The Israeli Ambassador to Portugal, Dor Shapira, visited Sahar Hassamaim Synagogue, the only synagogue in Ponta Delgada. Founded in 1836 by Moroccan Jews who settled on the Island of São Miguel in the Azores, the synagogue ceased being used in the mid-20th century. At the start of the 21st century it underwent refurbishment and reopened in 2015 as a museum, thus contributing to the preservation of Jewish memory on the island.
"At a time when antisemitism is on the rise, it is vital to educate the young generation about Judaism and tolerance”, said the Ambassador.
The museum is divided into four parts: the Mikvah, former site of the ritual baths; the Space of Memories, recounting the history of the Jews in the Azores; the Room of Memories, presenting the history of the Albo sisters (daughters of the synagogue’s last rabbi and themselves the last people to reside in the building) and the temple’s period of decline; and the Sahar Hassamaim Synagogue, with its collection.
