Portuguese officials pay tribute to 12th Century Jewish leader as one of the founders of Portugal
The International Observatory for Human Rights and B’nai B’rith Portugal paid tribute last night, at the headquarters of B’nai B’rith, to the first Chief Rabbi of the Kingdom, Yaish ben Yahya, whose cooperation in the Twelfth Century with the first King of Portugal, Dom Afonso Henriques, helped pave the way for modern Portugal.
Distinguished national and international figures attended this public recognition of Yaish’s life, which is part of a chain of solidarity events organized by the International Observatory for Human Rights and B’nai B’rith Portugal to promote peace and coexistence between peoples.
A noted military leader and scholar of the Jewish Bible, Yaish ben Yahya was a direct descendant of King David through the Exilarchs of Babylon, a contemporary of Maimonides, the most significant Jewish intellectual authority of the era, and an advisor to King Dom Afonso Henriques. The King made him the first Chief Rabbi of the Kingdom, supervisor of tax collection, and Knight-Major of the Order of St. James of the Sword as a reward for services rendered in the reconquest of the territory.
These events resulted in Portugal’s formation as an independent country and served as the foundation of the country’s national character. The first dynasty of Portuguese kings never forgot the services of Yaish and the Jewish community, which had a significant presence in the country for many centuries. Thanks partly to the relationship between Yaish and the King, Portugal subsequently became a global diplomatic, scientific, economic, and military power, controlling large territories worldwide.
José Ribeiro e Castro, president of the Historical Society of Portugal and a former Member of the European Parliament, said at the event that ” Yaish ben Yahya is the first major Jewish figure in Portugal’s history and considered one of the greatest figures from 900 years ago. He deserves to be better-known, through more in-depth investigation into historical sources.”
The president of B’nai B’rith Portugal, Gabriela Cantergi, said during her remarks that ” the Jews were linked to the foundation of Portugal and helped in the development of this small county, which became the strongest empire of the age. They were treasurers, chamberlains, astronomers, cartographers, financiers in the age of discovery, masters of trade, and even spies in the known world.”
However, Cantergi added, “The Jews were also involuntarily linked to the country’s economic and global descent when they were forced to leave en masse, thus strengthening competing nations. We must give recognition to Yaish as an antidote to rising Antisemitism, especially those who accuse Jews of dual loyalty.”
Rabbi Menachem Margolin, Chairman of the Brussels based European Jewish Association – the largest European Association advocating for and on behalf of hundreds of Jewish Communities across the Continent, said: “In these difficult times, this celebration of the life of Rabbi Yaish is all the more poignant and important. It is a reminder to all of the significant and important contributions made by Jews to the cultural, civic and economic life in Europe, to the philosophical, the ethical, and the wider prosperity that Judaism has added to the concept of what we term Europe, and being European.”
Luís Andrade, President of the International Human Rights Observatory based in Portugal, underlined that “the victories of King Dom Afonso Henriques are largely due to the great intellectual and warrior, Yaish ben Yahya, a direct descendant of King David. The name of this notable Jew and his talents in the administration of a recently created country should be a matter of pride and honor for Portugal and all the Portuguese who love their country.”
Rabbi Eli Rosenfeld, president of Chabad Portugal, said: “The story of Portugal cannot be told without the story of the Jewish People”.
Amado Rodrigues, director of Lisbon’s Military Museum, the oldest Portuguese museum, highlighted the importance of the first king of Portugal. “D. Afonso Henriques, warrior king and diplomat, founded the Portuguese nation and reigned for 45 years. Without him, there would be no Portuguese national today and possibly not even the name Portugal.”
B’nai B’rith Portugal includes members from across Portugal and the world who work to defend human rights in general and Jewish human rights in particular. It is done with the International Observatory of Human Rights based in Portugal. Recently, both organizations paid tribute to Shimon Peres and Chabd leader Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson as “references for the good of humanity” and published a book on human rights by young Jews from 40 countries.
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