Closed on Shabbat, Jewish Holidays and Portuguese Bank Holidays. 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. I know that my son can qualify for Portuguese Citizenship because all our ancestors are Sephardic and spoke Ladino. 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. 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. Do I have to speak Portuguese? [More Info]. Certified Document Proving Sephardic Jewish Heritage Portuguese authorities will accept proof of Sephardic Jewish heritage if one obtains a certificate from the Portuguese Jewish community in either Porto or Lisbon. 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. FR | DE | ES. 8 hours - Shore private tour - from 299 for 2 people. 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. Slanting white walls intersected by blue forms mark the exterior of a 2.5-story building designed by Studio Libeskind, led by Daniel Libeksind, for Lisbon's upcoming Jewish Museum. Just found your page and it is fantastic! Hi James, The project, called Tikvah (Hebrew for "hope"),consists of a 41,645-square-foot structure created in collaboration with local architect Miguel . 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. You showed me from your experience how it can be done differently. 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. Aiming to give their clients the advice possible regarding the normative and the law of Israel. We so much appreciate Mikes representation of us. The first step to apply for a certificate of residence in Portugal is, as often, to go to the Junta da Freguesia, in other words, the Borough Hall closest to your home. How long does it take? 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. Did anyone get the Portuguese nationality yet? Public liability and personal accidents insurance. 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. Lisbon prosecutors and police searched Oporto's synagogue, the Jewish Museum and the houses of Jewish leaders. Many have received their letter from the Jewish Community, but have not gone through the legal hurdles of processing their application for citizenship. When finished, be sure to indicate the link for your transfer in the field below. b. Click on "Places within Portugal, Lisboa" and a list of towns and cities will open. Get the book Moving to Portugal Made Simple on Amazon now. His partners and employees are very blessed to work with him. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. He has helped our family with many battles over the years. B-Mitzvah Gender Neutral Certificate 5-pack. Hes so confident in his language abilities that whenever he spoke to his lawyer in Lisbon, he did so in Portuguese. Your place of birth and all of your other details wont change, but the fact that this is issued by the Portuguese government is a symbol of your heritage once again returning to you. The majority of Jews are scattered throughout Portugal and not affiliated with religious communities. In 1904 the Shaare Tikvah (Gates of Hope) Synagogue, still in use today, opened in Lisbon. 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. Documents from when your ancestors arrived in their current country. Can you suggest any genealogist and lawyers we can use? The city of Lisbon grew with three Jewish quarters and at one point, five synagogues. I highly recommend! The small print: Portugalist may generate a commission from mentioned products or services. Jonah personally has helped five people in these groups with their applications. James Cave / Last Updated: June 10, 2020 / Posted in: Sephardic Jewish Heritage? 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. It was the best decision choosing you as my lawyer. Since submitting his application, he has been able to trace the family tree back to Amsterdam and even back to Portugal. Poised to leave Nazi-occupied Europe for the free world, an entry in the Rebbe's private journal reveals how he drew on his past to chart a dual vision for the future. All the above may be presented in Portuguese, Spanish, French or English. No. 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. Critics of schemes like this suggest that, while it may help Portugal right a historical wrong (somewhat), it doesnt necessarily help Portugal advance. I couldnt dealt with my situation without their professionalism and effectiveness. He was also able to find letters between old family members, one of which contained a hand-drawn family tree. It will be sufficient to submit one of the following: Certificate from a Sephardic Community. 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. Do I have to reside in Portugal? Its headquarters are on Avenida Alexandre Herculano, no.59 in Lisbon, where the synagogue Shaar Tikvah (Gates of Hope) is located. But you will not be able to request a passport with a letter from the Jewish Community alone. 2. if possible, could you by chance share the names of one or two reliable laywers in Portugal? 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. A Committee of Experts in Jewish Sephardic genealogy and the historical routes of the Jewish Iberian Diaspora to evaluate the provided means of proof. Explained the bad clauses in the contract, and their possible consequences. While some people will have inherited property in Portugal and others may have visited Portugal throughout their lives, the vast majority of those with Sephardic routes living in other countries are unlikely to have these ties to Portugal. The Inquisition focused its attention on New Christians and crypto-Jews. While Trevors great great grandmother used the surname De Pinna, generations prior to that used De Pina, Pina, or just Sarfati. They said that the Portuguese Government had not responded to their request for clarification on citizenship for people of Sephardic ancestry. We reiterate the importance of using this model in order to simplify the analysis. I've got Austrian citizenship in 4 months for all family members which consists of 12 people! I need to see if you can recommend a reliable attorney. You may obtain further and accurate information at the nearest Portuguese Consulate. 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. We heard of Advocate Pex through a friend of a friend. 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. A valid and specific power of attorney (when not presented by the applicant himself). The support to the refugees of World War II. Important Jewish communities settled in this region and contributed to the flourishing of Its trade and culture. That is not the case. 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. Consequently, they are often referred to as Portuguese Jews or Jews of the Portuguese Nation. JDC is the leading global Jewish humanitarian organization. Links to external websites do not constitute an endorsement. I am excited to move to Lisbon next year. After all, they were fleeing Portugal and Spain so its unlikely they would have wanted to maintain a tie to it. Both communities have records from the time and will be able to verify whether you are, in fact, of Sephardic heritage. Married to a Portuguese Citizen? 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. These institutions played a crucial role in the unity and organization of the Portuguese Judaism. If you need to solve any complicated legal issue in Israel, don't hesitate to contact them. 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). These documents include a birth certificate, a copy of a valid passport, and a criminal background check. Neither the passport nor the birth certificate mention your Jewish identity nor the avenue by which you were able to get it: its exactly the same as any non-Jewish Portuguese persons passport.