5/11/2023 0 Comments L atelier du chocolatThe monumental neo-classical-style building illustrates the wish of the community’s leaders to assert the presence of Judaism in the heart of the district and also to provide a single place of worship for the faithful, replacing the private synagogues used previously.” Signage outside the synagogue gates draws further attention to the pride that the community had in being able to build its own shul: “This place of worship for the Bayonne Jewish community was built in the 19th century by architect Capdeville. Nevertheless, an inscription carved onto the exterior of the synagogue speaks volumes about the vision the community had for this holy place: “ Ma maison sera denommée une maison de prières pour toutes les nations.” (“My house will be marked as a house of prayer for all nations.”) Bayonne’s synagogue is all locked up, but this inscription is clearly visible on its exterior. Both my husband and I felt compelled to enjoy a generous chocolate-tasting at the atelier out of respect for our ancestors!īayonne has a beautiful synagogue in the core of city, but it is locked behind steel gates with no one available to provide any information on whether and how the building is being used, if at all. Their contribution to the industry is told at some length in the self-guided tour of the city’s delightful l’Atelier du chocolat. The chocolate-making skills of the exiled Spanish Jews who settled in the area were put to use. 19, 1753, entitled The Statues of the Jewish Nation of Saint Esprit, a reiteration of the royal protective orders of 1550 in which the title Jew is used for the first time instead of the term New Christian or Portuguese.Ī further Jewish connection in the region has to do with one of the sources of Bayonne’s current fame as a world centre for the manufacture of high-quality chocolate. One of the most interesting items is a document dated Jan. The collection also includes furniture and religious objects from a private synagogue in the 19th century, including an ark, menorah and pulpit, a child’s temple presentation dress, circa 1885, a shofar, an 18th-century mezuzah and a sabbatical lamp from a Portuguese ceremony that was used in Bordeaux and Bayonne. The roots of the Jewish community there stem from the migration that took place when the Jews were expelled during the Spanish Inquisition.Īmong the collection of artifacts is a beautiful portrait of Augusta Furtado, who, in the 17th century, was a merchant and president of the Israelite Consistory of Bayonne, as well as twice serving as Bayonne’s mayor. Within, there is a special exhibit that celebrates the presence of Jews in the Basque since the 1600s. Musée Basque et de l’histoire de Bayonne is a modernized space housing the history and culture of the people of the region. Musée Basque et de l’histoire de Bayonne has quite an interesting collection of Jewish artifacts. We found our most substantive Jewish Basque connection on a day trip to nearby Bayonne. Jean de Luz, a mid-size town on the Atlantic coast that is part of the French Basque, where we had rented an apartment. On the morning of our visit, a young man, soon to be a bar mitzvah, was just finishing his practise session on the bimah, which gave life to the building.įrom Bordeaux, we traveled by train two hours southwest to St. A 2007 brochure given to us on our visit, History of the Jewish Population of Bordeaux, dates the synagogue back to the 1880s, the land for it having been a gift from the city. Our sightseeing there included a visit to the Grand Synagogue of the Gironde, located in central Bordeaux, serving a Jewish population of 1,100. Rather, Bordeaux is the capital of the neighboring Aquitaine region. Our journey started in Bordeaux, France, which, strictly speaking, is not part of the Basque. The Basque country comprises southwestern France and northeastern Spain. On a recent trip to the Basque, my husband and I learned a great deal about the strong Jewish presence that formerly existed in the region. Inside Bordeaux’s Grand Synagogue of the Gironde. Community milestones … awards, honours, weddings, releases.Play tackles Israeli/Palestinian conflict. ![]() Search Search for: Archives Archives Recent Posts
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |