Girls play in street near Praia, Cape Verde islands. Steps lead to Jewish cemetery. (AFP)
**Click here to listen to interview*
National Public Radio, Tell Me More, with host Michel Martin (Washington, DC, May 2, 2013) — You may not know much about the country of Cape Verde; it’s a group of islands off the coast of West Africa. But you may be surprised that many Cape Verdeans have Jewish ancestry.
Carol Castiel and Salamiths Spencer at Jewish cemetery on Cape Verde Islands
Host Michel Martin speaks with Carol Castiel, founder of the Cape Verde Jewish Heritage Project, about efforts to restore Jewish burial grounds in the country.
Castiel and dignitaries from a number of countries are in Praia in the Cape Verde islands today for the re-dedication of one of the Jewish burial grounds.
In her interview, Castiel thanks those who have made the restoration possible, in particular Morocco’s King Mohammed VI. Castiel says:
“We find it very symbolic and important that a Muslim monarch saw fit to support restoring Jewish heritage in a predominantly Catholic country. We just think this is a message that has to go out to the world.”
For more on the story, click here for recent reports by AFP and JTA.
The full transcript of the Tell Me More interview will be posted when it is available.
