Jewish Portugal: A History with Tiago Neiva

Trace Portugal’s Jewish history over centuries with a local Portuguese expert, from the settlement of Sephardic Jews to the expulsion of Jews from Portugal.

In this conversation, we will discuss the history of Jews in Portugal, a compelling and fascinating story spanning nearly 1000 years of history. We’ll begin by discussing the first arrival of Jews in Portugal with the settlement of Sephardic Jews. We’ll focus on the narrative of these earlier years and the historical narrative from the 12th to 16th centuries. We’ll concentrate on their cultural, economic, and social dimensions during this first section of our conversation.

We’ll move onto discussing Jewish Communities and Judiarias (Jewish quarters), using Medieval Lisbon as a first-hand example to demonstrate this particular topic. We’ll conclude our online conversation by learning about the tragedies of the Iberian kingdoms, with a focus in Portugal. We’ll learn about pogroms, expulsions, and even forced conversions into Christianity. We’ll finish with learning about the legacy of this important community in contemporary Lisbon today.

This seminar leaves you with a profound understanding of what it was, and is, to be Jewish in Portugal. There is time at the end to ask further questions on the subject.

Tiago Miranda Neiva was born and raised in Lisbon. For several years he was Professor of Arts and Art History, having a Master's degree in Teaching of Visual Arts. He is currently working towards a PhD focused on the Art and Architecture of al-Andalus: the confluence between the Arab, Jewish and Christian medieval world. In recent years he has been working as a tour guide in his hometown, seeking to show and reveal its most intimate secrets through an authentic and passionate local vision.

This conversation is suitable for all ages

90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.