Portugal

We are proud to announce that Fernando Pessoa University in Porto has formally adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Working Definition of Antisemitism. This makes UFP the first university in Portugal to officially adopt the IHRA definition. The decision comes at a time when antisemitism is rising sharply across Europe and universities in particular face hostility that often hides behind political slogans. UFP has chosen clarity and responsibility.

The declaration signed with EJA commits the university to use the IHRA definition as a tool to prevent and combat antisemitism in all its forms. UFP pledges to monitor signs of hatred on campus and to promote initiatives that defend human rights. It also commits to integrating awareness of the IHRA definition into its code of conduct. These commitments are outlined in points 1 to 4 of the signed document.

The decision carries both symbolic and practical weight. UFP is known as one of the European universities with the highest proportion of Jewish students.

Rabbi Menachem Margolin, Chairman of the European Jewish Association, said:
“Fernando Pessoa University has shown leadership at a moment when it is needed the most. Many institutions hesitate, yet UFP chose action. Antisemitism cannot be ignored or excused. By adopting the IHRA definition, the university sends a clear message that Jewish students will be protected and respected. We welcome this partnership and hope it inspires others.”

Gabriel Senderowicz, President of the Jewish Community of Porto, said:
“This is a historic moment. It makes perfect sense that the first university in Portugal to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism is Fernando Pessoa University. UFP likely has the highest proportion of Jewish students of any university in Europe, with approximately 500 Jewish students. Over the past twelve years, the university has played an important role in the revival of the Jewish Community of Oporto – a result of the welcoming relationship it has maintained with its Jewish students throughout the years.”

Juan Caldés, EJA European Advocacy Coordinator, said:
“We are very happy that Fernando Pessoa University took this step. They see antisemitism for what it is and they refuse to be intimidated by those who spread hate. This creates a stronger and safer environment for Jewish students and for the entire academic community.”

EJA will continue to work with universities across Europe to encourage the adoption of the IHRA definition and to support students who face antisemitism.

One thousand students from schools throughout Portugal toured the Jewish Museum of Porto, the museum announced last week.

The visit took place on the anniversary of the 1496 Edict of Expulsion, which banned Judaism in Portugal. The edict had a negative impact not just on the country’s Jews but on Portugal as a whole, explained Michael Rothwell, the museum’s director.

“The edict caused the Jews to leave the kingdom and enrich other competing powers,” Rothwell said. “A chain of events even led to the loss of Portugal’s independence in 1580, as seen from a rare object exhibited in the museum, the ‘Megillat Purim Sebastiano.’”

“This document demonstrates how the Moroccan Jewish community feared being forcibly converted to Christianity by Dom Sebastião. With the help of two Portuguese conversos (forcibly converted Jews), they provided decisive information for the Muslim armies to prepare for the clash,” Rothwell added. “This resulted in the crushing defeat of the Portuguese nobility, the death of the king, and, two years later, the loss of Portugal’s independence, which passed into Spanish hands.”

During their tour of Portugal’s second-largest city, the students learned about the history of Jewish life in the area, which dates to before the founding of the Kingdom of Portugal in the 12th century. Jews were instrumental in the founding and development of the country, the museum stated. Portugal currently has a Jewish population of 3,000 – 6,000 people.

Importance of Jews in Portugal

“The Jews played an important role in the administration of the country,” said Gabriel Senderowicz, president of Porto’s Jewish community. “With their scientific, cultural, commercial, and economic skills, as well as their mastery of many languages, they contributed to Portugal’s diplomatic relations and the voyages of discovery that transformed a small country into an empire,” Senderowicz said.

In the museum’s theater, students watched films produced by the community, including The Light of Judah, The Lisbon Genocide, and 1618. The films depict the immediate effects of the edict on Portuguese Jews, the massacre of thousands of Jews in Lisbon, and the Inquisition’s activities in Porto, respectively.

Hugo Vaz, a museum historian, discussed 1618 with the students.

“The municipal and judicial authorities of Porto opposed such Inquisitorial persecution and even ordered the siege of the ecclesiastical court by guards on horseback,” Vaz explained. “This unprecedented case in 17th-century Portugal led an onlooker, Sebastião de Noronha, to travel to Madrid to complain to King Dom Filipe.”

The museum, inaugurated in 2019, is open exclusively to schools and the Jewish community for security reasons. However, it opens to the public on the European Day of Jewish Culture, celebrated on the first Sunday of September, alongside the Holocaust Museum and the Kadoorie Mekor Haim Synagogue.

During the weekend, JEP (Jewish European Professionals) orchestrated an event that brought together 150 young professionals from across Europe in the dynamic city of Porto, Portugal. It was an enriching experience brimming with networking opportunities, learning, and enjoyment!