Interesting article in today's NYT Travel Section on searching for ancestors in Spain. Sorry, don't know how to post a link here.

You just copy and paste it that's all.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/06/tr...ies-later.html

Hope the link works for non-subscribers to the NYT.

If you can find it, <i>The Mezuzah in the Madonna's Foot</i> by Trudi Alexy is a terrific read. http://www.amazon.com/The-Mezuzah-Ma.../dp/0060603402

http://www.dw.de/portugal-visiting-b...ommunity/a-273


We visited Belmonte in 2008. It's in the northern sieras, with a fascinating history of the hidden Jews.

Trudi's book is excellent reading. Her husband was an office mate of mine at the RAND Corporation "think tank" back in the 50's. She was a fine and bright young lady, as I recall. In Spain there are Jewish memories everywhere. In Portugal, there is a beautiful small sinagoga in Lisbon just two blocks off Avenida Libertad (to the left walking north).

another article on Belmonte:

http://forward.com/articles/12391/af...prosperity-t-/

Vitoria, capital of the Basque Country, has one of the most important Jewish quarters in Spain. Its old town, known as "the almond" for its shape, corresponds to the layout of a protective jewish area.