JEWISH HERITAGE
programs & tours
in BARCELONA
I personally offer two different private or semi-private programs
in Spanish, English, French, Catalan and Italian
Want to join me for
a sample visit?
click here
Program A: Walk in the Old Jewish Quarter of Barcelona - 2 hs plus
The CALL, old Jewish
quarter, is a small area within the Gothic quarter.
We meet in front of the Cathedral to start a circuit including these streets: Call, Sant Honorat, Sant Domenec, Marlet, Fruita, Sant Ramon, Sant Felip Neri and Sant Sever, to see, among others:
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Museum Major Synagogue, two rooms in a small basement from the 16 century, opened by Miguel Iaffa in 2002. It is managed by Association Call Barcelona.
NOTE the former synagogue no longer exists, this is a museum on or about the old location.
It displays a collection of interesting artifacts from Central Europe.
The most relevant local art pieces are the menorah by Ferran Aguiló (chueta artist from Mallorca) and the stained glass window by Maximo Iaffa.
Closes Sat. all day and Sun. afternoon. Available for private ceremonies. - Visitors' Center, established by the City History Museum, has an interesting collection of objects, images and historic information.
Opens Wed. morning, Sat. & Sun. all day
En route, we will virtually pull information from the stones ... and will discuss how urban legends were started.
To understand the relations of the Jewish community with the established powers, we walk to the area around the Cathedral and the Kings's palace, to see:
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Matsevot A few can be seen in the façade of the Lieutenant Palace as they were used for its construction.
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The emblem of the Inquisition. Institution established in 1480, with offices in a wing of the Royal Palace in Barcelona.
Menorah in Museum
Synagogue
in memory of
Rav Ha Sardi
1185 - 1255
re purposed
fragment
of matsevah
The first part of this program is a visit to Montjuïc (Mount of Jews). It is today the city's central park, named after the Jewish cemetery since the 9th century. On the same hill there is a very moving Memorial to the victims of the Shoah. These stops offer a great opportunity to learn about Jewish life all along the 20 century.
Meeting at your hotel, transportation provided.
- Ancient Jewish cemetery on Montjuïc, declared a landmark site in 2009 at the petition of the local congregations and the civil society. After a long research, co-directed by Dominique Tomasov Blinder, you can now read about the Boundaries of Middle Ages Jewish Cemetery of Barcelona on Montjuïc
- SHOAH Memorial, in an old quarry on Montjuïc.
Dedicated by the local Jewish institutions in 1995, 50th anniversary of the end of WWII. There are three memorials in Spain, and this is the most spectacular and moving.
The second part of the program is the Walk in the Jewish quarter described above.
Shoah Memorial
1995
Barcelona is the city with the second largest Jewish presence, and it offers different ways of practice. Consider sharing with the local community to fully understand our reality in this country. It is the best complement to a historic visit!
- Exchange experiences with the local Jewish community.
- Participate in shabbat services
- Celebrate Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Chanukah, Tu Bishvat, Purim, Passover, Shavuot and Sukot
- Have your children participate in local activities and camps (on request)
- Come to the International Jewish Film Festival organized every year
- Visit Call Barcelona wines & books,in the Jewish quarter. Only place of its kind in Spain, a bookstore and cultural place with monthly events.
- Meet Jewish artists, poets, musicians, photographers, designers
- Take a cooking class and enjoy a Sephardic meal prepared by yourself
available to pre formed groups of 12 or more
Purim in Barcelona
Light of Forgotten Stars,
Anna Sper