25/11/2021
Evora
Evora is a city in central Portugal, one of the oldest cities in the country. The medieval Jewish community of Evora was one of the oldest in Portugal. The Medieval Jewish quarter remained mostly intact to this day. the town market was located at the Jewish quarter’s square since 1275.
In the early days of the community, Evora’s Jews could live anywhere they wished in the city. From the mid-14th century they were forced to be confined within the two Jewish quarter assigned them by the authorities. There were about 150 Jewish households in Evora during that time. They were farmers, wine makers, cork bark harvesters, wine makers, money managers and scribes. There were two synagogues in Evora. The community had also its own school, mikveh, court house, hospital, and guest house. Another unique and interesting asset of the community – a lepers’ asylum. During the 15th century Evora’s Jewish court served as supreme court for all seven Jewish communities in Portugal.
At the library of Evora one can find a copy of the Almanach written by Rabbi Avraham Zacut, the renowned Jewish astronomer.
After the “expulsion” of Portugal’s Jews, the notorious Inquisition established a regional court in Evora, to try people suspected of “Judaizing”. Almost ten thousand Jews were tried there, over 1500 were burnt over the years.
Pictures show alleys in the medieval Jewish quarter of Evora