Honoring Inquisition victims, returnees

Not so long ago Tracing the Tribe wrote that, along with Holocaust Remembrance Day, there should be a day on which we honor the Inquisition's victims. Many people agreed with this concept.

We have learned that Rabbi Stephen Leon (El Paso, Texas) will introduce a resolution honoring the Inquisition's victims on Tisha B'Av at December's biennial convention of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.

It will also honor those forcibly converted to Catholicism in Iberia and elsewhere so long ago who have now returned to open Judaism.

This is music to Tracing the Tribe's ears, if a blog can have such physical attributes. We also recommend that readers who are members of Conservative and other congregations should talk to their rabbis about the importance of this resolution and to the positive message it will send to millions of Converso/Bnai Anousim descendants who feel that mainstream Judaism ignores them.

Karen Primack also wrote the news in the Summer 2009 Kulanu Newsletter (Summer 2009).

This is the resolution's text:

Resolution on the observance of Tisha B’av to be a day to commemorate the Spanish Inquistion and the return of the Anousim to Judaism

Whereas the holiday of Tisha B’av recalls the very day that the expulsion of the Jews from Spain took place in the year 1492; and

Whereas many Jews were forcibly converted to Christianity publicly, but continued to practice Judaism in secret; and Whereas many of the descendants of these Jews who are called B’nei Anousim have returned formally to Judaism today, and many are in the same process,

Now, therefore be it resolved that the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism calls upon all of its affiliated congregations to formally observe Tisha B’av on an annual basis as an occasion to educate its members about the history and events of the Spanish Inquisition regarding the Jewish people, and to inform its members of the return of the B’nei Anousim to Judaism today; and Be it further resolved that the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism helps to provide programs, speakers, films, and other appropriate materials for such Spanish Inquisition and B’nai Anousim commemorations on Tisha B’av.

Rabbi Leon, who is actively involved in assisting conversos/bnai anousim in many ways, is spiritual leader of Congregation B’nai Zion, which will also receive an award at the convention for its annual Converso/Bnai Anousim conferences held for the past nine years, always held around Tisha B'Av.

Conferences have featured such speakers as Yaffa DaCosta, Sonya Loya, Art Benvenisti, Richard Santos, Rabbi Juan Meji, and Trudy Alexy z’’l (author, The Mezuzah in the Madonna’s Foot), and viewed films such as "The Longing" by Gloria Bohm, and about Rabbi Jacques Cukierkorn’s work with Anousim in Latin America.

According to Rabbi Leon, “Tisha B’Av is the perfect time to mourn the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492 and to celebrate the return of their descendants, the Bnai Anousim of today.”

Tracing the Tribe supports this move and believes that the surrounding publicity in regard to this resolution and the award will raise awareness in Conservative congregations and among Conservative Judaism's clergy and lay leaders around the world and spur more welcoming outreach to our friends.

Thank you, Rabbi Leon.

Reactions: "I'm a genealogist"

How do people react when you say you're a genealogist?

Do they ask how many babies you've delivered - thinking you said gynecologist; what caves or oil fields you've discovered - confusing you with a geologist; or simply think you are strange for happily shlepping through cemeteries looking for dead people (which, you must admit, is a good place to find them)?

This posting is also a challenge to my gen-blogging colleagues to write an entry about the strangest, funniest or most confusing reactions to what you do. Readers are invited to share their experiences through comments below.

I was once introduced to a room full of women, members of a large Jewish organization's branch in Israel, as the "gynecology columnist for the Jerusalem Post." After the laughter quieted down, I mentioned that - if you think about it - the two fields are related. Without gynecology, there wouldn't be genealogy.

Our daughter lived in Switzerland for a few years. On one of our visits, her friend's family offered their ski resort apartment. As they were leaving, they said "take a look at the books, if you get a chance," indicating a shelf of leather-bound books. We were busy trekking through the picturesque town; husband and daughter were skiing every day and I was enjoying the scenery. On our last day, I looked at the books and realized they held her friend's family history dating from the 15th century, compiled by his father!

This particular challenge came from reading a great column by genealogist James M. Beidler in the Lebanon (PA) Daily News:

When meeting people and the subject of “what do you do for a living” comes up, there’s an interesting mix of reactions.

The most popular response is a polite, “Oh, that must be very interesting,” oftentimes followed by some genealogy frame of reference: “My aunt (or uncle or cousin or fill-in-the-blank relative) has done a lot of work on that and traced us back to … .”

A lot of people then ask if I can really make a living doing genealogy writing, lecturing and researching, to which I explain to them that I do OK, but that it certainly helps that I also am a tax preparer for four months a year.

Some people respond by focusing on the relatively new DNA aspects of genealogy, which at least shows me that these folks keep up with the news.

Beidler describes the genealogy/geology confusion and some surprises along the way:

But as we were saying goodbye, I mentioned where I lived and she said, “Oh, you’re going to think this is really bizarre, but I’ve tromped on cemeteries around there — I’m a genealogist.”

She says the look on my face was one of bewilderment and connection as I explained that I didn’t think tromping on cemeteries was at all strange.

Beidler also mentions the rewards of talking about genealogy to people who had never done any family history research until they met him.

Read more here.

I'm looking forward to seeing my colleagues' responses to the challenge. All readers are also invited to comment as well on the reactions of family and friends to what can be a somewhat obsessive pursuit.

Genealogy and Chabad

Jewish genealogy featured in a story about Chabad and its outreach to Johns Hopkins University students as well as the non-academic community in Baltimore, Maryland.

Like the one this year, when a woman in her sixties, one of the few female Hopkins’ grad school alumnae (the university was boys only at the undergrad level into the seventies), who selected Chabad as her first point of re-entry into organized religion since the Nixon administration. A genealogy enthusiast, the woman traced her roots to an attic, to a bundle of letters all written in Yiddish. When she found out that her great-great-great-and then some grandfather was none other than Reb Rafael of Pershan, a noted devotee of the first Rebbe of the Chabad-Lubavitch dynasty, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi--she felt she belonged at Chabad.

Jewish genealogy is everywhere!

Seattle: Family history, Jewish festival

Seattle, for the first time since 2001, held its Jewish community festival attended by more than 3,000 people - despite the very soggy weather. In the Northwest, this is likely to happen, so the entire outdoor festival was held under tents!

The program included a full program of activities for many interests. Some highlights were the Yiddish spelling bee, klezmer music, Israeli music star David Broza. The event also offered adjacent booths for Family Tree DNA, the Washington State Jewish Historical Society and the Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State - which will soon celebrate its 10th anniversary.

Seattle's JT News has a story link here.

JGSWS president Lyn Blyden reported that their booth was on "high" ground and they had fun dressing it, although their plans for computers with access to Ancestry, World Vital Records and JewishGen had to be scrapped because of the downpour and possible water damage - "We didn't want to lose volunteers or computers," she said.

(Note: Ancestry, World Vital Records and other subscription genealogy sites are happy to work with societies who wish to provide computer access at similar events.)

In spite of atmospheric conditions beyond human control, Lyn reported that booth volunteers provided visitors with ideas of where to research. The historical society offered a jeopardy game and JGSWS displayed laminated maps. By asking people "where do you come from?," many people entered the tent to trace their heritage.

Manning the Family Tree DNA booth was JGSWS first vice president and program chair Nancy Adelson, who said "There was a constant flow of interested people from 11 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. when I finally left (we tried to close the booth at 4:30 p.m.).

"There were many times where it was three people deep in front of our booth asking questions and learning about Family Tree DNA and DNA for genealogical purposes. The questions ranged all over the place but I can say most visitors were very interested in the topic.

"Remember that our booth had no food and no gimmicks to attract visitors. Just our sign and smiling faces.

"An interesting thing that happened was that the genetic cousins of booth volunteer Yvonne Stewart visited her - they were discovered through Family Tree DNA testing."

"Many of the people I met were just beginning to think about researching their families," said volunteer Ellin Block. "They were interested to learn about the ways that JGSWS could help support them with resource materials, advice from experienced researchers and monthly speakers."

Congratulations to the JGSWS leadership for this great idea. It can certainly be duplicated by other societies. It is a method to present genealogy to many people at one event and inspire newcomers to explore family history possibilities. Outreach is always win-win!

On another point, teaming up with the local Jewish historical society was excellent. The three organizations provided multiple interesting places for attendees to visit and learn.

For more information, the Washington State Jewish Archives (WWSJA) has more than 350 photograph collections with more than 4,000 photographs dating from the mid-1800s through today. Subjects cover families, life-cycle events, education, merchants; community, religious and business leaders; congregations and organizations; immigration and emigration; Sephardic culture; World War II and the Holocaust; activism and Pacific Northwest history.

One school's family history day

When I read this story about a California elementary school's Family History Day, I added the idea to my list of outreach activities for Jewish genealogical societies.

Those concerned with transmitting a love of history, genealogy and culture may want to explore the possibilities with their children's and grandchildren's schools. Society members could offer sessions for teachers, for parents and work up to a school-wide Family History Day.

Be creative!