About this talk

Jewish presence in the Iberian Peninsula can be traced back to between the first centuries of the Common Era until the end of the 15th century, though this varies depending on the region and even the city. In the case of Catalonia, the region whose capital is Barcelona, we can talk about the presence of a community from the mid 9th until the end of the 14th century. After 400/500 hundred years, most of the buildings "from the Middle Ages" in Spain are reconstructed or built over.

What are the hints to find Jewish presence in the urban environment, in the religious art pieces, in the archives? Are there any artifacts from those days? Where are they kept?
The early 20th century marks the beginning of a second chapter of Jewish life that we hope will not be interrupted.

Focusing on Barcelona, we will learn about the irregular evolution of the community, the second largest in Spain, with approximately 5000 members today. And we will discover how Jews contributed to some of the "most Spanish" creations.

And, very importantly, how do we connect with our past? Which are our places of memory today? Taking as an example the ancient Jewish cemetery, we will refer to the challenge of heritage management, where religion and science have not yet come to terms.

About Dominique

Born in New York and raised in Buenos Aires, Dominique Tomasov Blinder is the grandchild of Jews from Belarus and Ukraine. She obtained her Architecture degree at the University in (OF?) Buenos Aires and she is also registered in New York and Barcelona. A founding member of the first egalitarian synagogue in Spain, she is responsible for its Chevra Kadisha. She specializes in Jewish heritage as an independent researcher, educator and activist.

She co-founded The Center of Studies Zakhor, established to
protect the ancient Jewish cemetery in Barcelona. Thanks to
the Center's actions, the site received official designation as a
historical landmark. Other projects include research to define its extension (with a grant from The Rothschild Foundation) and the publication of the book "Funerary traditions in Judaism".
Since arriving in Spain, Dominique has developed expertise in
explaining to the general society about Jewish identity, and to
international Jewish visitors about local Jewish culture and history. This is her contribution to the construction of a pluralistic society. After living and working in three countries, she brings together a special combination of history, current affairs, opinions and personal experience.