A special seminar in Palma de Mallorca for Spain’s Bnei Anousim and Chuetas

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Participants in the Palma seminar

This past weekend, the city of Palma de Mallorca in Spain was the site of an emotional and spiritually stimulating seminar convened by Shavei Israel.

The event, which began on Friday, November 4, 2011, just before the onset of Shabbat, brought together 25 Bnei Anousim (descendants of Jews who were compelled to convert to Catholicism and whom historians refer to by the derogatory term Marranos) and Chuetas (as the Bnei Anousim of Mallorca are known) for a Shabbat filled with inspiring classes, singing, prayers, delicious food and provocative discussions.

Half of the attendees at the seminar came from Palma de Mallorca itself, with the rest from as far away as Barcelona, Seville, Portugal and France. This is the second seminar that Shavei Israel has sponsored in Palma de Mallorca (the first was five years ago). Classes covered a wide range of topics, from Torah and prayer to free will and faith.

Cheuta chef Toni Piña at the Palma seminar

Food is always an important part of celebrating Shabbat, and the meals for this weekend’s seminar were particularly delightful. Well-known Mallorcan chef Toni Piña manned the kitchen. Pina is also a Chueta who rediscovered his Jewish roots several years ago when he began cooking traditional Sephardic food (dishes which hail from Spain, Portugal and North Africa). We have a full profile of Piña here.

When Shabbat ended, Bernat Pomar – another famous Chueta and a well known local musician – performed on violin as part of a post-Shabbat Melave Malka.

Miquel Segura

Perhaps the most moving moment of the seminar took place at the end of lunch on Sunday. Miquel Segura, who we wrote about previously here and who returned to Judaism two years ago with the help of Shavei Israel, asked if he could lead the birkat hamazon – the grace after the meals. Unable to read Hebrew fluently, he proudly recited the entire prayer phonetically. When he concluded, all of the participants and staff at the seminar answered in unison with a spirited “Amen.”

There were more somber moments as well, however, as the Bnei Anousim participants shared with Shavei Israel staff their difficulties in being accepted by their local communities. Shavei Israel staff members listened with great concern and, over the course of some two hours, explained in detail what Shavei Israel can do to facilitate the process of their formal return to Judaism. The Bnei Anousim and Chuetas in Palma de Mallorca and across southern Europe need our help as they continue on their journey back to Judaism. Please consider making a donation to continue our important work to speed the return of a people who passionately desire to become full members of the Jewish nation.

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We have videos of the seminar on our YouTube channel. All are in Spanish (except Michael Freund’s talks, which are translated into Spanish). Here are the links:

Bernat Pomar (Cheuta musician)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2zA2EN4svg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_My8lyOohY&feature=related

Michael Freund, Chairman of Shavei Israel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBYCoXJu5uQ&feature=related

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFioKdJ-4RA&feature=related

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CA6CARsUHmc&feature=related

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo4IV5xtKpY

Toni Piña (the chef)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPtAG9twlwM&feature=related

Rabbi Natan Menashé

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8l9mluAthk