About this talk

Travel with the author and historian Irene Shaland to Portugal and discover the most fascinating Jewish history, which is largely unknown. 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.

Drawing on extensive academic research and personal experiences during an extended stay in Portugal, Irene Shaland paints a vivid picture of the Sephardic Jewish experience in Iberia from Antiquity through modern times in her book titled "Shaland's Lisbon".  

About Irene

Irene Shaland and her husband Alex, an award-winning travel photographer, have visited over 90 countries and enchanted audiences with their books, magazine articles, lectures, and photography exhibits based on their travels.

Irene's new series dedicated specifically to Jewish history travel around the world was launched in September 2021 with the Shaland's Jewish Travel Guide to Malta and Corsica: A Trusted Companion to Jewish History Explorer. The new Portuguese five book series is launched with the first one: Shaland's Lisbon: An Illustrated Guide to Jewish History and Sites In and Around Lisbon, December 2023.

Alex Shaland, the author of Suburbanites on Safari (2019), and the series of popular children's books Jackie the Penguin Goes on Safari"(2022), and Jackie the Penguin Goes to Madagascar (2023), is an internationally-published photographer. Alex's photographs appeared in various journals and other media in the U.S., Canada, France, Kenya, South Korea, and the U.K.

Website: https://globaltravelauthors.com

Twitter: @ShalandGTA

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GlobalTravelAuthors