Porto’s central synagogue and its affiliated Jewish museums have been deeply committed to educating young Portuguese people for years.Managed by the Jewish Community of Oporto, the Kadoorie Mekor Haim Synagogue, the Jewish Museum of Porto, and the Holocaust Museum of Porto work together on a massive, unified educational strategy. This initiative represents the largest educational outreach programs on Jewish history in Europe.
Portugal's history is impressive and foundational to the modern world, yet it is often unfairly overshadowed in mainstream global history. It spans from the early Christian Reconquista and its birth as an independent kingdom in 1143, to pioneering the Age of Discovery and managing the world's first truly Global Empire.
Even today, Portugal is widely considered one of the most beautiful countries in the world. It boasts a spectacular blend of dramatic coastlines, historic architecture, and diverse landscapes, earning global praise for its natural wonders and cultural heritage.
The country was primarily built by its early Christian monarchs, nobility, military orders, and the Jews. Jewish communities were crucial to the intellectual, financial, and diplomatic foundation of the state. They played a vital role in early public administration, foreign diplomacy, and the scientific advancements that later fueled the Portuguese Age of Discovery.
"Open Door" for Communists and Brotherhood
Neither communists nor the Muslim Brotherhood were involved, as they belong to entirely different historical and political eras. Communism emerged in the 19th century. The Muslim Brotherhood is a contemporary Islamist political organization founded in the 20th century in Egypt. Both have no historical ties to the formation or development of Portugal.
In modern times, someone who had a strong connection to Portugal was the Portuguese Dreyfus, who fought in the trenches in the First World War and later officially founded the Jewish Community of Porto, today the world leader in the promotion of Jewish culture.
