01 · The arrival
The first meeting began at the Villardompardo Palace in Jaén, with a concert of Sephardic and klezmer music. In every city we were welcomed by its authorities: in Jaén, in Córdoba and in Lucena, the “Pearl of Sefarad”.
In 1492, the Abulafias were forced to leave Sefarad and carried their name across the world. More than five centuries later, Explore Sefarad brought together descendants of the family, Abulafia, Aboulafia and Abolafia, to return together to the cities of their ancestors.
And in Jaén the most moving moment was waiting for us: the Abolafias of Jaén, the ones who never left.
2022 · Jaén, Córdoba and Lucena
02 · The ones who never left
In Jaén we met the Abolafias of Jaén, the branch of the family that never left Sefarad. Two halves of one story, together again after five hundred years.
03 · In the footsteps of our ancestors
We walked through the Jewish quarters, the synagogue of Córdoba and Casa Sefarad, next to Maimonides, and celebrated Shabbat together at the Parador of Jaén.
04 · Memory, ideas and flavours
There were talks on the history of the family and on the kabbalist Abraham Abulafia, a Sephardic food workshop with chef Javier Zafra and the presentation of Alejandra Abulafia’s book Ciudades de Sefarad.
2026 · Segovia, Toledo and Madrid
01 · We came back
Four years later, we returned. We began at the Fogón Sefardí in Segovia, with an activity to bring the different generations of the family together.
02 · Segovia
We walked through the Jewish quarter and the house of Abraham Seneor, and saw Yuda, theatre and music in the Jewish quarter, winner of the Castilla y León Critics’ Award.
03 · Toledo
In Toledo we visited the Synagogue of El Tránsito and Santa María la Blanca.
04 · Shabbat
And we celebrated Shabbat at the Parador, with the city at our feet.
05 · Madrid
We said goodbye in Madrid with a Sephardic tapas route through Habsburg Madrid and a night of flamenco.
What about your family name?
Bring your family home to Sefarad
If your family also has roots in Sefarad, we can organise your own meeting: research your story, walk the streets of your ancestors and bring the family together.
The film