Cape Verde Jewish Heritage Project President Carol Castiel shares the rededication of the Praia cemetery with the descendants of those buried there.
After years of work, in 2013 the Praia cemetery was rededicated after restoration has been completed.
"The special union between ancestors and descendants is one of the foundations of the existence of every sound human community aware of its identity." --Vaclev Havel
"Care for the dead is the truest form of loving-kindness, since it is given without any expectation of repayment." --Rashi
"To remember is to create links between past and present, between past and future. To remember is to affirm man's faith in humanity and to convey meaning to our fleeting endeavors. The aim of memory is to restore its dignity to justice." --Elie Wiesel
“If I don’t know where I came from, I am lost.” –John Wahnon, Jewish Descendent from Cape Verde
“We have a deep appreciation for Jewish communities large and small, and this is a unique opportunity to better understand the history of this once-vibrant community—in a place where we would hardly think such a community could exist.” --Daniel S. Mariaschin, B’nai B’rith’s Executive Vice President
"Our goal is to honor the memory and explore the contributions of the many Sephardic Jewish families who immigrated to Cape Verde from Morocco and Gibraltar in the mid-19th century." --Carol Castiel, President, Cape Verde Jewish Heritage Project
“It is vitally important for this little-known but significant chapter in our history to be told…we feel that the work of the Project can have a significant cultural and economic impact for the Republic of Cape Verde.” –José Maria Neves, Prime Minister, Head of Government, Republic of Cape Verde (2001–Present)