Portugal, a country that has a terrible history of Jewish persecution, is now trying to right the wrong by reaching out to Jewish communities abroad. The Tourism Secretary, Ana Mendes Godinho, is encouraging Jews to both visit and consider living in Portugal. 

During a recent tour of America, she met with community leaders in New York and California, stating: “We have a vast Jewish heritage and a very ancient and profound connection to Jewish communities, with evidence of a Jewish presence in Portugal since 390 AD. We identified as a priority the promoting of the Jewish Legacy in Portugal…It is quite interesting to remember that in the 15th century, circa 20% of the Portuguese population was Jewish, so we always say that every Portuguese may have a Jewish origin.”

She is correct about that, but seems to be glossing over what happened to those people and why the Portuguese Jewish community almost ceased to exist entirely: An Inquisition that forcibly tried to convert Jews, exiled Jews and eventually killed Jews who wanted to maintain their heritage and faith. 

The Inquisition is a very shameful chapter in Spanish/Portuguese history. Most surprising of all, it wasn’t officially ended until 1821! (It started back in the late 1400’s.) The first post-Inquisition synagogue was not founded until 1836 and today, in 2018, the estimated Portuguese Jewish population is less than 2,000 individuals. 

Current governments are not responsible for the actions of their predecessors, of course, and I am genuinely impressed that Portugal is willing to make an effort with the Jewish community. The Tourism Secretary has gone to great lengths to reach out and that’s admirable.

Jews of Sephardic descent whose ancestors were persecuted and exiled during the Spanish Inquisition and/or subsequent Portuguese Inquisition have been able to acquire Portuguese citizenship since 2013. A few thousand have chosen to do so, but there isn’t a huge interest for obvious reasons. 

Personally, I’d be willing to visit Portugal. Living there, however, would be a different story. I’m not convinced it’s a safe area for Jews, given the complicated history of the region. That said, anyone who wants relocate should have the opportunity and I’m glad the Portuguese government has made that an option. 

Gudrun Burwitz, the daughter of Heinrich Himmler, has died at age 88. She remained a true believer in Nazism to the very end, never once criticizing or denouncing their horrific ideology and crimes. 

Even though she had visited Dachau concentration camp as a 12-year-old girl, she denied the Holocaust ever occurred, and devoted her adult life to helping Nazi war criminals.

Interviewed only once in 1959, she retreated from public life and spent her evil days and wicked nights working for a group called “Stille Hilfe,” (Silent Help) that raised money to assist former Nazis in Europe and those who fled to South America. Many of these criminals were never brought to justice because of such efforts. 

It’s hard for me to believe that any woman could live on this earth for 88 years and remain so brainwashed. To deny the atrocities that occurred during WW2 is just plain foolish, with the amount of historical accounts and evidence available. More likely, she knew and didn’t care, or possibly even approved, which shows how truly heartless she was. 

None of us can pick our parents and she is not responsible for her father’s unbelievably cruel conduct. She is, however, responsible for her own, and to remain loyal to him and his sick, demented way of life shows that she is just as immoral. 

Anyone who says that the Holocaust is no longer relevant and Nazism is no longer a threat, needs to understand that there is a group of very deranged individuals who dream of starting a Fourth Reich that could destroy everything the rest of us hold dear. We can not ignore this threat—however minor it may be—or we could end up living through the hell of the 30’s and 40’s all over again. 

It’s illegal to deny the Holocaust in Germany. It’s illegal to aid war criminals everywhere. Why this woman wasn’t brought to justice decades ago is beyond me. We can not let these monsters fall through the cracks. I don’t care how many decades have passed. The victims deserve justice and society must provide it, to the best of our ability. 

Gudrun Burwitz may have escaped earthly justice and that is a tragedy, but nobody escapes God’s judgment in the afterlife. She is surely paying for it now. 

Mexico City has elected a Jewish lady as their new mayor. Not only is she the first woman to be elected to that office (another was previously appointed in 1999), but she is also the first Jewish mayor. Talk about a historic double victory!

The city, which has a Jewish population of 50,000, overwhelmingly supported Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo. A scientist by profession, she previously served as Environmental Secretary. She has promised to battle the rampant crime and government corruption that have plagued Mexico for decades. 

It’s amazing how Jewish ladies continue to break barriers that benefit the lives and career opportunities for all women. 

A Belgian model’s publicity stunt backfired—big time. Posed nude on the rooftop of a private home, with the Wailing Wall as a backdrop, this photo has outraged many around the world. (I am only showing the pixelated version for obvious reasons.) Because the Wall is the holiest site in the world for Jews, it’s exceptionally poor taste to do something so crass. 

Marisa Papan describes her way of life as “a naked form of freedom where masks are torn off and thrown in the ocean.” (Whatever that means…) She is no stranger to controversy and was jailed in Egypt for a similar stunt at the Luxor pyramid, demonstrating a troubling pattern of behavior.

If someone wants to make their living by posing nude, I don’t care, but there are limitations. We have decency standards for a reason. Rabbi Rabinovich, who is in charge of the Wall, summed it up best: “This is an embarrassing incident, grave and lamentable, which offends the sanctity of the site.”

Another interesting aspect of the controversy is that the Al-Aqsa mosque, which is adjacent to the Wall and often visible in photos of the Wall, is entirely absent in her shot. Some say that is no accident and she is pandering to Muslims. I don’t think that’s the case, due the Egypt arrest, but who knows? 

Whatever her motivations, it’s inappropriate. Nudity and religious sites do not mix.