Within the framework of work meetings in the city of Oporto for two days, the Ambassador of Israel, Dor Shapira, visited the Jewish Museum of the city located at Rua de Guerra Junqueiro 325, in front of the Kadoorie Mekor Haim Synagogue.
It was a special moment for Dor Shapira to visit the strongest Jewish organization in Europe in terms of religion, culture and education. The diplomat has been visiting Jewish communities across the country to contribute to their growth and success. Oporto's Jewish community is an inspiration for the development of other undernourished communities of practically everything.
In addition to the Jewish Museum showing four millennia of history from the time of Abraham, there is also a new attraction, a room opened in June 2022, on modern anti-Semitism, where the Community exposes a Soviet conspiracy that recently took place in Portugal. Success in terms of promoting traditional Judaism and Jewish culture sometimes comes at too high a price.
In that room are displayed objects and documents, as well as a letter from the President of Israel Isaac Herzog who openly sympathizes with the community for all that it was forced to suffer. “How painful the sense of isolation, difference, and vulnerability can be for Jewish communities around the world”, he wrote.
The ambassador Dor Shapira and Community Directorate represented at the meeting by six board members and its chairman Gabriel Senderowicz agreed that anti-Semitism is on the rise across the world.
One of the Community's projects to combat this scourge is the film "1618" (about the inquisition in Oporto) which is the most internationally awarded film ever in the history of Portugal.
Airlines from Arab countries have purchased the rights to screen the film 1618. Among the airlines that have acquired the rights and will screen the film to their passengers are Qatar Airways, Iraqi Airways, Kuwait Airways, Egyptair, Middle East Airlines (the Lebanese airline) Syrian Airlines and others.
With regard to the Holocaust Museum, which welcomes around 40,000 children a year, who do not pay admission, the ambassador was informed that a lot of them arrive at the Museum sad and starving, as they only eat one meal a day at school. There have been cases of children fainting from hunger inside the museum. That is why the community has food and chocolates available at the Museum.
The Community Directorate informed the ambassador that it is interested in helping the embassy in whatever it needs to defend the people and the State of Israel. The meeting took place before dinner and ended with a lechaim (a toast) made with Port wine.
