Jewish Heritage: Portugal and Spain

Discovering Covilhã:
Visiting Covilhã in Portugal gives us a blend of feelings. Walking through its winding alleys seems to make us go back in time and, with no overtastement, we can even imagine what life and the inhabitants of that place would be like.

The Jewish Community in Covilhã started in the century XII and until its dilution the largest and most important community in the Serra da Estrela region and one of the largest and strongest in Portugal.

Even today, we can recognize architectural features in their houses, such as doors and windows of different dimensions, narrow streets that follow the natural slope of the slope, transforming themselves into real walls.

In the century.XX the 3rd Jewish Community was re-established in Covilhã (1929) where, according to records, 6000 Crypto-Jews lived, as well as the Jews who preserved and practiced their Faith in Secret are called. A Synagogue was built, the "Shaarei Cabala" but this period was ended by the implantation of the Dictatorship in 1932.

Link: https://www.ilanakreimer.com/post/descobrindo-portugal-covilhã

knowing the ethnicities

The Ethnic Experience is the meeting with “another person”. Meet Druses, Bedouins, Muslims, Christians and other groups with unique Traditions and Cultures who live in Israel. During our Excursions we will visit the Villages and get to know the People and their Religion, their History and Traditions. Let's taste their cuisine, visit their neighborhoods and make new friends. The following is a Selection of Tours and Activities you can consider while traveling to Israel:

– Traditional Arabic Cuisine Workshop: we organize workshops in local homes, guided by local citizens. Buy the product at the local market and cook traditional food with your hosts.

– Visit local Churches and Makem (religious places), stroll through Historic Villages while visiting Traditional Houses and meet Families (Hospitality).

– Traditional Dance and Music Workshop in the village: Debka Typical Dance and its Traditional Darbuka and Udd Instruments.

– Take part in the Olive Harvest and Festival, getting to know the importance of Olives for the Community.

1. Druses and Christians in Galilee
2. Druses and Christians in Galilee: Tarshicha-Hurfeish-Bet Jann
3. Druze and Muslim Arabs
4. Bahai and Circassians in the North
5. Jewish ethnicities

1. Druses and Christians in Galilee

The tour starts in the village of Rame, where we meet our local guide. We will travel towards the village of Kfar Beit Jann. On our way we observed the Makem of Bhaaldin (Drusus). We continue to the heart of the old village, its narrow streets and its old houses. We will visit a Druze House of Prayer and then hear about its people today, their traditions and their beliefs. We will end our visit by visiting the Davor Visitation Center, a local cosmetics factory. After lunch we will continue our journey to “Gush Chalav”, a Christian village, which will give us a historical overview of the Maronite Catholic Church, the similarities between Hebrew and Aramaic and we will hear about the Aramaic Language Revitalization Project in the world and in the country. We will walk through the alleys between the houses, churches and tombs of the city.

*Instead of “Gush Chalav” we can visit Pekiin Village, Cave of Eleazar, son of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yohai, Village Fountain and Local Synagogue.

*Vegetarian meal included in the price (stuffed grape leaves, rice with lentils, typical bread, salads and seasonal fruits).

2. Druses and Christians in Galilee: Tarshicha-Hurfeish-Bet Jann

Meeting point: In the village of Tarshicha where we will meet our local guide. Tarshicha reveals a meeting between the Old and the New, between Ancient Traditions and Modern Life. The visit will reveal a Mosaic of the City's Human History and Politics. We will visit the local Church and its Christian faithful and talk about the relations between the State and its Arab Minority in Israel. Possibility of visiting the Sufis, a group within Islam. We will continue to the Druze village of Hurfeish. Stop for Panoramic View at the Sacred Site of Prophet Nabi Sablan. We will visit a 250-year-old house in the heart of Hurfeish Village, to discover the Arts Center where 35 religious women gather to spend time together, knitting and embroidering, as they learned from their mothers and grandmothers. The meeting is the result of a cultural and social tourism initiative that promotes the status of Druze women and strengthens their integration into the labor market, preserving their traditional crafts and enabling them to help with the domestic economy. After lunch we will head to Beit Jann to visit the historic city center, its narrow streets and its old houses. We will visit a Druze House of Prayer, we will hear about its people today, their traditions and their beliefs. We will end our visit visiting the Davor Natural Cosmetics Factory.

*Vegetarian meal included in the price (stuffed grape leaves, rice with lentils, typical bread, salads and seasonal fruits).

3. Druze and Muslim Arabs
A glimpse of ethnic groups in the Galilee region

In northern Israel, there is a special relationship between different ethnic groups. Jews, Muslims, Christians and Druze live side by side in peace and dignity. It is a coexistence that is at the base of the cultural richness experienced in the region.

On our tour, we will visit several villages where we will meet Druze who are known for their warm hospitality and welcome guests in their homes, where they will be able to learn about Druze customs and traditions. The local guide will take us through the village's narrow streets to the historic center, telling us interesting stories and local legends.

We continue the tour to the next village to get to know the Muslim community, actually 21% of Israeli society. Visit the Arab Cultural Heritage Museum. The museum displays tools, a family room, dishes, Arab crafts and, in a separate wing, traditional costumes. We will discuss the challenges of building a shared society and promoting equality.

We end the day with a visit to a mill where visitors can learn about the process of making olive oil and other products related to the local culture.

*We will enjoy traditional foods, hear stories and visit a Druze house of prayer, a mosque and a local church.

Price: Please note that our day trips are private tours - meaning they are scheduled according to our guests' personal schedule. Please contact us to arrange a date that is convenient for you. Tour price depends on the size of your group and will include a fully guided day tour and transportation.

4. Bahai and Circassians in the North
Haifa and the Circassian Minority in Galilee

We will start our day by visiting the Ahmadiyya Mosque, an Islamic religious movement founded in Punjab, British India, in the 19th century. We will continue to the Bahai Center where we will visit its fabulous Persian gardens and learn about their faith. Typical lunch (Shwarma/ Falafel) in the Christian Quarter Wadi Nisnas, symbol of the coexistence between Arabs and Jews. We will continue to Galilee to visit the Circassian minority, who were displaced during the Russian conquest of Causasus in the 19th century. We will visit the local museum about the history of this community and end our day tasting their typical food.

5. Jewish ethnicities
Yemeni and Ethiopian Jews: come to know, hear and taste the richness of their culture.

Israel has many faces and ethnic groups. On this day we will try to establish a connection between these two ethnic groups through visits and meetings with people. As they arrived, they integrated and influenced Israeli society ever since.

Departure from the hotel at 9 am. Visit Kerem Hateimanim, the winding alleyways of a traditional neighborhood that are home to traditional restaurants specializing in Yemeni cuisine such as Malawah flatbread and hearty meat dumpling soups. The neighborhood's founders were among the first Yemenis to come to Israel. From this vibrant neighborhood came some famous singers.

We left Tel Aviv towards Rosh Haayin to visit the Yemeni Heritage Center that showcases and preserves Yemeni culture in a city founded by immigrants. We will have the opportunity to taste Yemeni cuisine. Yemeni Jews are known for their complex spices and rich flavorful dishes.

After lunch, we will head to one of the towns near Tel Aviv to visit a community center for Ethiopian immigrants. A guided tour of the permanent show that includes a presentation of a film in English and an exhibition of Ethiopian Jewish life since then. Enjoy the Buna coffee and sweets ceremony. Return to Tel Aviv.

Price: Please note that our day trips are private tours - meaning they are scheduled according to our guests' personal schedule. Please contact us to arrange a date that is convenient for you. Tour price depends on the size of your group and will include a fully guided day tour and transportation.

AVAILABILITY: ALL WEEK.

Mosaico - Projects

Jewish Heritage: Portugal and Spain

knowing the ethnicities

Experiencing through Dances

Tichnun - Training for Educators in Israel

Sinepe - Educational Mission in Israel