Jewish Barcelona

The city of Barcelona has quite been known as an excellent tourist spot due to its good climate, various places of interest and the cultural enrichment that it has to offer. Jewish Barcelona is one such popular destination for the tourists who visit Barcelona.

The Jewish Barcelona has quite an interesting and historically satiating past. The Jewish community was expelled from Spain in the year 1492 after King Ferdinand of Aragon and Queen Isabella set up a decree ordering to do so. The Jewish community was forced to leave the peninsula. Some decided to convert to Christianity but continued their Jewish practices secretly. There was quite a bit of harmony between the Christians and the Jews. In fact, Jewish life had flourished in Spain as no where else in the world during the middle ages. Four thousand of Jewish people in Barcelona by the 13th century are testimony to the fact that here the Jews were very well integrated.

Jewish Barcelona was the first community in Spain that was created by the Jews after their expulsion during the end of the 13th century. The community meets at C/Avenir 24 to celebrate special occasions like a wedding or their traditional festivals like Yom Haatzmaut or Sucot. There are shops that sell kosher products further down the street in Jewish Barcelona. The Rabbi personally supervises the slaughter of the animals. All the products put up on sale are certified.

Jewish Barcelona also has a main synagogue or their place of worship. Out of the five synagogues built only one remains and its discovery was out of sheer good luck. The basement where the Main Synagogue was found was supposed to be sold and be converted in to a bar. The Associació Call de Barcelona decided to save it by buying the property and then restoring the Synagogue.

Reminiscent of the bygone days of Jewish Barcelona lies in the old quarter. It is worth while of visiting the Plaça d'Anna Frank in Gràcia. This is a small square far away from the usual madding and noisy crowd. This place has immortalized the innocent spirit of Ann Frank, a brave young girl through a bronze statue built by Sara Pons.