IF YOU ONLY KNEW!

~Sephardic Anusim Still Live In Hiding & Secrecy!

Prior to 1996, I knew absolutely nothing about my family’s Sephardic connection or that of my wife’s. I had no knowledge of the holocausts known as Inquisitions which lasted a few centuries in the lands of our forefathers, Spain, Portugal, Mexico and even New Mexico.

I’d heard about Crypto (hidden) Jews of the Southwest but I never made the connection between them and both sides of my family as well as my wife (Helen). After all, they lived exactly as their label portrays them as “hidden” Jews with tons of airtight secrets.

I have gone on record in my former writings saying that my 77 year old Dad found out the secret of their Jewish heritage through his contemporary nieces and a nephew or two. He was the last one of a large Sanchez family to find out about this ancient secret. This secret was tucked away so very well that one of Dad’s brothers told my Sanchez cousin to let those secret things remain in the closet and not to tamper with them. Another Sanchez uncle told his son, “So who told you this secret? Whoever told you, go back to him and inquire.” The point was that he wasn’t going to say a thing about it, even to his own son.

Now, after about 14 years of research and passionate investigations throughout the Southwest, Mexico, Spain and Israel, I can now speak with a degree of authority. I can declare to you this day that after hundreds of lectures and seminars that I’ve given on the subject of my publications on Sephardic Anusim, I can now say a couple of things with utter certainty.

First, I can declare to you that we’ve gone the full circle in two sets of “7s” which is 14 solid years. After pouring my soul over issues related to my people I can truly say I’ve done all I needed to do in order to speak with this boldness.

I testify to the fact that I’ve consulted: oral and written histories, onomastics (which is the art and science of surnames), archival records, genealogies, physical evidences (such as gravestones, hidden menorahs and mezuzahs) and consulted with experts and witnesses in Israel. My last lap in this quest has been DNA in order to prove or disprove the presence of Jewish roots among my people. I can now say with absolute certainty that there’s an abundance of DNA evidences which proves the fact that many of my people have Jewish biological roots dating back hundreds and even thousands of years.

So it is that I sit here writing this note with truly mixed emotions. I have nothing but positive thoughts and emotions about my positive findings. On the other hand, I’m quite saddened by what I’ve been seeing and experiencing in the last few years – which is what I’d like to emphasize today, if I may.

I’m quite saddened by the fact that my people, the Sephardic Anusim also referred to as Sephardic Crypto Jews are between worlds. Let me attempt to explain myself here.

I have seen some things that have pierced my heart, so to speak. As I’ve seen an increased number of my Sephardic Anusim extended family coming out of their dark closets and at times dungeons of ancient memories, I have seen two things. I’ve seen my people get happy about the facts of their true heritage. But I’ve also seen them beginning to shrink back due to rejections from various camps—mostly from the “religious sector.”

I’ve seen them gain new confidence, new dignity and a new sense of self worth which was “scalped” off them via their forefathers’ plight. I’ve seen them emerge with a fire in their soul and a deep passion to embrace and be embraced by their long lost Jewish family. I’ve seen a passion within them to become one with Israel and also with the Negev which is their God given inheritance. I’ve seen them get so turned on to Holy Scriptures that were de-emphasized or omitted by religious leaders throughout their lives such as the Pentateuch also known as the Torah and the Prophets. I’ve seen them get on fire with a new and real purpose and destiny in their lives – something that many of them never had or had lost long ago.

One of the brightest things my soul has tasted is to see my own family and people finally portray a deep and lasting sense of belonging. Most of them have told me they never felt connected here, there or anywhere. They felt like there was an empty hole in their soul. They’ve told me they felt such shallowness in not knowing deep within where they really belonged. In essence they’ve represented to me that they felt adrift and forever struggling to put their finger where something deep within hurt so much.

Today, I’m disquieted by the fact that there are dark forces out there which contest against the forward progress of my people. The best way I can explain this is by relating it to the Prophet Obadiah’s heart cry regarding Edom forever ambushing my people and seeking many ways to sabotage God’s beautiful work in our souls.

Before I proceed, I can see that I’ll need to deliver the second part to this statement in a few days. I hope you don’t think I’m becoming too morbid in what I’m saying. I’m just calling it like I see it.

I want to leave you with some good and positive news for now. In my last blog I declared we have a project which I call “Operation Serape” (or Sarape, whichever). This consists of about 24 individuals, six families and four adult singles all geared and prepared to make Aliyah as soon as Israel approves them to become “full citizens.” Recent interviews were quite interesting and positive. So as we say in Spanish, “A Dios rogando y con el maso dando.” This translates to say something like this: ‘As we continue to plead before the LORD, we continue pounding away on the work at hand.’

Happy Hanukkah!

DELL

PS, Don’t forget to check my website at www.4sephardim.com.