Tracing the Footsteps of Jewish Legacy in Iberia

History, Food, and the Spirit of Endurance in Portugal and Spain

The sunlight spills over tiled rooftops in Lisbon’s Alfama district, casting golden hues on the cobbled alleyways below. In the quiet shade of a 12th-century synagogue in Girona, Spain, ancient stones whisper secrets in Ladino, the language of Sephardic Jews. In the aromas of cinnamon-dusted pastries, garlic-simmered fish, and the bold tannins of Rioja wine, traces of Jewish life linger—not as relics, but as resilient, living echoes of a people whose story is entwined deeply with the Iberian Peninsula.

Welcome to Besorah, and our journey not just through geography but through memory, culture, and rediscovery.

A History of Light and Shadow

Jews first arrived in the Iberian Peninsula during Roman times, flourishing under both Muslim and early Christian rule. By the 10th and 11th centuries, during what is often referred to as the “Golden Age” under Muslim-ruled Al-Andalus, Jewish poets, physicians, and philosophers thrived. Think of Maimonides in Córdoba, who wrote treatises that still echo in Jewish and philosophical thought, or Hasdai ibn Shaprut, a Jewish diplomat and scholar who served the Caliph of Córdoba.

But as so often in the history of the Jewish people, it turned dark in 1492 with the Alhambra Decree: Spain’s Catholic Monarchs ordered the expulsion of all Jews who would not convert. Many fled to Portugal—only to be forcibly converted or expelled a few years later under King Manuel I. The Inquisition followed, and with it, centuries of secrecy, fear, and forced assimilation. “Conversos” or “Marranos” outwardly adopted Christianity but often maintained Jewish customs in private, cooking specific Sabbath stews or lighting candles on Friday nights—habits that survived generations.

Today, these shadows have softened into reflection. Portugal and Spain have both officially recognized their historical wrongs, offering citizenship to descendants of expelled Jews. Synagogues have been restored. Jewish quarters—like Lisbon’s Judiaria, Seville’s Barrio de Santa Cruz, and the atmospheric lanes of Toledo—now bustle with curious travelers, not inquisitors and it is here we begin our trip of discovery.

Culinary Traces of a Hidden Heritage

In a region famed for its food and wine, Sephardic influence is often hiding in plain sight. Dishes like almodrote (a garlicky eggplant spread), adafina (a slow-cooked Sabbath stew), and desserts such as filhós or roscos—deep-fried, honey-soaked treats—carry ancient traditions born of both joy and secrecy.

Portuguese cuisine, in particular, reflects the “crypto-Jewish” experience. The now-celebrated bacalhau (salt cod) may have once served as a kosher-preserving alternative to forbidden pork. In regions like Trás-os-Montes and Belmonte—home to one of Europe’s only surviving secret Jewish communities—one can still trace Sabbath customs practiced underground for over 500 years.

Spanish wines, too, have a Jewish backstory. Wine production in the Ribera del Duero and La Rioja regions once included Jewish viticulturists whose knowledge survived their persecution. Today, kosher wineries are emerging, and Jewish food tours offer tastings paired with historic storytelling.

A Journey of Reconnection

Through Besorah, I invite you to walk with me and my family through medieval Jewish quarters, taste the flavors born of resilience, and witness the beauty of what has endured. This is not a journey solely of mourning, but of revival and revelation. In towns like Cáceres and Sagres, Coimbra and Córdoba, one finds more than just architecture or cuisine. One finds spirit—often in the most unexpected places.

Over the coming entries, I’ll be traveling through Portugal and Spain, savoring not only the incredible wine and cuisine but also the vibrant, often-overlooked contributions of Jewish life to this rich land. Through interviews, tastings, and wanderings, Besorah will celebrate the enduring soul of Sephardic heritage—rooted, hidden, rediscovered.

The past may not be undone, but in Iberia today, it can be honored. And, perhaps, tasted.