“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.” –GTA Books. Take a minute to check this book out:
Hello dear friends, readers, and followers! And happy, healthy, safe, and joyous New Year to you all!
As many of you know, I have not been presenting much for most of 2023 due to us traveling, researching, and working on our books. I am opening up the New Year with one of my Portuguese lectures. Here are the details, if any of you would like and be able to attend.
Title: “Rediscovering Portuguese Secrets: Little-Known Jewish History that Changed the World”
Date January 9th
Time: 11:00 AM EST
Booking institution: Baltimore Zionist District (BZD)
Venture on a journey with the BZD and renowned author and historian Irene Shaland as we delve into the enchanting tapestry of Portugal’s Jewish history, a narrative often overlooked by many.
Uncover the fascinating yet lesser-known stories of Jewish presence in the Iberian Peninsula since Biblical times. From the rich Sephardic or Spanish-Portuguese Jewish heritage influencing Portugal’s evolution during the Roman and Visigoth eras to the remarkable Age of Discovery and navigating the shadowy epochs of the Inquisition and persecution.
Explore the resilience of Jewish faith and traditions as they endured in secrecy, extending to World War II when Portugal emerged as a safe haven for countless European refugees. We’ll also touch upon the contemporary landscape, highlighting the modest yet flourishing Jewish community thriving in present-day Portugal.
Join us to explore the Portuguese secrets that have shaped history, weaving a tale of survival, resilience, and cultural evolution.
To learn more about the organization and to register, go to the BZD website: https://bzdisrael.org/ or call: 410-484-4510
I am happy to share good news: in addition to the paperback edition, the eBook version of my latest book “Jackie the Penguin Goes to Madagascar: Jackie Meets the Animals of Madagascar and Learns to Care About Nature” is now available at Amazon.
This book, the second in the “Adventures of Jackie the Penguin” series, is for children and their parents who love animals and want to learn more about the diverse wildlife of our planet. It is a captivating story told by a small African penguin called Jackie who, together with his two human friends, departs on a journey throughout the magical island of Madagascar. Our heroes came in search of unusual and mysterious animals, and they will not be disappointed.
Young readers are invited to join Jackie and meet adorable lemurs, colorful chameleons, tiny frogs, strange insects, beautiful birds, and other fascinating wildlife. No matter whether large or small, these creatures are very special because most of them do not exist anywhere else on Earth.
It comes as no surprise that Jackie falls in love with these animals, especially after learning many interesting facts about them. But at the same time, he observes scorched and bare land, where not so long ago there stood a forest full of life. Eventually, Jackie begins to understand the importance of protecting the environment.
A child’s learning can and should be fun. With this idea in mind, Alex Shaland wrote Jackie the Penguin Goes to Madagascar and the previous book, Jackie the Penguin Goes on Safari. Both books are part of the Adventures of Jackie the Penguin series, where bright color photographs accompany vivid descriptions of all exotic animals and help the child “see” the world through the eyes of their new friend, Jackie the Penguin.
While working on our upcoming trip to France, I came across a wonderful resource that would be very helpful for any history buff.
The website is called “The Cultural Guide to Jewish Europe.” It was created in the 1990s by a group of historians and journalists with the goal of “leading the curious traveler to discover an unknown Europe.” The site is very easy to use: just click on the link
Mark Your Calendars: Irene’s Zoom Lecture on January 13th “Revealing the Secrets of Jewish History in Malta”
Sign on the place of Old Jewish Market in Mdina,Malta.
Dear friends, readers, followers,
Many of you asked if and when my presentation on Malta will be repeated. Yes, it will be! On Friday, January 13th, 2023, I will be presenting my Malta lecture via Zoom at the event hosted by a British educational organization Abraham Presentations.
The event is FREE and open to the public, but you will need a link to attend. Next week, the link will be available, and I will email it to all of you in a follow-up Newsletter.
If you are not on my Newsletter mailing list, please send me an email at irene.shaland@gmail.com, and I will forward you the link once it is available.
About the Presentation:
The Maltese Jewish narrative manifests a spellbinding trajectory still under the radar for most historians: from Israelites sailing there with Phoenicians three thousand years ago, to the first Jewish traveler, the Biblical Paul, arriving in Malta in the first century CE, through the dark times of Jewish slavery during the Knights of St. John’s rule in the 16th century, to today’s blossoming Jewish community.
This lecture is presented in commemoration of the approaching in two weeks (January 27th) 2023 Yom HaShoah, International Holocaust Memorial Day. HMD Trust in the UK which organizes, runs, and streams country-wide commemoration has announced its 2023 theme as “Ordinary People.”
And therefore, we will discuss today – within the detailed context of Maltese history – Gemilut Hasadim or the Unknown Acts of Loving Kindness during the Holocaust.
The tiny archipelago of Malta was the only country in the world during WWII that did not require entry visas, therefore – due to the Gemilut Hasadim of the non-Jewish Maltese – saving the lives of untold thousands of European refugees.
The lecture concludes with the Lessons Learned from the “acts of loving kindness” and Jewish stories in Malta and the Q&A.
The Cleveland Photo Fest Presents: A free in-person presentation “Storytelling with Photos”
Presented by: Alex Shaland
Date and Time: December 16, 2022 at 7:00 PM
Location: Bostwick Design Art Initiative Building, 2731 Prospect Rd, Cleveland, OH 44115 (Parking at East Side of Building)
Alex Shaland is a travel photographer and the author of two adventure books: “Suburbanites on Safari” and “Jackie the Penguin Goes on Safari.” In this entertaining presentation he will explain how his life-long passions for travel photography and creative writing merged into his published books.
Alex and his wife Irene explored more than 80 countries around the world. This presentation features many images he took during their travels. The emphasis is on photography used in their books. Three of Irene’s five books are richly illustrated with Alex’s photographs. In two of his own books, his creative writing and images help Alex to tell an entertaining and engaging story.
Irene’s and Alex’s books will be on display. Founders of the GTA Books publishing company, Irene and Alex will be delighted to share their experience with anybody interested in writing and publishing a book of their own.
About Alex Shaland
Alex Shaland started his writing career in the 1990s, contributing articles and book chapters for several Penton Publishing periodicals and other publications. In addition to his own writing, he collaborated as an editor and photographer with his wife, Irene Shaland, in producing four books and articles published in numerous magazines in the U.S., Canada, U.K., and East Africa.
Alex’s photographs have appeared in over 20 print publications and online sources including Holiday Magazine (France/U.K.), The Boston Forward, Tikkun, ZEEK, Diarna Digital Heritage Mapping, Hackwriters(U.K.), IMAGE Magazine, ROMAR Travel, Design World Magazine and other journals printed in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Korea, and Kenya. Alex had several solo travel photography shows and participated in group exhibitions in New York, New Jersey, Michigan, and Ohio.
Following his first adventure book for adults “Suburbanites on Safari,” Alex’s children’s book “Jackie the Penguin Goes on Safari” was published in May of 2022.
Face-to-Face with Africa Through the Eyes of a Jewish Explorer
Virtual Lecture: Irene Shaland
Sunday, November 13th, 2022 7:00 PM EST Via Zoom
Hosted by Temple Emmanuel of Wakefield, MA
For more information and to register for this lecture, please email the Sisterhood President Susan Hochberg: shochberg.sh@gmail.com
Encounter Africa – a never-ending journey of mystery and discovery!
Join Irene Shaland, a Jewish historian, book author, and educator, as she leads us on a unique journey to Africa seen through the eyes of a Jewish explorer. As a writer focused on the past and present of Jewish communities around the world, Irene shares personal Jewish stories she discovered in Africa.
Nairobi Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, KenyaInside the sanctuary, Nairobi Synagogue, Kenya
The mysterious continent of Africa remains one of the most enchanting and fascinating destinations for both Irene and her husband Alex, a travel writer and photographer.
Masai warrior dance
Through Alex’s photographs and Irene’s story-telling, you will journey to South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania, and Zanzibar. You will meet Africa’s Big Five (five African animals most dangerous for a hunter on foot), visit the Nairobi Synagogue and its energetic community, go to a Masai Tribe village to learn Masai Old Testament-like legends, the Great Rift Valley (where life on Earth began) and follow the Great Migration in Kenya and Tanzania.
For more information and to register for this lecture, please email the Sisterhood President Susan Hochberg: shochberg.sh@gmail.com
Many of you know that we just spent 6 weeks crisscrossing Portugal and jumping to Madeira and Azores archipelagos. We explored in depth cultural and historical centers like Lisbon, Evora, Coimbra, Belmonte, and Porto, which also served as our bases for trips to towns like Guimarães and Guarda and a dozen or so enchanting small mountain villages saturated with rich history and Jewish stories. We met with many wonderful people on this trip who opened the doors to special museum and archival collections helping us to reach our objectives. And, just as importantly, we made new friends. So, why did we go to Portugal for so long?
Yes, you guessed it right: we were on the hunt for materials and photos for our next book “Shaland’s Jewish Travel Guide to Portugal.” This will be the second book in our Jewish Travel Guide series, following the “Shaland’s Jewish Travel Guide to Malta and Corsica” published last year and available at Amazon in the paperback and eBook formats: https://amzn.to/3nfjH9s
Shaare Tikvah Synagogue, Lisbon, Portugal
The writing and photo editing phase of the projects will start soon after our return from the Tiger Safari in India at the end of May. Stay tuned for updates!
Save the date for our upcoming virtual lecture on January 30, 2022: “Acts of Loving Kindness During the Holocaust: Unknown Stories from Corsica and Malta.”
Date: January 30th, 2022 Time: 2:00 PM EST US/20:00 Italy/21:00 Israel
Hosted by the Italian Jewish Cultural Center of Calabria and Synagogue Ner Tamid del Sud, Serrastretta, Italy
Presented by Irene Shaland
This virtual lecture is free and open to the public. No registration is required. To attend, click on the zoom link a few minutes before the starting time: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83848871371
The Jewish story of Corsica is not well known, and many are surprised to hear that the island has any to reveal. However, in 1763, Corsica was the first modern country to proclaim social and political equality for the Jews: 27 years ahead of the US and 28 years ahead of France. The history of the Jews in Corsica goes back at least a millennium. Reconstructing that history in its entirety what firmly comes across, is the welcoming Corsican heart, always open to those who seek refuge from cruelty and injustice. In addition, the island’s Jewish narrative reveals an irony of Omerta (mafia’s code of silence) that led many Corsicans to risk their lives in saving thousands of Jews fleeing the Nazi-occupied mainland France to escape deportation and death.
The Maltese Jewish narrative manifests a spellbinding trajectory still under-the-radar for most historians: from Israelites sailing there with Phoenicians three thousand years ago, to the first Jewish traveler, the Biblical Paul, arriving in Malta in the first century CE, through the dark times of Jewish slavery during the Knights of St. John’s rule in the 16th century, to today’s blossoming Jewish community. The tiny archipelago of Malta was the only country in the world during WWII that did not require entry visas, therefore saving the lives of untold thousands of European refugees.
The lecture concludes with the Lessons Learned from the “acts of loving kindness” and Jewish stories in Malta, Corsica, and Q&A.
By Barbara Miller, the author of “If I Survive: Nazi Germany and the Jews.”
This book is a masterpiece in bringing to light the unknown history and rich cultural treasures of Malta and Corsica which are situated in the beautiful Mediterranean Sea but off the beaten track for most tourists. Author Irene Shaland’s experience as an art and travel writer, educator, and theatre reviewer brings a richness and depth not normally found in travel guides. Her husband, Alex, an internationally-acclaimed photographer has contributed a huge number of amazing photos that bring the story to life.
And this is much more than a travel guide. It also opens the door on the Jewish story of Malta and Corsica. As Jewish migrants from Russia to the USA, they bring unique insights to this travel guide.
Many gems of information for the curious are revealed like the first alphabet, the temples built well before the pyramids of Egypt, and much more but you need to read it to find out. You will be surprised at how pivotal these two small islands were in the history of Europe and the Middle East. When you pick this book up, you’ll not be able to put it down. Even if you don’t plan to travel there, you’ll be carried along as Irene’s skills as a detective and researcher draw you into this amazing story.
If your Amazon account is in the US (www.amazon.com), please follow one of the links below to take a look at the paperback or eBook edition of Irene’s book:
If you live outside of the US and your Amazon account is based in your country, please go to your Amazon account and type “Shaland’s Jewish Travel Guide to Malta and Corsica” in the search box.
