SEGOVIA, TOLEDO, CHURROS, MANCHEGO CHEESE AND WINE!!!

It has been a ver special weekend visiting SEGOVIA and TOLEDO with these two couples from Philadelphia. With a tight agenda we were visiting the cities, learning history, some shopping and some kosher local food…. a great combination.

Abarbanel House was also in our itinerary and we all enjoy with crossed stories.

Hope to see you soon here.

Speech of The King of Spain, Don Felipe VI, in the Holoucaust Commemoration

Felipe VILast January 23rd 2020, in the city of Jerusalem, took place the World´s Leaders meeting commemoration of the Shoa.

In this meeting the actual King of Spain, Don Felipe VI, addressed the following speech that I have wnated to share with you all.

It is a great honor – which causes me humility – to address you tonight, as we meet for the V World Holocaust Forum tomorrow. It is an outstanding meeting of world leaders committed to memory, with a just cause and a moral obligation.

Thank you President Rivlin. And thank you for your wise words, which are always a source of inspiration.

I am sure that each of us here would have thoughts to express in this historical event. I will only try modestly to condense some of them, with the hope that you feel represented.

75 years later, the world does not forget, the world still remembers and promises to be vigilant. This is what this impressive meeting here today has decided to proclaim firmly and clearly.

Our great Jewish thinker Moisés Maimónides, born in Sefarad, in the city of Córdoba, wrote in that Middle Ages, following in the footsteps of other great thinkers: “All the great evils that men cause each other, be original in ignorance” . Undoubtedly, Humanity has suffered its darkest hours when millions of innocent lives from many areas of life and countless communities were abruptly vanished by blind, perverse and ignorant hatred.

It is that there is no greater evil than that derived from ignoring that all women and men are equal and that every human being has been the recipient of the greatest dignity. There is no greater irresponsibility than feeling superior to others, when people believe they have the right to discriminate, to accept intolerance or promote resentment towards others for political gain, political extremism or racial hatred.

We can find the remedy to such malicious and immoral contempt of the dignity of the “other”, first and foremost, in the example of those who suffered from their murderous enmity. (…) And tomorrow in Yad Vashem we will have the honor of meeting some of the survivors of the death camps.

For decades, these men and women have enlightened us about the importance of keeping alive the memory of their terrible experience. Forgetting the Shoa would not only be a dishonor to the memory of millions of victims, but it would also be extremely dangerous.

However, we well know that despite the profound effort of those who gave us – or even give us today – their personal testimony (or that of their relatives), of the powerful inspiration that this means for us, just remember, unfortunately, no It’s enough. We also know that barbarism can grow when you least expect it, even in the midst of advanced technology and culture. We are never fully safe from it, and to varying degrees, we still see today how it hits hard in different parts of our world.

It is clear that we cannot look the other way. We must persevere in the implementation, teaching and life itself according to the principles and values ​​of the International Declaration of Human Rights.

We have come today, Mr. President, not only to present our respect for the survivors and our disgust for what happened – not so long ago – in Auschwitz-Birkenau and many other places.

We are here also – perhaps primarily – to show our unwavering commitment to devote all necessary efforts in our respective countries, to the fight against ignorant intolerance, hatred and the total lack of human empathy that made the Holocaust possible. Because preventing this disease of civilization is a collective responsibility, but also an individual one. There can be no place for indifference in the presence of racism, xenophobia, hate speech and anti-Semitism.

Sadly, we are witnessing today an increase in the despicable attacks on Jews in different parts of the world. So many times in history, animosity against Jews has proven, shamefully, to be a symptom and a clear example of intolerance and aversion to different ones.

Having a rich and complex Jewish past and a vibrant Jewish community, Spain has decided to create a solid framework of rules and initiatives to relentlessly combat anti-Semitism and all forms of xenophobia and racism. There are, of course, many other nations – both here and others – that are making similar efforts and moving forward.

But although I remain optimistic, I know – we all know it – that we will always need to persevere together so that those words, so often repeated, “never again”, remain our guide and our perennial principle.

Never again, Leolám lo Od.

Soccer Homage to Kristallnacht

This Wednesday, in the match that will face Club Fortaleza, the Brazilian football club Corinthians will place a Star of David Yellow in their uniforms, in memory of which the Nazis forced the Jews to use during World War II and with reason for a new anniversary of the Night of Broken Crystals, which is commemorated on November 8 and 9.

Proudly, fans of one of the most successful clubs in the country, say that this time they will not use a star for a championship, but for “Don’t Forget.”

corinthians
On this day, the photo exhibition entitled “Survivors of the Holocaust” will be displayed in the lobby of the Casa del Pueblo. This historical intervention had the collaboration of the agency Tech and Soul and the Holocaust Memorial, in Bom Retiro, São Paulo.

At the end of the match, the shirts used with the yellow stars will be auctioned and the proceeds will go to the Memorial.

corinthians STAR DAVID
From the club the club fans were encouraged that if they wanted to join the move, there will be venues that sell the Yellow Star to put on their jackets.

In addition, the shirts of players that were not auctioned will participate in a temporary exhibition at the Corinthians Arena.

Shoa Remembrance Act at Spain Central Government

On Monday, January 29, an act in memory of the victims of the Nazi Holocaust took place in the Senate of Madrid. The Act was chaired by D.Pío García Escudero, President of the Senate, and some of the speakers were, in addition to Mr.Escudero himself, the President of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain, the Chief Rabbi of Spain -Rab Moshe Bendahan-, The Minister of Justice of the Spanish Government, Mr. Rafael Catalá, the Director of the Institute of Gypsy Culture and the President of the Amical Association Mathausen.
Six candles were lit on the spot by representatives of the different collectives.
The act was emotional and very solemn.

Segovia: The exhibition ‘The Power of Civil Society during the Holocaust: Bulgaria / 1940-1944 /’

It shows the development of events throughout World War II on the international scene, the impact of events in Bulgaria, the position of the authorities and the firm response of civil society.

From the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Spain, we would like to invite you to our next cultural events that will take place at the Didgotic Center of the Jewish Quarter of Segovia (C / Judería vieja, 12), next April 3 at 18.00hs.

The exhibition “The Power of Civil Society during the Holocaust: the case of Bulgaria / 1940-1944 /” is a sample that represents the development of events throughout World War II on the international scene, the repercussion of the Developments in Bulgaria, the position of the authorities and the firm response of civil society. This exhibition will be accompanied by a lecture by Mr. Marcel Israel.