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Mapping the Genetic Identity of Bnei Anusim

Spanish & Portuguese Synagogue NYC

3,001 views

Rediscovering a Lost Jewish Community - The Role of Genetic Research

Dr. Karl Skorecki, Dean of Bar-Ilan University’s Azrieli Faculty of Medicine in Tzfat, along with Dr. Inês Nogeuiro, has opened to us a lost chapter in Jewish history - the fate of anusim, Iberian Jews who were forced to convert to Catholicism in the 15th and 16th centuries.

With greetings by Shearith Israel Member & AFBIU Board Vice President, Gail Propp

Moderated by Shearith Israel Trustee & AFBIU Board Member, David Sable

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If you would like to learn more about American Friends of Bar-Ilan University and the wide range of study and research, from the sciences to advanced Torah studies, taking place at Bar-Ilan University, visit its website at https://afbiu.org or contact Samuel Konig at 212-906-3905 or samuel.konig@afbiu.org.

10 Comments

@genealogiaegeneticaemfoco1324 4 years ago (edited)

I am Brazilian and descended from Bnei Anusim, I have 7 Sephardic Jewish ancestors, both on my father and mother's side.

@RuadaCoragem 11 months ago

All of this is amazing. As a little girl I was never allowed to ask my grandmother or anyone in my fathers side of the family if we had Jewish back ground. It was never spoken and is still till this day. I grew up in Rio de Janeiro and up until these days I wonder, even after taking a DNA test showing Portugal, Spain, North Africa and Germanic people. I hope to one day get to know my family’s back ground.

@madalenaacaciodefreitas9468 4 years ago

Brazil is the country with most Anusim descendants.

@andersoncarlosmesquita3160 4 years ago

I am from Brasil and I believe that I am descended from bnei anussim. The elderly of my family and other families of same region has some customs like sweep the house backwards as if there’s something on the front door (mezuzah, I guess) that can’t throw dust over there as a form of respect . Some didn’t want to be buried in a box . They was buried with white shroud. Also put stones on top of tombs.

@henriquephotos7669 1 month ago (edited)

Greetings from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I belong to the Synagogue Shel Guemilut Hassadim Synagogue. I am a descendant of two families from Portugal—the DaCosta family and the Henriques family—all of whom were Bnei Anussim in the 16th and 17th centuries in northeastern Brazil.

@noeviramontes8056 4 years ago

Very interesting studies.

@aleftetnun 3 years ago

Very interesting. I am Portuguese of anusim heritage.

@nikuspereira 4 years ago

What about the autosomal part of the DNA, this part of the DNA test can provide a lot information about your background, I am Brazilian from the city of Recife Now I live in Dallas,TX, after I did my DNA test the results came back and almost 35% of my matches is from the jewish population , the another 65% are from Brazilian and Portuguese. The Mtdna and Ydna is only a fraction of your DNA.

@BneiAnousim 2 years ago (edited)

Yechezkel 37:14
I will put My breath into you and you shall live again, and I will set you upon your own soil. Then you shall know that I, HaShem, have spoken and have acted—declares HaShem.