Where Legends Were Built in Stone
By Michael L Weiss | Besorah: Good News from the Journey
We often say at Ocean Reef that we are more than a community. We are a family, bound not only by friendship and shared experience. We are also united by the values we hold dear: faith, unity, discovery, community and remembrance. These values echoed back to me powerfully during my journey through Portugal. It happened particularly in a place I hadn’t expected. I learned through a lesson I hadn’t known I was seeking.
Covento de Cristo
At the heart of Tomar stands the awe-inspiring Convento de Cristo, one of Portugal’s greatest architectural treasures. Established in 1160, it served as a fortress and stronghold of the Knights Templar. The Templar strategically positioned it to defend the newly reclaimed Christian lands during the Reconquista. The Templars called this place home for nearly two centuries.
After the dissolution of the Templar Order in 1312, Portugal’s King Dinis refused to persecute the order. Instead, he transformed it into the Order of Christ. He preserved its lands, wealth, and spirit. Under the Order’s protection, the Convento evolved. It blossomed during the Manueline period. This was a uniquely Portuguese fusion of Gothic, Renaissance, and maritime motifs. This style mirrored Portugal’s age of exploration.
You see this synthesis in every arch and corridor. Nautical symbols adorn the windows; ropes carved in stone seem to flutter in the wind. The famed Charola (round church) is a masterpiece of sacred geometry, with octagonal design elements that reflect Templar mysticism. The convent complex was added in stages from the 15th through 17th centuries. It embodies a glorious layering of history. This ranges from a fortified medieval chapel to a Renaissance cloister to baroque embellishment.
But for me, the grandeur was not only in its scale, but in its silences—in what had been preserved, and in what had been lost.
As discussed in my prior post, something far more modest lies tucked into the medieval streets. It is just down the hill from the Convento. Equally powerful is the Synagogue of Tomar, the oldest surviving synagogue in Portugal, built around 1430. It was here that Jewish residents—physicians, scholars, tradesmen—gathered in prayer. They continued even as the shadows of expulsion and forced conversion grew ever longer.
Our visit reminded me how Jewish and Christian lives intertwined in Portugal’s formative years. This was not always peaceful, but it was often pragmatic and productive. The Templars were driven by a mission to secure and cultivate land. They found in Jewish communities valuable allies in trade. These communities were also allies in finance and governance. In Tomar, Jews were not simply tolerated; they were vital.
A Shared Legacy—and a Modern Calling
This journey, unexpected as it was, touched something deep in me. As President of Congregation Ocean Reef and someone who cares deeply about interfaith understanding, I often reflect on the ways our Jewish and Christian communities not only coexist—but thrive—together. In many ways, our lives today echo those moments of shared enterprise. They reflect the spiritual resilience that once defined cities like Tomar.
This history is not just academic. It’s personal. It’s spiritual. And it’s something we must carry forward.
Our community at Ocean Reef is a living testament. It shows what is possible when people of different faiths come together with respect, curiosity, and purpose. We celebrate holidays together. We break bread. We worship. We remember.
Just as the Convento de Cristo and the Synagogue of Tomar stand side by side, so too do we.
A Message from the Road
To my friends and neighbors at Ocean Reef: history has a quiet way of calling out to us—sometimes in the most unexpected places. Whether you are Christian or Jewish, secular or deeply spiritual, may we all continue seeking the good news, the Besorah, that is written not only in scripture but also in stone, story, and shared humanity.
As we prepare for the season ahead—of travel, of reflection, of renewal—may we find ways to carry the lessons of Tomar into our own lives: that faith can endure, that coexistence is possible, and that we are strongest when we remember where we come from, together.
With warmth and gratitude,
Michael L Weiss PhD., ABD, HCCP
President, Congregation Ocean Reef
Editor, Besorah Dispatch
One reply on “Tomar and the Convento de Cristo”
Michael: a compelling message, my friend. The images and history from the other side of the Atlantic Ocean are riveting and thought-provoking. Thank you for your Besorah postings and keep ’em coming. Safe travels back to US shores!