From www.shavei.org:
Bnei Anousim in Spain
In the early Middle Ages, Spanish Jewry was one of the oldest and most successful Diaspora Jewish communities. But from 1391 onwards, a series of terrible disturbances and great tribulations befell the Jews of Iberia, resulting in unprecedented waves of expulsion, persecution and forced conversions. These tragic events culminated in 1492, when the remaining Jews were formally expelled by Spanish monarchs. Many of those who had been compelled to convert to Catholicism – known by the Hebrew term Bnei Anousim – remained behind, where they nonetheless continued to preserve their Jewish identity and to practice Jewish tradition covertly, away from the prying eyes of the Inquisition and its enforcers. One of the most famous example was the converted Jews from Palma de Mallorca know untill today by the name “chuetas”(pig).
Bnei Anousim in Portugal
In 1497, the Portuguese king presented the Jews living in his realm with a dastardly choice: convert or die. Some chose death, but most of Portuguese Jewry was dragged to the baptismal font and compelled to accept Catholicism against their will. But many of these "New Christians" did their utmost to remain loyal to their Jewish roots, passing down the faith and practices of their ancestors across the generations. And while many were made to pay a heavy price by the Inquisition for their continued fidelity to Judaism, many others somehow succeeded in preserving their Jewish identity. Perhaps the most famous example was the community of Belmonte, in northern Portugal, where some 150 Bnai Anousim were formally restored to the Jewish people two decades ago by a rabbinical court sent from Israel.
muman613
Muman, Thank you for this.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
(joy and tears)
I will tell you FLAT OUT, that Crypto-Jews ALWAYS feel
'left out' ALWAYS.
The fear inside that most Crypto-Jewish families have is so terrible. We keep secrets from each other, We get inquisitive over each-other. There is a RULE in my family: (
DO NOT EVER TELL ANYONE WHAT I AM ABOUT TO TELL YOU) (and after you say- yes, ok) THEN- they MAKE YOU "Swear to G-d" that you will NEVER say anything, and THAT is STRICTLY a Catholic thing.
Families like this also put a HARD front on, but REALLY have an anxiety/paranoia that they will be found out- "What will people find out?" DONT KNOW, it is just a STRONG INNER FEAR. Also, if someone else steals something (I remember this one incident) that someone stole $1oo- out of a teachers desk (I was home sick that whole week-6th grade) this really terrible girl, she said "Paulette is the GUILTY ONE" I WASNT EVEN THERE!!!!!! After she said it MANY times, I BELIEVED HER, can you believe that? And I ADMITTED IT DID IT, and I NEVER did THAT! Thank G-d they FOUND the kid, b/c I CONVINCED myself to just admit it, and HURRY and rcv. my punishment. I remember my family saying: You know dear, you would never do that! But they looked guilty too. THAT IS EXACTLY what the Life of Portuguese Crypto-Jewish people are like at home. To a T.
In the houses I grew up in, with my family, we had Catholic type pictures all over, and NOBODY is Catholic- NOBODY. The extent of Catholicism, in my family is that the girls and little boys did a "communion" I NEVER did, I was NOT baptized either, right after birth, AT ALL. My grandmother made SURE OF IT- I believe that this one incident made me special.
I remember my little best friend Mary, she brought me to her church, it was Catholic, and she had told me: You can go ahead and have some of the communion (but b4 she told me THIS, she told me G-d would strike me DEAD, if I DID go up there) I SCREAMED!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! I DONT want G-d to KILL me today!
Now, Mary was hands DOWN, my BEST friend, but she scared the HELL out of me, while we were growing up, she was really devout, and I was going to hell, if I did NOT convert over to Catholicism-
I never did. Of course, I stood up to her- for THIRTY SIX YEARS. She died ad 42 yrs old.
I miss her. I have always known she loved G-d. But one thing- she ALWAYS knew that G-d had a STRONG hand in MY life.
Muman,
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I hope that you all can PLEASE help and appreciate Crypto-Jewish people. We REALLY have been through hell, in our lives, and families, MANY suffering massive nervous breakdowns. THANKS.
Topic: Interesting story on Crypto-Jew exhibit in Brazil (Read 1784 times)