Belmonte, Portugal

Belmonte is a municipality in the district of Castelo Branco, Portugal. The population in 2011 was 6,859, in an area of 118.76 km2.

Belmonte is distinguished by its enduring Jewish community, tracing back to at least the 13th century, which maintained its faith through crypto-Judaism and numbered about 300 in 2008. Despite facing the Inquisition and forced conversions, this community preserved Jewish traditions in secret, culminating in the re-establishment of open practice and the founding of a synagogue in 1996. The history is chronicled in the Belmonte Jewish Museum, which opened in 2005.

History


Belmonte is the birthplace of Pedro Álvares Cabral, the navigator who discovered the land of Vera Cruz, now known as Brazil. Located in the Church of Santa Maria is the iconic statue of Nossa Senhora da Esperança (Our Lady of Hope), which Cabral took with him on his voyage. Until 1834, the statue was held by the Monastery of Nossa Senhora da Esperança. The former religious facility has been adapted for use as a modern boutique hotel.

The singer Zeca Afonso lived in Belmonte for part of his childhood, between 1938 and 1940. He lived with his uncle, the mayor of the town, whilst his parents, José Nepomuceno Afonso dos Santos, a magistrate, and Maria das Dores Dantas Cerqueira, a primary school teacher, were living and working in Mozambique.



Jewish community
In the 16th century, following the expulsion of Jews from the Iberian Peninsula, Portuguese legislation required Jews to convert to Christianity or leave the country. Many Jews chose isolation, severing external contacts and strictly maintaining their traditions. Termed Marranos, in reference to the Jewish prohibition of pork, this group preserved their Jewish customs in secrecy.

Belmonte stands as the site of Portugal's last Marrano community, now known as the Belmonte Jews, marking a significant chapter in the history of Jewish perseverance and identity. They remained isolated until the 1970s when they reconnected with the global Jewish community and openly returned to Judaism, culminating in the opening of a synagogue in 1996.

In 2003, the American Sephardi Federation founded the Belmonte Project, designated to raise funds to acquire Judaic educational material and services for the community, which now numbers 160–180. They opened a Jewish Museum of Belmonte (Museu Judaico de Belmonte) on 17 April 2005. In the summer of 2006, the American Sephardi Federation ceased to have the Belmonte Project under its auspices.

Geography
Administratively, the municipality is divided into 4 civil parishes (freguesias):
 * Belmonte e Colmeal da Torre
 * Caria
 * Inguias
 * Maçaínhas

Notable people

 * Pedro Álvares Cabral (ca.1467 – ca.1520) was a Portuguese nobleman, military commander, navigator and explorer. In 1500 Cabral conducted the first substantial exploration of the northeast coast of South America and discovered Brazil.

Twin cities

 * Santa Cruz Cabrália, Bahia, Brasil
 * Mézière, Ille-et-Vilaine, France
 * Rosh Pina, North district, Israel
 * Belmonte, Bahia, Brasil
 * São Vicente, São Paulo, Brasil
 * Santarém, Distrito de Santarém, Portugal
 * Olivença, Portugal
 * Porto Seguro, Bahia, Brasil