Little-Known Jewish History that Changed the World The Age of Discoveries and the Role of Sephardic Scientists Who was the man we know as
Columbus?
For Irene Shaland, globe-trotting is a passion and a way of life. She sees travel as a process of personal growth and an opportunity to share her knowledge and experiences with her readers and audiences who are also enthusiastic about history, arts, and legends from the four corners of the earth. Irene and Alex, her husband and an award-winning
travel photographer, have visited close to 90 countries and enchanted audiences with their books, magazine articles, lectures, and photography exhibits based on their travels.
Irene’s most recent book is Shaland’s Lisbon: An Illustrated Guide to Jewish History and Sites In and Around Lisbon.
The Jews are believed to have been present in the Iberian Peninsula since Biblical times. The Sephardic or Spanish-Portuguese Jewish heritage in Portugal has greatly influenced the country’s development throughout the ages: from the Roman and Visigoth times to the brilliant Age of Discovery; through the dark centuries of Inquisition and persecution, when the Jewish faith and
traditions survived in secret, to World War II, when the country became a safe haven for thousands of European refugees; and to today’s small but blossoming Jewish community.