Ha-Lapid הלפיד

          HA-LAPID               3

 

whom Capt. Barros Bastos has been in
commmunication.

The Bragança Congregation, "Sha'aré
Phidyon", of which Capt. Jayme Augusto
Borges is the President, has synagogue at
which Services in the Portuguese language
take place at regular intervals. Last Rosh
Hashanah, the Services were helde for the
first time in 400 years and about 80 persons
were present. This Congregation has had
the good fortune of receiving again last
year a second renewal of a subvention of
$750 from the Central Conferece of Ameri-
can Rabbis, of which $500 were from the
Lucius Littauer Fund $250 from the funds
of the C. C. A. R. The thanks of the Com-
mittee are tendered particularly to Rabbi
Dr. H. G. Enelow, of New York, for his
continued interest in the neo-Jews of Bra-
gança, and to Rabbi Dr. Lefcovith, of Dal-
las the President ot the C. C. A. R.

At the Synagogue, "Sha'aré, Cabbalah",
at Covilha, of which Sr. Samuel Schwarz
is the President, Services were held laste
Rosh Hashanah and Kippur both in acor-
dance with the existing Portuguese transla-
nons of the historic liturgy and the traditio-
ital Marrano prayers on those days.

The Portuguese Marranos have recently
been visited by a number of friendes who
hove returned deeply impressed by the Je-
wis work carried out with great devotion
by Capt. Barros Basto. Dr. M. Ehrenpreis,
the Chief Rabbi ot Stokolm, has given a
glowing aecount of this work in his book
"Das Land zwisclten Orient und Okzident";
the Rev. Dr. D. de Sola Pool. ot New
York, has, since his return from Portugal,
manifested his practical interest in the Mar-
ranos by substantial contributions collected
by him tor the benefit of the Jewis Theolo-
gical Institute in Oporto; Dr. Cecil Roth, a
member ot this Committee, has given a vi-
vid description of the personality of Capt.
Barros Basto in an article on "The Apos-
tle of the Marranos", which has attracted
wide attention; Mme. Lily Jean-Javal and
Mme. Ferdinand Halphen, oi Paris, colle-
cted 88,000 francs towards the building
fund of the Oporto Synagogue in memory
of Dona Gracia Mendesia Nasi (1510-1569),
a Portuguese Marrano who was one of the
greatest Jewish women off all time.

The Portuguese Marrranos Committee

 

in London, which have for the last four
years received subventions from, among
others, the Alliance lsraélite Universelle,
the Anglo-Jewish Association, the Israeli-
tische Allianz of Vienna, the Sephardí
Communities in London, Manchester, New
York and Philadelphia, have supported the
work among the Marranos to an extent
wich has enabled Capt. Barros Basto and
his co workers to form a number of neo-
-Jewish centres in those oi Portugal where
the lingering traditions of Jewish life were
about to become extinct. If this work hasd
foud individual supporters in London only
to a very limited extent, it is gratifying to
record that, during the past year, a Dutch
Pro-Marranos Committee has been formed,
mainly for the purpose ot providing the
services of a qualified who will minister to
the Marranos on traditional Jewish lines.
The contemplated issue of a Prayer Book,
with a Portuguese translation for the use
of the Marranos, has also made some pro-
gress by promised co-operation for this
object of the Rev. I. Raffalovitch, the
Grand Rabbin of Brazil.

This Committee is convinced that the
work in hand well de serves the support
of all those Who are conscious of the call
which the forlorn Remnant ot Israel in Por-
tugal has on Jewish solidarity and all those
who realise that the vitality of Judaism ma-
nitested by the romantic survival of the
Portuguesa Marranos merits a pratical res-
ponse worthy of the brotherhood of Israel.

Donations, which will be gratefully rc-
eeived, should be forwarded to the under-
signed at the Vestry Oitices, Heneage Lane,
Bevis Marks, London, E. C. 3.
   London, January 5691-1931,

                          PAUL GOODMAN.
                          Hon. Secretary.

             o o o

O judaismo bulgaro

Os judeus deste pais gozam de todos
os direitos e o governo vela por isso. O
Estado subsidia generosamente as instituí-
ções judaicas. Os judeus bulgaros são mui-
to activos e o síonismo aproveita larga-
mente com isso. O judaismo bulgaro, que
tem apenas 50 000 almas, ocupa um logar
invejavel no judaismo mundial.