Our friends at BZD (Baltimore Zionist District) are organizing a trip to Israel from December 12 through 17, 2025, to experience Hanukkah in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and southern Israel.
From the windswept fjords of Norway to the quiet resilience of Danish Jewish communities, this journey from Scandinavia’s Jewish past to present invites those who cherish global Jewish heritage and thought-provoking history to uncover stories rarely told.
Title: “Scandinavia through the Eyes of a Jewish Traveler”
Presented by: Irene Shaland a Jewish historian and author of 7 books, including “The Dao of Being Jewish and Other Stories: Tales of Jewish Diaspora, Persecution, the Holocaust and Rebirth in Europe, Africa and Asia”
Join the BZD for a captivating journey through Norway, Sweden, and Denmark with internationally published author Irene Shaland. Known for their breathtaking landscapes, royal capitals, and striking modern design, these countries also hold rich and often little-known Jewish stories.
Together we’ll explore the Jewish communities that once thrived in Scandinavia, the role each nation played during the Holocaust, and what it means to live as a Jew in these societies today. From history to modern life, this presentation offers a unique window into Scandinavia through Jewish eyes.
Rabbi Barbara Aiello talks about Irene Shaland’s recent book: “I’ve just had the great pleasure to read historian Irene Shaland’s new and most impressive book to date, Shaland’s Porto & Northern Portugal: An Illustrated Guide to Jewish History and Sites in Northern Portugal, Its Capitol Porto and Select Sites in Central Portugal.
In these days when our mobile phones provide thumbnail sketches of places we’d like to visit, Shaland’s book is a refreshing alternative to the ‘grab and go’ approach imbedded in much of historical travel.
Do you recall the days of printed guidebooks? I still have quite a selection. These printed texts lent themselves to thought, study and consideration – values brought to life in Shaland’s up to date, illustrated guide. More than 200 pages in length and, thanks to Irene’s husband Alex, filled with breathtaking photos, this is a book that, if you let it, will guide your Sephardic Portuguese adventure to many undiscovered treasures that shaped Jewish life in this fascinating region.” – Rabbi Barbara Aiello.
Shaland’s Porto and Northern Portugal is the third exquisite book, in Irene Shaland’s five book series on her travels in Portugal. It is a deep delve into the Jewish history of the area but also brings to life generally the history, geography, art, culture, and grandeur of the area. It is a state-of-the-art travel guide but offers so much more than what would normally be seen or understood by a traveller because of the expert research of the author who is Jewish herself and has an eye for what would escape the attention of most travellers.
The book is also superbly illustrated with a large number of colour photographs by Alex Shaland, Irene’s husband, and children’s author, who shares her travel adventures with her.
Even if you are not a globe trotter, this book has much to offer for those wanting to understand the history of the Jewish diaspora – the persecution, the forced conversions, the Inquisitions, and the expulsions. There is also a visit to a Holocaust Museum. The book also covers the times Jewish culture thrived, and the history of Kings, Christianity, the Knights Templar, and Islam in the land.
No wonder Irene is a sought-after speaker and educator on Jewish history, art, culture and heritage and her travel articles are eagerly awaited.
If you are planning to visit Portugal, take this book with you and keep it in your hand as you explore Portugal as it gives you a practical guide of what to do day to day in your travel. Better still, get it before you go and plan your travels.
“For a deep dive into Lisbon’s Jewish history, we will reconstruct the past while traveling not only through the modern city but also through time.”
This book is a vivid and fascinating look into Lisbon through the lens of Jewish history and culture. Irene Shaland paints a colorful story spanning centuries from Biblical times to today through a close-up look at Portugal’s capital (and other beautiful locations too.)
The book is told through a broad look at each time period, and zooms in each chapter for a close-up look at Jewish life during the time. The information – told like a story, as if Irene were walking you right through Lisbon, with intelligent observation – is complemented by stunning photographs.
Shaland’s Lisbon is perfect for anyone curious about Jewish history, anyone going to Lisbon, or anyone just curious about the area (it feels like I got to take a little trip there!) The book is perfect for reading on the go, as it takes you through the streets and points out architecture and little details you otherwise might’ve missed.
Though I’m not Jewish myself, I enjoyed learning more, and was fully fascinated and entranced by Irene’s storytelling that brought Jewish life from centuries ago into the present. But be warned – once you start reading, you won’t be able to stop!
Travel with Irene Shaland to one of the most amazing destinations in Asia for history and art aficionados: a small city-state of Singapore. Bustling, cosmopolitan, artsy, trendy, modern, clean, and orderly, Singapore plays an important part on the world’s financial and political stage. Ethnically and religiously diverse, this city-state is a true microcosm of tolerance and inclusiveness, unique in our world today.
Discover the fascinating story of the uniquely Singaporean world: composed of a mosaic of cultures: Chinese, Malaysian, Indian, Armenian, Persian, Jewish, Arabic, and European – this is a world like no other. A country of immigrants, Singapore is called a nation of cultures. Unnoticed by many visitors, the streets of Singapore can double as a museum of modern and contemporary art, while the city skyline displays cutting-edge architecture.
This event is free of charge and will be held at the AAWR gallery. Immediately following the program, a small sampling of authentic food from Singapore, courtesy of Dang Good Foods will be served.
Please “come” virtually to Irene Shaland’s lecture devoted to Jewish history in Portugal. This time, we will be exploring the enchanting islands of Madeira and Azores that belong to Portugal.
This lecture is hosted by the Society for Crypto Judaic Studies. The event is OPEN to the public. To receive the link to the event, you need to register. Please find the link to register:
Title: “The Hidden History of Jewish People on the Islands of Madeira and Azores and the Unsolved Mystery of a Sefer Torah”
Date: May 19, 2024
Time: 12:00 Noon EST
Description:
Join the renowned author and historian, Irene Shaland, in her exploration of two Portuguese autonomous regions in the Atlantic: Madeira and Azores. With their mild climate, dramatic waterfalls, and mountains, both archipelagos are popular tourist destinations with over five million visitors arriving annually.
However, few tourists know that the two islands of Madeira and the nine islands of Azores have a hidden Jewish history, and the archipelagos tightly guard their secrets.
The Jewish presence on the islands, still under the radar of most historians, spans the entire length of recorded history beginning with their discovery by the Portuguese in the 14th and 15th centuries. It is even thought that the explorer who discovered Madeira, Joao Zarco, was of Crypto-Jewish ancestry.
In Search of a Jewish Story in China Free Virtual Presentation Hosted by New City Library, New York
Date and Time: May 6th, 7:00 PM EST
Join an art and travel writer Irene Shaland as she takes us on a fascinating expedition, both familiar and unknown, through the 2,000 years of history in China. We will journey along the Silk Road and Gobi Desert, and visit six cities: Harbin, Beijing, Dunhuang, Kaifeng, Luoyang, and Shanghai.
As a Jewish historian, Irene Shaland remains ever attuned to what she calls the Jewish story, an often “endless chain of persecutions, from century to century, from country to country.” However, in China, she uncovered an entirely different chapter in Jewish history, which is divided into two unique narratives: the Jews in China and the Jews of China.
You are invited to discover these fascinating stories and find answers to many perplexing questions:
What are the secrets of the Gobi Desert and the Silk Road?
What do the most anti-Semitic of Russian Tsars, a railroad, a Chinese fishing village, and Russian-Yiddish culture have in common?
How did it happen that a port city in China occupied by the Japanese became a safe haven for thousands of European Jews during World War II?
What important lessons can we learn today from the history of the Chinese Jews?
Finally, why did the Jews of China disappear? And – did they really?
Read about Jews in China in Irene Shaland’s book “The Dao of Being Jewish and Other Stories: Tales of Jewish Diaspora, Persecution, the Holocaust and Rebirth in Europe, Africa and Asia.”https://amzn.to/2T1u5kK
Please join an in-person lecture by author Alex Shaland on how to write and publish your own book. Alex will share his writing and publishing experience at this event, hosted by the Artists Archives of the Western Reserve (AAWR).
Event Details:
Date: March 13, 2024
Time: 6:30 PM – 8 PM
Location: Artists Archives of the Western Reserve
Address: 1834 E. 123rd St., Cleveland, Ohio 44106-1910
Phone: 216-721-9020
This event is free and open to the public. You can click the link to register: Register here.
To find out more about the event, click the link here: About the Event
About the Lecture:
Join Alex Shaland’s presentation on the process of writing, editing, and publishing a book, from the first moments of inspiration to marketing your work. You will be able to deepen your knowledge and confidence of publishing, guided by Alex’s own experience writing and publishing his books. Topics covered during the lecture include:
Why do you want to write your book?
Selecting the subject for your book.
Writing your story.
Receiving feedback.
Editing your manuscript.
Choosing how to publish your book.
Navigating the publishing process the hard way.
Finally, your book is published, so what’s next? Or, how to promote your book once it is published.
To learn more about Alex and his adventures in writing travel and children’s books, click here: About Alex Shaland
Please “come” virtually to Irene Shaland’s 2nd lecture devoted to Jewish history in Portugal. This time, we will be exploring the enchanting islands of Madeira and Azores that belong to Portugal.
This event is FREE and OPEN to the public. To receive the link to the event, you need to register. I recommend registering as soon as possible; it only takes a couple of minutes. Please click the link to register: Link to Registration
About this Zoom event:
Title: “The Hidden History of Jewish People on the Islands of Madeira and Azores and the Unsolved Mystery of a Sefer Torah”
Date: February 27, 2024
Time: 11:00 AM EST
Description:
Join the BZD and renowned author and historian, Irene Shaland, in her exploration of two Portuguese autonomous regions in the Atlantic: Madeira and Azores. With their mild climate, dramatic waterfalls, and mountains, both archipelagos are popular tourist destinations with over five million visitors arriving annually.
However, few tourists know that the two islands of Madeira and the nine islands of Azores have a hidden Jewish history, and the archipelagos tightly guard their secrets.
The Jewish presence on the islands, still under the radar of most historians, spans the entire length of recorded history beginning with their discovery by the Portuguese in the 14th and 15th centuries. It is even thought that the explorer who discovered Madeira, Joao Zarco, was of Crypto-Jewish ancestry.
To learn more about the organization and to register, go to the BZD website: https://bzdisrael.org/ or call: 410-484-4510
