Saudações/Greetings from CVJHP!

Chag Sameach to all who observe the final days of Passover/Pesach/Páscoa! We are delighted to share some photos from our March 6, 2024 events which commemorated the 10th anniversary of the restoration of the Sephardic Jewish burial plot in the municipal cemetery of Várzea. A big "Obrigada" to all who contributed to the day's success - from the solemn and poignant plaque unveiling at the cemetery and VIP luncheon hosted by US Ambassador Jeff Daigle - to the symposium on the "Precious Moroccan Jewish Heritage of of Cabo Verde" and reception at the National Library. Thank you to Minister Jorge Santos and staff at the Ministry of Communidades (Diaspora); Mayor Francisco Carvalho and his team at Praia City Hall; US Ambassador Jeff Daigle; Ms. Matilde Santos, Director of the National Library; Simão Levy, CVJHP representative; and many others who lent a helping hand to the memorable events.

Among the international guests: Ruben Suiza, chief rabbi of Lisbon; El Mehdi Boudra, president of Mimouna Association; Dr. Raquel Levy Toledano, who discovered an ancestral connection with Abraão Levy in Praia; Wayne Sussman and Anne Sophie Sebban, two officials of the American Jewish Committee; Moroccan Chargé d'affaires, Hassan Zarafa; and Israeli Ambassador, Ben Bourgel. Michel Toledano accompanied his wife, Raquel. Best of all, many descendants and their children participated in the occasion.

But thanks to Nivaldo, an architect and staffer at Ribeira Grande City Hall, the plaques have begun to shine again. He just presented his final paper “Um Futuro Para o Património da Cidade da Ribeira Grande” for which he received the highest grade possible at the Universidade PIAGET in Cabo Verde. Nivaldo's BA thesis emphasizes the importance of preserving Santo Antão's Jewish cemeteries, which are an integral part of the island's history and culture.

NEXT STEPS

I am traveling to São Vicente and Santo Antão in the coming days to promote our new book, "Os Judeus Marroquinos de Cabo Verde: Século XIX," and to participate in events surrounding the "Festa do Municipio" in Ribeira Grande. Thanks to our new representative for Santo Antão, Mr. Francisco Dias, we are on track to developing comprehensive, long-term maintenance plans for the Jewish cemeteries. Obrigada to you all for your invaluable support! Mantenhas, Carol Castiel, President