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June 30, 2006
Historic Jewish quarter reborn
Visitors to Barcelona can now explore synagogues and sites dating
back to 13th century.
EDGAR ASHER ISRANET
Spain's leap from dictatorship to democracy, which culminated in
the country's membership in the European Union, has made it possible
to find the remnants of Spain's lost Jewish communities – including
that of the country's second city, Barcelona.
The discovery and identity of buildings connected with Barcelona's
Jewish community, which has its roots going back to Roman times,
has been encouraged by the more enlightened city fathers who now
acknowledge the creative and cultural role of its Jewish citizens
who were forced out of Spain in 1492.
To the east of Barcelona's famous thoroughfare, Las Ramblas, lies
the main part of the old city, which includes the remnants of the
city's Jewish quarter, El Call. In the 13th century, the Jewish
community was very active and prosperous and supported at least
five synagogues. There are records of Jews having lived in the city
as far back as 212 CE.
Today, there is just one ancient synagogue remaining in the Call,
located at Carrer Martlet 5. The re-establishment of this synagogue
has much to do with the political renaissance of Spain itself. The
synagogue is the oldest surviving one in Spain and, perhaps, all
of Europe.
In 1391, there was a bloody uprising in the city against Jews. This
was all part of the final process of Jewish expulsion. The present
synagogue, together with all other Jewish property, was handed over
to the king and it was not until 1996 that the Sinagoga Mayor
(Grand Synagogue) once again became a Jewish house of worship.
After the building passed on to the king, he rented the premises
to a family to be used as a dye works. Today, remnants of the dyeing
tanks can still be seen on the floor of the building. In the 17th
century, the city gave the owners permission to add four more floors
to the existing structure. These alterations meant that the area
of the original synagogue was now smaller and the women's section
was eliminated. Today, there is a stained glass window, donated
by the Swede Maxim Iaffa, to designate the opening that existed
between the women's section and the main synagogue before the alterations.
The desecrated synagogue went through many uses, but by chance in
1995, the then-owner of the building, who was using it to store
electrical materials, wanted to sell it. At the time, with the new
political climate prevailing in the country, research on the Call
was being carried out under the direction of Jaume Riera, a medieval
historian. His studies had shown that the building used as a store
house was the Sinagoga Mayor and he decided to arrange to buy the
property and restore it as much as he could.
In 1996, the Association of the Call in Barcelona undertook the
renovation and research of the synagogue. The restoration was completed
in 2002 and the synagogue was opened to the public and also made
available for Jewish ceremonies, such as bar mitzvahs.
While all this was going on, further sites of Jewish religious interest
in the Call were being pinpointed and preserved. Just a short distance
from the synagogue, two mikvahs (ritual baths) were discovered.
One for men was found in a furniture shop of S'Oliver at Carrer
Banys Nous 10 and the other, for women, in the basement of the Caelum
café on the corner of Carrer Banys Nous and Carrer de La
Palla.
The Call now has many visitors, as all the guide books and local
government tourist brochures give visitors copious information about
Spain's rich Jewish past. No longer is the Barcelona Jewish community
hidden behind unidentified doors. A new Jewish community centre
and modern synagogue – the first to be built since the 1492
expulsion – is situated about two kilometres north of the ancient
Call. The Jewish community holds regular services throughout the
year and kosher food is available in the nearby deli. The Barcelona
Jewish community now looks forward to further strengthening its
presence in the city.
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