Jewish Lisboa to Discover on Foot

From the historical palimpsest that is Lisbon, Green Trekker chose for the 22^nd the Jewish presence in the city

 

 

This is not the best page of our history, but after all, what European nation can say that it has always been unconditionally sympathetic to the Jews? Okay, okay, there's Northern Europe, but by the time they shelter them, the reasons were certainly not just humanitarian.

 

On the 22^nd, Green Trekker proposes a walk through Lisbon to tell these and other happier episodes of the Jewish presence in the capital. The Green Trekker is a company that organizes trips and tours, a little throughout the country, which it calls "adventure and hiking", where the stroll speed is the ideal to absorb everything around.

 

 

The walk on the 22^nd will reveal everything Lisbon has to say about the interaction between Jews and Lisbon locals, a relationship of so many centuries, especially the period during the Middle Ages and the time of the Discoveries. As the Green Trakkers pamphlet tells us, "in the meanders of political life, in shipyards and on the streets dedicated to commerce, the Jewish people have always been present.”

 

 

The tour invites you to discover the life, traditions and places where the Jews of Lisbon have left their mark. The Jewry, synagogues and daily life of the Jews in Lisbon are the stories with which Green Trekkers will tempt us on the 22^nd, over a journey back in time, taking us so easily to times of splendour and glory as to those of intolerance and injustice. 

 

 

The promenade, which starts at 10h00 at Terreiro do Paço and ends at around 13h30 in Rossio - the most relevant spatial marks for Jewish misfortune in Lisbon - will pass through places that recalls both peace and bad memories of the Lisbon Jews.

 

The guide appointed for this tour is Inês Ribeiro, who says about herself to have "a heart loyal to Roman Archeology" and, as a truly Lisbon local, also have become expert in tours about the Lisbon Saints and Women. She also says "walking with me is an experience fulfilled with sympathy and love for this city where I was born and raised!”

 

 

The trip has a difficulty low degree, that is, you can take your great-grandmother with you if you want, and it costs 15 euros per person. You can, and should, sign up here, and this price includes Personal Accident and Liability insurance. For its implementation there will have to be more than 10 participants (I believe this number has already exceeded) and as always, bring comfortable shoes and, from what we have seen, rain hat or cape, this summer has been, at least, timid.

 

For all that my nation has done to the Jews, I João, humbly ask for pardon. But for the sake of 'ecumenism', I also hope that whatever the Jews have done wrong to others, do correspondingly apologize. "Shalom Aleichem!"? 

 

Pictures courtesy from organization.