Jewish Quarters?

[ShoshTrvls]

I have traveled around Spain quite a bit and, being Jewish, have appreciated finding old Jewish Quarters in many cities and towns. Besides Leon, are there any others on/not far off the Camino Frances?

 

[Bradypus]

There is a fairly new Jewish history centre in a village near Castrojeriz which was the site of a Jewish settlement and where archaeologists have uncovered evidence of the community there.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/sephardic-jewish-memorial-centre-opens-near-castrojeriz.77559/

 

[mspath]

Check out this earlier thread which contains useful posts re Reminders for Jewish Brethren on the Camino .

After Burgos and Castrojeriz on the Camino Frances as you climb the Alto de Mostelares; you will see widely; to the east the path taken from Castrojeriz and to the west the path to take. Looking north you might glimpse the location of Mota de los Judios, a "lost" 13th c Jewish settlement recently excavated. Archeological finds from the site were published 2018 in this illustrated scholarly overview. The bibliigraphy would be useful for further research.

Another useful publication is
The Cultural Guide to Jewish Europe -

Happy reading and Carpe diem.

 

[Laurie Sanantone]

Hi@ShoshTrvls, Segovia is not on the Frances, but it’s a short trip from Madrid, and the former synagogue (possibly built around 1410) is now the Church of the Corpus Christi convent. It’s part of the Jewish Quarter which I understand includes a museum and educational center. The church was closed the day I was there.

As for the Frances, I believe you’ll also find information on Burgos and Castrojeriz, per this link:

Some cities in Burgos(Spain) develop a sephardic itenerary in the province - JewishToledo and JewishSegovia

http://www.lavanguardia.com/ocio/viajes/20170204/414004766309/pueblos-de-burgos-impulsan-un-itinerario-cultural-sefardi-en-la-provincia.html The Burgos municipality of Castrillo Mota de Judíos, which in 2015 got rid of its surname ‘matajudíos’, promotes a project to create a Sephardic cultural...

jewishsegovia.com

Buen Camino!

 

[ShoshTrvls]

Hi@ShoshTrvls, Segovia is not on the Frances, but it’s a short trip from Madrid, and the former synagogue (possibly built around 1410) is now the Church of the Corpus Christi convent. It’s part of the Jewish Quarter which I understand includes a museum and educational center. The church was closed the day I was there.

As for the Frances, I believe you’ll also find information on Burgos and Castrojeriz, per this link:

Some cities in Burgos(Spain) develop a sephardic itenerary in the province - JewishToledo and JewishSegovia

http://www.lavanguardia.com/ocio/viajes/20170204/414004766309/pueblos-de-burgos-impulsan-un-itinerario-cultural-sefardi-en-la-provincia.html The Burgos municipality of Castrillo Mota de Judíos, which in 2015 got rid of its surname ‘matajudíos’, promotes a project to create a Sephardic cultural...

jewishsegovia.com

Buen Camino!

Thanks - I’ve been to Segovia several times. It and Toledo both have wonderful Jewish Quarters.

Fun fact - there’s a small judaica store in Segovia’s Jewish Quarter where, if you ask, the proprietor will show you the old mikvah in the shop’s basement.

 

[J Willhaus]

Almost every town had an area like this. I remember references in Estella and Belrado even on historical markers.

 

[WalkingInGers]

Toledo is a place to visit especially from the Sephardic point of view.

 

[lt56ny]

As

I have traveled around Spain quite a bit and, being Jewish, have appreciated finding old Jewish Quarters in many cities and towns. Besides Leon, are there any others on/not far off the Camino Frances?

Toledo is a place to visit especially from the Sephardic point of view.

As a quarter Sephardic/quarter Syrian/Half Ashkenazi Jew, (I guess I have alot of the bases covered haha) I too am always interested in discovering the Jewish quarters whenever I am in Europe and on the camino. I remember being in Tomar and seeing a sign for a Jewish quarter and synagogue but could never find it. I can say after my first camino 11 years ago I flew in and out of Barcelona and when I was done I had almost a week in Barcelona before my flight home. I went by the tourist office and there was a tour in English of the Jewish Quarter in Barcelona. It was really interesting. I had walked through the quarter the day before and saw a couple of Mezuzahs on doors but that was about it. Going with the tour guide and with eyes much wider thanks to her you could see the history of Jews in Barcelona everywhere. There were things carved into walls and on sidewalks. Faded signs on corners or walls. It was a really informative, fun and at times, of course knowing our history very sad day. One really great thing was that there were about 12 people on the tour and I was the only Jewish person. It was so good to see that there were so many people interested in learning about Jewish history in Barcelona. I hope others will add spots on all the different caminos for all of us to look for to learn more.

 

[jungleboy]

I remember being in Tomar and seeing a sign for a Jewish quarter and synagogue but could never find it.

A photo of the Tomar synagogue from one of my visits there:

 

[Carl Remarx]

When I’m León, walk to Calle Alcázar de Toledo,12. There’s an old, empty, beautifully run-down Jewish building complex there. It’s been for sale off and on for a decade or more. Trees growing wild in the courtyard.

 

[Carl Remarx]

When in León…

 

[Pelegrin]

When I’m León, walk to Calle Alcázar de Toledo,12. There’s an old, empty, beautifully run-down Jewish building complex there. It’s been for sale off and on for a decade or more. Trees growing wild in the courtyard.
View attachment 151145

Why this building is jewish?. I read on internet that it is neomudejar from the 19th century, but only that.

 

[Carl Remarx]

The profusion of six-pointed stars adorning the building seem compelling to me. Not for you?

 

[David Tallan]

Keep an eye for a bronze symbol that looks like this in the pavement:


It is used across Spain to mark areas of Jewish interest. On Caminos, you might see it when you are looking for this:

 

[simoncooper99]

I have traveled around Spain quite a bit and, being Jewish, have appreciated finding old Jewish Quarters in many cities and towns. Besides Leon, are there any others on/not far off the Camino Frances?

When I was in Belorado, the town's infomatiion boards mentioned the estaishment of a Jewish neighbourhood (el corro) below tte castle.

Barrio "El Corro"

Portal de turismo de Bureba y sus valles; Ríos Oca, Tirón y Ubierna, Zona del Ebro y Treviño

www.belorado.org

 

[pelerine]

Sevilla has a Jewish quarter. Don’t think it was marked as such. But somehow I was intrigued(?) by all the narrow streets in this quarter having names of saints, Santa this or that, until I came across a sort of Jewish centre/museum which explained the history of the expulsion(?) of jews and my suspicions were confirmed.

 

[SabsP]

Sevilla has a Jewish quarter. Don’t think it was marked as such. But somehow I was intrigued(?) by all the narrow streets in this quarter having names of saints, Santa this or that, until I came across a sort of Jewish centre/museum which explained the history of the expulsion(?) of jews and my suspicions were confirmed.

Indeed.

La antigua judería de Sevilla | Tu guía de Sevilla

Hablamos hoy de la antigua judería de Sevilla, la segunda en tamaño de Sefarad y de los restos que aún quedan visibles de su muralla.

tuguiadesevilla.com

 

[pelerine]

Thank you for the link!

 

[WalkingInGers]

As


As a quarter Sephardic/quarter Syrian/Half Ashkenazi Jew, (I guess I have alot of the bases covered haha) I too am always interested in discovering the Jewish quarters whenever I am in Europe and on the camino. I remember being in Tomar and seeing a sign for a Jewish quarter and synagogue but could never find it. I can say after my first camino 11 years ago I flew in and out of Barcelona and when I was done I had almost a week in Barcelona before my flight home. I went by the tourist office and there was a tour in English of the Jewish Quarter in Barcelona. It was really interesting. I had walked through the quarter the day before and saw a couple of Mezuzahs on doors but that was about it. Going with the tour guide and with eyes much wider thanks to her you could see the history of Jews in Barcelona everywhere. There were things carved into walls and on sidewalks. Faded signs on corners or walls. It was a really informative, fun and at times, of course knowing our history very sad day. One really great thing was that there were about 12 people on the tour and I was the only Jewish person. It was so good to see that there were so many people interested in learning about Jewish history in Barcelona. I hope others will add spots on all the different caminos for all of us to look for to learn more.

Tomar, in Portugal…yes..

 

[PilgrimPillar]

I have traveled around Spain quite a bit and, being Jewish, have appreciated finding old Jewish Quarters in many cities and towns. Besides Leon, are there any others on/not far off the Camino Frances?

Most intact I believe is located in old center of Sevilla….Inclosed gateways and curfew on daily basis….?…..how was that accepted…??

Ultreia!

 

[Kgaynor]

Keep an eye for a bronze symbol that looks like this in the pavement:
View attachment 151148

It is used across Spain to mark areas of Jewish interest. On Caminos, you might see it when you are looking for this:
View attachment 151149

Thanks for posting these. I saw several of them on my walk and got super excited. I found being Jewish on a Catholic pilgrimage to be an interesting space to be in.

 

[OLDBIKERIDER]

As you walk up the hill into Astorga and reach the Albergue Siervas de María, if you look ahead past the statute of the man with a suitcase on his back you will see an archway into a garden. That is the Jardín de La Sinagoga. There is not much more than the name to link it to the Jewish community that once thrived in this city, but it’s a beautiful place to take a break along the Roman Wall and look out in all directions.

 

[Pelegrin]

The profusion of six-pointed stars adorning the building seem compelling to me. Not for you?

I think that building was never a sinagoga or a yeshivá. During the 19th century there wasn't really religious freedom in Spain and now there isn't any sinagoga in Leon. That building is going to be a clinic.

 

[CWBuff]

As already mentioned on couple of threads above - Belorado and Barcelona (although not on CF) definitely comes to mind.

 

[ShoshTrvls]

Thank you all, particularly @mspath (as always) and @David Tallan - in all my travels around Spain I had never noticed the marker and will now keep my eyes open for them.

 

[Pelegrin]

The most important Jewish quarter in Galicia was in Ribadavia. In 1386 half of people in town were Jewish ( around 1500). Most of them had to do with the Ribeiro wine trade. This year the Duke of Lancaster with English troops occupied the town to take control of the trade wine. They stayed there for nine months with a strong opposition of the locals, especially the Jewish who suffered the destruction of their quarter.

 

[Tali]

I too keep my eyes out for our Jewish heritage along the Camino. Here is what I’ve found that has not yet been fully mentioned:

Estella - as you walk into town, on the outskirts, are signs with references to the towns Jewish history. That area was the Jewish Quarter.

Belarado - (2 days walk before Burgos) has a Jewish Quarter. The town clearly put effort into signing buildings and the neighborhood in the past couple years. It is just to the left of the Camino in the old town. About 2 blocks in all.

Villarmentero de Campos - half way between Fromista and Carion. Only things there are a ton of sheep and a municipal Albergue - and Casona Doña Petra (lacasonadepetra.com/casona.html) a casa rural. If you go to the third floor, there is a small landing with windows, wood furniture, and a historical binder that tells you that there are Hebrew writings found on the building walls. There were opaque windows in the floor where I imagined a Mikva used to be.

Santiago de Compostela - and don’t miss the tiniest of streets Rua de Xerusalén, close to Plaza Cervantes. This street marks an ancient Jewish presence in SdC. I’ve read that there are marks of what used to be a synagogue on the church at the end of the street. Alas, I’ve never seen it.

Camino tov.

 

[peregrina2000]

The most important Jewish quarter in Galicia was in Ribadavia. In 1386 half of people in town were Jewish ( around 1500). Most of them had to do with the Ribeiro wine trade.

Ribadavia is on the Caminho da Geira e dos Arrieiros. If you walk that route, you can start in Salamanca on the Torres (which hooks up with the Geira in Braga) and then you will have a chance to visit Trancoso, which had a very important Jewish quarter and one very famous narive Jewish son. The main street of the quarter still shows original carvings on the doorways where people carved crosses to convince the inquisitors that they had converted. Its native son, Isaac Cardoso, became physician of the royal court of Madrid, and there is now a center/museum in his name.

I know the OP was asking about the Camino Francés, so I hope you forgive the tangent, but there is a lot of rediscovery of an important segment of the past and the people of Trancoso are very proud to showcase it.

 

[Pelegrin]

Ribadavia is on the Caminho da Geira e dos Arrieiros. If you walk that route, you can start in Salamanca on the Torres (which hooks up with the Geira in Braga) and then you will have a chance to visit Trancoso, which had a very important Jewish quarter and one very famous narive Jewish son. The main street of the quarter still shows original carvings on the doorways where people carved crosses to convince the inquisitors that they had converted. Its native son, Isaac Cardoso, became physician of the royal court of Madrid, and there is now a center/museum in his name.

I know the OP was asking about the Camino Francés, so I hope you forgive the tangent, but there is a lot of rediscovery of an important segment of the past and the people of Trancoso are very proud to showcase it.

I read on internet that Belmonte ( Portugal) is on Caminho Via da Estrela.
Belmonte is the only place in Spain and Portugal where some people kept (in secret) till now some Jewish rituals like lighting candles in Shabbat and some prayers with the name of God in Hebrew. In 1996 was built the synagogue Beit Eliyahu.