11 June 2026

Kavod Ha-Met: Honoring our ancestors

Scope:collectiveAt risk of disappearing?YesProtective status:NoLocation:SpainLanguages used:Hebrew, Catalan, Spanish, EnglishWho submits?organization

Most medieval Jewish cemeteries in Spain are invisible after being suddenly abandoned with the expulsion of 1492. In Barcelona this happened earlier, after a wave of anti-Jewish attacks in 1391. But in 2008, local Jews secured government recognition, researched its boundaries and, in 2018, designed a special ceremony to reconnect with the site and to restore its place in the city’s memory. Thus, the tradition of Kavod HaMet (honoring the dead) is renewed, after being interrupted for centuries.

Watch a video of the ceremony here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7gzO3bHmlg

Why is this important to you/your community?For Jewish life it is fundamental to recover such ancient and meaningful tradition. It will help local and visiting Jews to reconnect with their background. It will also help the city\\\'s neighbors understand their history. It is important as part of a process to rebuild the collective memory.

Risk of disappearing

In Spain, the connection between living Jews and middle ages cemeteries is not obvious. Specially since cemeteries are unmarked, and we do not know the names of those who remain underground.

Bibliography / Sources

-Middle Ages Jewish cemetery in Barcelona on Montjuïc: definition of its boundaries, IX to XIV centuries https://urbancultours.com/MONTJUIC/index_ENG.html

– La tradició funerària en el judaisme (2010) Centre d’Estudis Zakhor (ed.) Palma: Lleonard Muntaner, Editor. Col·lecció Mónjuïc/2, ISBN: 978-84-92562-12-1

Discover other traditions

Privacy Preference Center

Privacy Preferences