THEBIGGERISSUE.ORG: Gibraltar's Historic and Deep Jewish Presence.

GIBRALTAR:
Mighty Religions Among The Barbary Apes.
By Uncle Monty At Morocco's Tangier.
Gibraltar Photos By Alex Albion.
- + -
Up and down the streets of Gibraltar I couldn’t help but
notice the clear predominance and abiding presence
of Jewish families, rabbinical school kids, rabbis, and
Orthodox Jews coming and going as they went here
and there so happily together along the Gib streets.
- + -
And while I didn’t find a Jewish restaurant serving
“kosher cuisine,” I did find local food stores with a good
variety of Kosher foods and I also found at least one
Yiddish Cemetery – called Jews’ Gate – and a Jewish
charity shop called Yede Rashim Society.
-+ -
The Jews of Gibraltar have had, it seems, a significant im-
pact since 1724, or the early 18th century, on the history
and culture of The Rock, which is made of Jurassic
limestone of more than 200 million years of age.
.
Read Manfred R. Lehmann 's "The Jews of Gibraltar."
http://www.manfredlehmann.com/sieg287.html
- + -

While speaking of Jews, Gibraltar's first ever Chief Minister,

the late Hon. Sir Joshua Hassan, Q.C., was himself a Jew.

- + -
Gibraltar's 1997-built Islamic Mosque at Europa Point.

- + -
What struck me the most was to also discover that not
only did Gibraltar have at least five old synagoues, but it
also has two Cathedrals - Anglican and Roman Catholic -
a large Islamic Mosque (shown above), an Hindu Temple, a
Presbyterian Church, a Military Garrison Chapel, along with
other places of worship for the Bahai, Quakers, Primitive
Baptists, Methodists, Mormons, Dutch Reformers, Jehovah's
Witnesses, New Apostalic adherents, together with a variety
of independent evangelical and charismatic fellowships.

And while The Rock has been British for ages, and still is,
the majority faith isn't English Anglican, like me, but over-
whelmingly Roman Catholic! There are at least 7 Catholic
Churches with a mere 2 Anglican ones found at The Cathedral
of the Holy Trinity and at The King's Chapel. Islam (stemming
mostly from Moroccan Sunni Muslims) is held and practiced
by even fewer residents than those who are Judaic believers
at Gibraltar. The Protestant street mission, or The Cityline
Church, is not a building but is instead built from and on the
streets for those who are "unChurched" while seeking an inner
sense of spirituality without becoming regular and committed
Church attendees. The streets are the Church pews ...
By golly!

.
For such a small and charming place that Gibraltar is at its geographic size of only 7 sq km with a tiny human population of under 27,000, I was pleasantly surprised to find it contained the mighty religions of the world among the Barbary Apes!!
- + -
The Shrine of Our Lady of Europe.

- + -
And if our Jewish friends were noticeable by their Semetic
custom and traditional lifestyle, then the Barbary Apres were
even more so by their intriguing antics and curious manner
among the mighty religions of Gibraltar.
.
I spent a good half a day with the apes at their natural den high
on the upper slopes of The Mighty Rock. And, I was so glad I did.
Zoos are no place for wild creatures like the Barbary Apes, but
rather at their natural habitat and preferably out in the wild.
That's exactly what you’ll find if you take the magnificant ride on
the Cable Car that goes high above the community environs of
the becoming City of Gibraltar. Within moments of getting off the
Cable Car, there they were the rock monkeys eating ravishingly
on carrots, oranges, apples, veg and what have you, and madly
chasing each other about while the new baby apes were soon
learning the tricks of survival and how to grab whatever food
they could for themselves. They could swing from tree to tree
and rock to rock as fast as I could blink my eye. At one point
there was as many as 25 Barbary apes within my camera range.
How glad I was to capture them!! I took over 150 images of the
wild apes and I promptly sold 40 of my images for later glossy
travel magazine use and publication.
.
Do remember to be sure NOT to feed them or pet them for they
can and will possibly give you a good bite despite your friendly
human nature and desire. Nor do you need to be mean to them.
Just accept them for what they are and they’ll accept you for who
you are. With that, you’ll enjoy each other no end like I did.
- + -
At Gibraltar's Royal Botanical Gardens. - + -
My very brief blog story here about Gibraltar must do for now! I may add further photos and storyline, if I am able to find the time while travelling with dear Contessa Maria, who has been simply wondeful to me! Her marvellous Christmas gift to me of the HXD7 Digital Binocular Camera that enables the avid photographer like me to now take photoimages at distances of upto 3 to 5 miles away! Absolutely marvellous, I say!! Thank you ever so much, dear Maria!!!