^{The European Day of Jewish Culture, 2026. Credit: CIP/CJP}

The European Day of Jewish Culture kicked off its continent-wide festivities under the central theme of "Ahavah", spanning across more than two dozen countries. The official pan-European opening ceremony took place in Warsaw, Poland, opening physical and metaphorical doors to Jewish museums, synagogues, and heritage sites through November.

In Porto, the day has evolved into what is widely considered the most complete event of its kind on the entire continent. Driven by a remarkable community revival, Porto’s celebration stands out because it offers an all-encompassing, immersive experience spanning a massive network of institutions—all entirely free to the public for this specific day.

^{The European Day of Jewish Culture, 2026. Credit: CIP/CJP}

The Jewish and Holocaust museums in Porto usually stay closed to the general public for security reasons, but they open on the European Day of Jewish Culture (the first Sunday of September) as a special exception to share Jewish history and heritage with the community. Normally, the museums are restricted to school groups and the Jewish community because authorities have not provided dedicated police security for the venue. The museums and the Kadoorie Mekor Haim Synagogue open their doors to the broader public exclusively on this annual European celebration day.

^{The European Day of Jewish Culture, 2026. Credit: CIP/CJP}

Today, the Porto Jewish community also opened the gates of the magnificent Kadoorie Mekor Haim Synagogue, the largest synagogue on the Iberian Peninsula. Visitors explored the gardens, the main prayer hall, and the library with ten thousand books. A central highlight was an exhibition of 20 large-scale paintings detailing the millenary history of Porto's Jewish community, curated by Sephardic artist Flor Mizhahi. The day culminated in the main prayer room with a public performance by the Mekor Haim male choir singing traditional liturgical melodies.

^{The European Day of Jewish Culture, 2026. Credit: CIP/CJP}

Opening on this day supports the Jewish Community of Oporto in its mission to promote tolerance, teach local Jewish history, and combat antisemitism. Jews were an integral part of Portugal's history from its founding in 1143 because they provided vital economic, scientific, and administrative support to the early kings and society.Long before and during the birth of the nation, Jewish communities lived alongside Christians and Muslims. Portuguese kings welcomed them because their skills helped build and run the new country.

^{The European Day of Jewish Culture, 2026. Credit: CIP/CJP}

Coordinated by the European Association for the Preservation and Promotion of Jewish Culture and Heritage (AEPJ) alongside the European Commission, the continent-wide initiative opened the doors to scores of synagogues, historic Jewish quarters, and museums to replace prejudice with understanding. From themed tours in Italy (like Ferrara’s "Love is in the Meis" exhibit) to Yiddish language workshops in Germany, the day successfully celebrated Jewish cultural history while fostering interfaith dialogue.

^{The European Day of Jewish Culture, 2026. Credit: CIP/CJP}

The European Day of Jewish Culture is a direct operational pillar supporting the EU Strategy on Combating Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life (2021–2030). This strategy is built on moving past just protecting Jews from hatred toward actively fostering an environment where Jewish culture is a highly visible, celebrated part of European public life.