. A legal team that is friendly and cares for a superb result We highly recommend Advocate Joshua Pex! Thanks for your cooperation. These include the community of Porto or Lisbon. In just a matter of weeks (as of 01.04.22) these letters may no longer be valid. 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. Otherwise you will loose hours/days/weeks with things that they can solve in minutes. The Sephardic Heritage Project. jewish community lisbon certificate. Once Portuguese citizenship has been granted, the Portuguese Central Registry Office will send a Portuguese birth certificate to your address. The Portuguese Jews played an important role in this period in the support of refugees, first through the creation of the Portuguese Commission for the Assistance of the Jewish Refugees in Portugal directed by Augusto Esaguy, and later directly through the Communitys own refugee support section, chaired by Moiss Amzalak and whose great promoter was Elias Baruel. Youll find all the contacts below. The project of the synagogue was designed by one the greatest architects of that time, Miguel Ventura Terra. A surname is definitely a good place to start, but be aware that having a Portuguese or Spanish-sounding surname isnt enough. Can my spouse be granted nationality as well? 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. Both communities have records from the time and will be able to verify whether you are, in fact, of Sephardic heritage. 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 can help you turn that letter into a Portuguese citizenship. Sometimes documents are hard to find as many have been destroyed, often on purpose. Launched the first stone in 1902, the Shaar-Tikv Synagogue is finally inaugurated in 1904, culminating a more than 50 years old effort of the Jews of Lisbon. We can handle the bureaucratic side of the process and get your application submitted to the government before its too late. Today, Portugal is home to between 5,000 and 6,000 Jews with the majority in Lisbon and Porto, whose communities have around 500 formal members each. ECONOMIC KITCHEN (COZINHA ECONMICA): founded in 1899 it played, just like the Hebrew Hospital, a crucial role during the 2nd World War. You can either apply yourself or use a specialist service who will help you with the application and make sure that you have all the necessary documents. These returning Jews originally worshipped in their homes. 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. I couldnt dealt with my situation without their professionalism and effectiveness. Tribunals were set up in a number of towns in Portugal, but also in the kingdoms overseas possessions, namely Brazil, Goa and Cape Verde. Obviously, this is a blight on Portugals past and one that, since 2015, Portugal is trying to atone for by providing those with Sephardic Jewish backgrounds the right to citizenship through a law of return. This document indicates that the Portuguese Jewish community recognizes the individual as having Portuguese heritage. It is the main synagogue of the . The majority of Jews are scattered throughout Portugal and not affiliated with religious communities. Only three of them will be mentioned: SOMEJ-NOPHLIM(Amparo dos Pobres): Created in 1865 by Simo Anahory with the purpose of helping the poor. At that point, he decided to investigate further. Ultimately, your goal is to put together clear evidence that you have Sephardic Jewish heritage. Learn how your comment data is processed. Some even erroneously think that having obtain a recommendation letter, they already have citizenship. Genealogical According to the Conservatria dos Registos Centrais the certificates issued by the Jewish communities must be followed by the applicants genealogical tree. I want to know that I hire good attorneys that know what they are doing. For example, duringpassover, his family would always eat rice, something that is very specific to Sephardic Jews. Such is the case of Conqui (from Cuenca, Cuenca Province) or Cardoso (from Cardoso, district of Viseu). Mr. Joshua Pex is knowledgeable and Professional. Hes so confident in his language abilities that whenever he spoke to his lawyer in Lisbon, he did so in Portuguese. 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). Working almost single-handedly, he organised . 30-A/2015 and 26/2022, which amended DL 237-A/2006. Those who wish to apply for a Sephardic heritage certificate can apply online at . But you will not be able to request a passport with a letter from the Jewish Community alone. The entire team is very friendly and responsive. They deserve more then 5 stars!! Is a Jewish community certificate enough for Portuguese citizenship? The 1826 Constitutional Charter recognized only Catholicism as the religion allowed to Portuguese citizens, being the other cults only permitted to foreigners. The outbreak of 2nd World War, the neutrality policy that Portugal followed under the alliance with England and the granting of transit visas to close to one hundred thousand refugees, lead to an influx of tens of thousands of Jews to Portugal. 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. We highly recommend Adv. They are doing outstanding work. 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. I'm super glad of choosing Joshua Pex of Law office for immigration solution, lawyers to advise in my case, to me, it is remarkable. It will be sufficient to submit one of the following: Certificate from a Sephardic Community. Jewish Community of Lisbon Tel: +351 213 931 130; sephardi.naturalization@comunidadeisraelitalisboa.org; www.cilisboa.org. In the past, obtaining citizenship this way was simply a case of tracing your family tree back to your Sephardic ancestors. You Are Here: unblocked sticky ninja east london walking tour self guided jewish community lisbon certificate. 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. Many thanks in advance! 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. End your trip with walking tours in the cities of Porto and Lisbon . Less practical but more sentimental is the birth certificate that the Portuguese government issues you. Since submitting his application, he has been able to trace the family tree back to Amsterdam and even back to Portugal. My aunt is really jealous. Request a Resident Certificate. 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. 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. Spouses may apply later for citizenship through the Portuguese Central Registry Office, not under this law amendment or its provisions but as any foreign spouse of a Portuguese citizen. Certificate to Prove Portuguese Sephardic Ancestry and Tradition. . Photos: Oded Kaizerman/Anash.org. The political opening of the post-April revolution and of the borders, with the entry of Portugal in the European Union, has provided the arrival to our country of Jewish Citizens from different countries, from Europe and Brazil. 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. 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). Since March 2015, several thousands of foreign citizens were granted Portuguese nationality under this law amendment and only a very small number were refused, mostly due to legal and technical reasons or lack of documentation. 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. Site Powered By SiteBuilderAvenue.com Bar Mitzvah Certificate 10-pack. Donations. 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. 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. I highly recommend! Exclusive and specialized guide/driver. Full passport copy certified by a Portuguese Consulate or apostilled 3. 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.. 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. Power of attorney 4. The team at Decker, Pex, Ofir & Co have been awesome to work with in helping our US company establish banking in Israel and in providing counsel for legal needs in Israel. I can highly recommend these services! Highly recommend. They really care about helping their customers without any other interest Jonah personally has helped five people in these groups with their applications. We were very satisfied with the service of Nehama. - March 1, 2023. That is not the case. 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. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. 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. 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. Not included. 2. Construction of the Shaar Tikv Synagogue. If you have one of these letters, but have not gone further than that, reach out to us now. 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. A birth certificate (including name and parents name, proof of name changes when applicable, place and date of birth). Consequently, they are often referred to as Portuguese Jews or Jews of the Portuguese Nation. Go to the Junta da Freguesia. Petition to one of the Jewish Communities (Lisbon or Porto) is just the first stage of the process. 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. In 1860, a synagogue was built in Faro. We request that you complete this DIGITAL FORM in order to facilitate and speed up the process of identification and *pre-analysis (non-binding) of the process submitted by the applicant. Hi James, Thank you for your guidance and support. 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 family tree should be as complete as possible, based in the submitted documentation. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 150 Menachem Begin st., Tel Aviv, 6492105, Israel, Tel: (+972)3-3724722, Fax: (+972)774702790. Do I have to reside in Portugal? . Personal family name, records and documents (including image, video and audio) of family ceremonies,weddings, burials, registration at Jewish communities, birth certificates, property deeds, bibliography and book quotes, copies of inquisition archives and alike. The Shaar-Tikv synagogue celebrates 100 years, see here. 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. Then, the Jews were still considered a foreign colony, and the community had not yet been given legal existence. Visit to Shaar Tikva, the synagogue of Lisbon. Administration staff to answer all questions, receive and perform a pre-check of the documentation. The smaller Jewish communities of Lisbon and Porto are the only organizations that can approve applications, which must show ties to one of them. 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. All the above may be presented in Portuguese, Spanish, French or English. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Public liability and personal accidents insurance. Can you suggest any genealogist and lawyers we can use? It is so difficult to get straight answers from the Misrad Hapnim, but you guys are straight shooters. It was the best decision choosing you as my lawyer. 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? The official recognition of the community and the construction of the synagogue brought a new impulse to the community life in Lisbon. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. There are 7 steps involved, and you will be able to see what stage your application is at. Hotel pickup offered Mobile ticket 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. 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. My grandmothers family was Jewish and we knew about the Jewish background, but she was not religious. For Jonah, the process went a lot faster. The Inquisition focused its attention on New Christians and crypto-Jews.