A delegation of 16 בני אנוסים, commonly referred to as Marranos by historians, visited Israel this week
Newscaster: A delegation of 16 בני אנוסים, commonly referred to as Marranos by historians, visited Israel this week. The participants came from 4 European states and have ancestors who were forced to convert to Catholicism during the Inquisition over 500 years ago. The visit was organized by “שבי ישראל”, which works with בני אנוסים throughout the world. Michael Freund, the chair of שבי ישראל spoke with reporter Mark Weiss about the delegation”s visit.
Michael Freund: This a group of 16 בני אנוסים or as historians have referred to them, Marranos, people whose ancestors were compelled to convert to Catholicism at the time of the Spanish Inquisition some 5 centuries ago, but who nonetheless continue to preserve their Jewish identity in secret and passed it down through the generations. The delegation consists of people from 4 European countries, Spain, Portugal, France and Italy, and they are here on a visit to try and strengthen their connection with the State of Israel and the Jewish people after so many centuries of being cut off from us.
Mark Weiss: In your estimation, how many of these בני אנוסים are there in Europe?
Michael Freund: That”s an excellent question, no one knows precisely just how many such people there are for the simple reason that over the centuries the אנוסים essentially had to keep their identities secret. What is clear, however, is that we are talking about a phenomenon certainly of hundreds of thousands of people, if not more. And in recent years, as Spain and Portugal have become democracies over the past 3 decades, as their societies have grown more open and tolerant and free, more and more of the אנוסים are now emerging from the shadows of history, their coming out of the closet, and they are seeking to reconnect with us. And I think that it is our responsibility, it is the Jewish people”s responsibility and the State of Israel”s responsibility to reach out to them, embrace them and welcome them back into our midst.
Mark Weiss: When these people show an interest in returning to Judaism and openly embracing the faith again, do they need to undergo a conversion process?
Michael Freund: Let me state at the out set that not all of the אנוסים are necessarily interested in undergoing a conversion. Some are simply intellectually curious about their origins and want to know more, others do in fact want to formally rejoin the Jewish people, and I believe that it is in our collective interest to help them how they see fit. In other words, if at the end of the day, a large number of אנוסים formally return to the Jewish people, then of course that is something that will strengthen us numerically, but if a large number remain catholic, the very fact that they have a renewed awareness of their Jewish roots will create within them a greater affinity for Israel and the Jewish people, and make them more likely to be sympathetic to us, which is something that we stand to benefit from whether in the political or diplomatic realm or in other fields as well.