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Esther 4:13-16 |
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4:13 Then Mordecai bade them to return answer unto Esther: 'Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.
4:14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then will relief and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place, but thou and thy father's house will perish; and who knoweth whether thou art not come to royal estate for such a time as this?'
4:15 Then Esther bade them return answer unto Mordecai:
4:16 'Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day; I also and my maidens will fast in like manner; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.'
 Links
Anusim Store
Click on the CD cover to review Dona Gracia's CD's
Click on the Tallis above or the special Sephardic Issue of the TJCI magazine below to purchase from our Secure Web Store
DNA Testing
Click on the box for DNA Testing
Anusim Names
Click on the map to check out the SHI Anusim Names Project
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Sephardim Hope News ...And the regathered shall inherit the Negev. Obadiah 1:20 
Adar 5768/March 2008
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Greetings! ,
Dona Gracia at Dona Gracia Hotel/Museum, Tiberius, Israel
As we near another celebration of Purim, it is good to reflect on the "unseen hand" of G-d in the life of Esther(Hadassah) and the victory for the Jewish exiles in Persia. It seems that Esther had to trust the great "I Am" of her people in spite of fears and struggles within herself. Would G-d answer her petition through the king? Would the "enemies" of the Jews prevail? Would she be abandoned or die in her fight for the Jewish people?
"Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone more than all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this (Esther 4:13-14)?
There is a saying, "Evil prevails when good men (people) do nothing". This has been proven throughout history, as people have allowed their "fears", their own ambitions or a weak conscience to "do nothing" in the mist of pain, suffering and injustice.
We at Sephardim Hope want to declare loudly that although at times we feel very insignificant (and I am a woman!) we will continue to stand in "G-d's waiting room" for Hashem's favor. Although the enemies of Israel seem to prevail at times, causing harm and destruction, we will not allow fear to overtake us. We must be like Esther and Mordecai, "If we perish, we perish", but we will continue to do what we can to stand for our great G-d in the earth. |
The Terrorist Attack At The Mercaz HaRav Yeshiva
 Our hearts have truly wept for the young yeshiva students and their families that were slain by the spirit of murder and misguided motives. Hatred and violence toward others should never be tolerated. We have prayed and tried to comfort our friends in Ashkelon as their city continues to be bombed. We have spoken out against the continual bombardment in Sederot as the people suffer on a daily basis. We must also "do what we can" to comfort our "lost Jewish Anusim Sephardim" who write and call us for help. We cannot do this alone, but HaShem is with us.
Tuesday: Rabbi Attacked At The Damascus Gate
A 49-year-old Israeli rabbi was stabbed and moderately wounded by an Arab assailant Tuesday near the Damascus Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem, police and rescue officials said. Tuesday's attack came less than two weeks after an Arab resident of Jerusalem murdered eight young seminary students at the city's prestigious Mercaz Harav Yeshiva on the other side of the city. Meanwhile, Israeli security officials are on heightened alert ahead of the upcoming Purim holiday due to intelligence alerts that Palestinian terror organizations may attempt to carry out an attack over the holiday.
Grad Rockets Continue In Ashkelon
Our dear friend, John Daly, in Ashkelon, Israel has reported to us that even though the western media is not reporting it Grad rockets (the longer range kind) are continueing to be shot into Ashkelon from Gaza by the Hamas terrorists there. Click on the Chabad Ashkelon box below to see what is being done to help the children in Ashkelon.
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| The Esther Fast
As we stand and "fast the Esther fast" and remember G-d's victory we will not lose hope. After the great victory, Mordecai recorded these events. He sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far, to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies. This was the month when their sorrow was turned to joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. Mordechai wrote for them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor...therefore these days were called Purim, from the word Pur(lot) Esther 9:20-22,26)
As the book of Esther indicates, Purim is to be a time of great rejoicing by "feasting" through a festive meal called Seudah with family and friends, or at the synagogue. This takes place in the afternoon of the first day of Purim. The spirit of feasting continues throughout the entire period. The traditional food includes the delicious hamantashen cookies, shaped like the triangular Haman's hat or Haman's ears (Hebrew is Ozney Haman). These interesting treats remind people of the victory over this awful antagonist.
Purim is one of the few synagogue holy days when normal decorum and seriousness are waived in order to enter into fun and joy! Through the reading of the Megillah (book of Esther), the party atmosphere and joy, the true joy of deliverance is felt. G-d is after all, a faithful Abba in spite of the great enemies we face.
- Esther 9:26-28
9:26 Wherefore they called these days Purim, after the name of pur. Therefore because of all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and that which had come unto them,
9:27 the Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to the writing thereof, and according to the appointed time thereof, every year;
9:28and that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed. | |
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Thank You For Standing With Us
During this time, we also rejoice for all those who stand by us at Sephardim Hope in this vision of our lost brethren who remain in exile. Thank you to the true "Torah believing Christians" who stand in the gap for Israel and to our Jewish friends and Rabbis that help and teach us. In the mist of changes in our own US government, falling dollar problems, loss of integrity in leaders, terror and loss of life in the world, there is still a beacon of light and hope. HaShem will never fail us, even in hard times. He is the Rock and strength in our lives. May "Israel live" (am Israel Chai!) and may all the Esthers and Mordecai's that love the G-d of Israel prevail as we all wait in "G-d's waiting room".
DNA Project Continues
We want to thank you for continuing to use our "DNA project" link on the website. We know G-d will use this tool to discover and encourage many who are in the mist of discovery and return to their true Jewish roots.
We hope to bring you an interesting and good report from our research trip to Puerto Vayarta, Gualarajara and Zacatecas in our search for possible Anusim. Thank you for your prayers and financial support to SHI. As of now, we are not funded by any other organization or grants, so we totally depend on the goodness of G-d through people interested in this vision. Please remember us in your giving and for those who have never contributed, we invite you to consider this great work of HaShem. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to email us or to call our contact at 408-422-5498 for meeting scheduling or information.
- Isaiah 11:11-12
11 It shall come to pass in that day That the Lord shall set His hand again the second time To recover the remnant of His people who are left, From Assyria and Egypt, From Pathros and Cush, From Elam and Shinar, From Hamath and the islands of the sea.
12 He will set up a banner for the nations, And will assemble the outcasts of Israel, And gather together the dispersed of Judah From the four corners of the earth. |
The Future Anusim Vision
The future of the Anusim is a complicated one, but we know that HaShem is with us and will continue to build and "prepare a highway" in the wilderness. We continue to ask for your support as we cannot do this alone. Your financial gifts are always appreciated.
Anusim Names Project
Sephardim Hope International continues to develop a network of B'nei Anusim (Children of Anusim/Crypto- Jews) for the purpose of education and mutual support. This project is called the Anusim Names Project. We believe it is part of the biblical fulfillment of Obadiah 20.
We thank you for your stories and information that comes in almost daily. We are seeing an awakening like never before and we are the living witnesses of "the dry bones" of Israel coming alive.
If you feel you have Benei Anusim/Jewish roots in your family line, please email brief information, names, origin, to: anusimproject@sephardimhope.org . You may also fill out the e-Form on our website:Anusim Names Project .
Your information will be held confidentially, unless you include permission for possible research in Israel.
More about the Anusim Names Project....
- Dona Gracia Serrano-Fenn |
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Thank for all the wonderful support (your financial help is SO important to pay some of the loans on the center and taxes each month!) and prayers by our good new and old friends. This is such a great task to draw all the Ruths and Naomis together!! We need much help to accomplish our part! Please remember SHI in your giving and please continue writing and emailing us!! More "Anusim" are reaching out and asking questions, giving us information for the future Aliyah gatherings!!.
Isaiah 49:8-9 says Here is what ADONAI says: "At the time when I choose, I will answer you; on the day of salvation, I will help you. I have preserved you, and I have appointed you to be the covenant for a people, to restore the land and distribute again its ruined inheritances to their owners, to say to the prisoners, 'Come out!' to those in darkness, 'Show yourselves!' They will feed along the paths, and all the high hills will be their pastures.
May the Psalm 126 also comfort our hearts as scripture says, "Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them. The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad. Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the Negev (south). They that sow in tears shall reap in joy."
Hashem willing, we are heading for Mexico at the end March. We hope to interview and retrieve some of the amazing history of the 200 member family clan of the Serranos and who came from Spain to Mexico in the late 1980's. The clan settled in Teul, Zacatecas, Mexico, until my grandfather Pantaleon and Felicitas moved to Guadalajara with their six children. My father who passed away last Shavout was born after their move.
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Awakening The Sephardim To The Negev!
Sephardim Hope International is a benevolent international non-profit organization to bring the message of the Sephardic Anusim Jews (the descendents of the forcibly converted ones) from Spain to the awareness of the Jews, the Christian Church and the world. This is a prophetic message of hope and part of the story of Biblical Zionism.
Sephardim Hope International is also a support to the nation of Israel working in partnership with ohter organizations bringing aid and comfort to Israel and the Jewish people.
Sephardim Hope International is a tax-deductible 501(c)3 educational and charitable organization formed for the above purpose. Donate tax-free to help support Sephardim Hope Internatioanl in this endeavor of education, benevolence and helping the Anusim to make Aliyah to Israel.
We look forward to hearing from many of you. Remember that you can respond to our newsletter or email directly with questions at info@SephardimHope.org.
May HaShem continue to bless you and your families in this great year! Please do contact our administrator, Drake (my awesome husband and webmaster) at Drake@SephardimHope.org for speaking and music engagements. |
Loving Shalom,
Dona Gracia Serrano Fenn
Sephardim Hope International
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