[The following article is from the European Jewish Press] For the first time since the expulsion of Spain’s Jews in 1492, a descendant of forcibly-converted Spanish Jews who immigrated to Israel, returned to Judaism and received rabbinical ordination will return to Spain to serve as a rabbi.
Rabbi Nissan Ben-Avraham, a resident of Shiloh, has been appointed the new emissary of Shavei Israel to the Bnei Anousim, whom historians refer to as “Marranos”, in Spain.
Shavei Israel is an organization with the aim of strengthening ties between the State of Israel and descendants of Jews around the world.
Bnei Anousim are descendants of the Jews who were formally expelled by the Spanish monarchs. Many of those had been compelled to convert to Catholicism.
Rabbi Ben-Avraham was born in 1957 in Palma de Mallorca, in a so-called Chueta family, descendants of Mallorca’s Jews who were forcibly converted to Catholicism in the 14th and 15th centuries.
They were never fully accepted by their Catholic neighbors, who referred to them as Chuetas (the Catalan word for “pigs”) and rejected them. They suffered from centuries of discrimination, which reinforced their identity and communal cohesiveness.
The Chuetas were forced to marry only among themselves and faced various social and professional restrictions up until the modern era. An estimated 15,000-20,000 still live in Mallorca, though many have assimilated in recent years.
Rabbi Ben Avraham’s given name at birth was Nicolau Aguilo. He immigrated to Israel in 1978, formally returned to Judaism and Hebraicized his name. He later married, was ordained as a rabbi, and became a proud father of 12 children.
In spain, he will teach Torah, Jewish culture and tradition to Bnei Anousim communities of Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Alicante and Seville,, and will conduct a range of social and educational activities. He will assist those seeking to learn more about their Jewish roots.
“This is a very moving and historic development,” said Michael Freund, founder and chairman of Shavei Israel.
According to Freund, there are tens of thousands of Bnei Anousim in Spain, who are conscious of their special connection to the Jewish people.
(Source: http://ejpress.org/)
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3 Responses
Given how genetics work, I suspect that a good many of the rabbis who have gone to Spain since the expulsion was repealed (in the mid-20th century) are descended from Jews who fled Spain. The headline “first time in 500 years” does not even seem to be supported by the text of the article.
What an incredible testament to the divinely inspired destiny of Am Yisroel.
I am reminded of a story regarding an arch the Romans erected in commemoration of having returned with fabulous treasure looted in the destruction of the Bais Hamigdosh, a very prominent candelabra featured on the arch can still be seen today in the arch which almost certainly was the Menorah. The Jews of Italy had a minhug never to pass underneath the arch but withthe creation of the State of Israel was voided, Roman Jews would pass underneath in glee pronouncing Am Yisroel Chai while Rome has long been ceased to exist. THat’s how I feel about this
blessed event that Am Yisroel Chai and that the Inquisition, the power of the Spanish Church ceases to intimidate others.
akuperma, the marranos are those Jews who did NOT flee Spain and pretended to convert to Catholicism.
After all these years, no one knows if someone truly decends from them, especially with a maternal descent, and are Jewish or not.