At the end of last year we as family went to  Spain. From our friend we asked for contacts and information about jewish haritage we could possibly visit or make contact with.

We first went to Toledo, booked for one night at a camping near the city and went on the afternoon to the jewish centre of Toledo. At the bookstore Tienda Serafad I met the bookseller, who shared a part of his life before he came back to his heritage. In a country which is a part of South America he realised in his growing up, he thought jewish, interesting in jewish things and histrory and searching for his roots, he became known he is jewish! After time he returned back and nowadays he is living in the place his forefathers always have lived.

He also adviced me to take a visit to Museo Sefardi Toledo. In there are keys who tells us the story of jewish people who left their home and took their frontdoorkey with them with a special thought. When they could come back they could put their frontdoorkey in their own house. You can imagine what feelings came, when many of them found their home in other hands! This story touched my heart and I told him I surely would visit that museum.

Next day we again went to the jewish centre. In the museum I found many items who told us about history of people who have fled for their lifes.

And yes, I found the keys, took a picture of them and memorized about this story told by the bookseller.

Yesterday I read an article about the same story. In the year of 2011 there was on the 18th of May there a worldwide day of Museums and the Jewish Cultural History Museum at Amsterdam had the subject of Keys to my heritage:

http://werkgroepcaraibischeletteren.nl/keys-to-my-heritage-in-joods-museum/

The key below I received from my dad when I was a teenager. As long as I remember I put this key next to the frontdoor, honestly next to every frontdoor of the house I lived. My dad bought the key and other items when he was visiting Israel in those days. I almost am sure this key was made as a memory of the story  the bookseller in Toldeo was telling me.

 

I am curious for stories like these. If you have another story, please share with us!

Tehillim 8 .. Joshua 1:3

What I left in Toledo were my footsteps, close friends (1) and a feeling of coming back one day, because searching for their heritage is searching for mine!

(1)http://shalomsefarad.blogspot.nl/with translation the last article:

In English:

https://translate.google.nl/translate?hl=nl&sl=es&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fshalomsefarad.blogspot.nl%2F&sandbox=1

In Dutch:

https://translate.google.nl/translate?hl=nl&sl=es&u=http://shalomsefarad.blogspot.com/&prev=search