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Exodus 24:12

12 ADONAI said to Moshe, "Come up to me on the mountain, and stay there. I will give you the stone tablets with the Torah and the mitzvot I have written on them, so that you can teach them." 

 

 
Happy Pesach

 

 

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Grace Singing at NTHI-SF 
Dona Gracia Singing Jerusalem of Gold  

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SHI Board Member Dr. Thelma Lamar and Dona Gracia - SHI Booth       
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CD cover Waiting For Return    

Click on the CD cover to review Dona Gracia's CD's
You can download your favorite songs
or purchase our
Special Hebrew/Spanish
Traditional Jewish music cd!

 

  

Click on the  Sephardic Issue of the TJCI magazine below to purchase from our Secure Web Store
This is now available in Spanish 

 

 

Sephardic Edition TJCI 

 

  

 

 

 

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Family Tree DNA
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Anusim Names Project 

Click on the map to check out the SHI  Anusim Names Project

to check if your

surname was used

by the Lost Jews

of Spain! 

 
 
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White LeafAnusim PicsWhite Leaf 1
  
 
 
 
 
Anusim Center Kit
B'nai Anusim group in Puerta Villarta, MX
This group is learning
their Hebrew roots in Mx 
 
 
 
 
 Anusim Center Kit
 This B'nai Anusim couple owns an art supply store in Puerta Villarta
These were hidden Jews
now keeping their Jewish customs 
 
 
 
 
 
Anusim Center Kit
 The Alvarez-Flores' own a grocery store in Tesistan, MX
This is part of the Serrano
family who kept
Jewish customs
and read the Torah
behind closed doors! 
 
 
White Leaf Shavuot Tribute White Leaf  

Young Jose Serrano 
 Jose Muro Serrano 
 
 Born March, 1914 in Guadelajara, Jalisco, MX
Migrated to the US under the Brasero Act in 1945
Became a US Citizen thereafter

Made Final Aliyah
E'rev Shavuot 5766 
 
 
 
Sephardim Hope News
...And the regathered shall inherit the Negev. Obadiah 1:20  

 

Nisan-Iyar 5771/June 2011
Greetings! ,

 

 Happy Purim for the Month of Adar!  

Adar 1 - Rosh Chodesh by SHI
Adar 1 - Rosh Chodesh by SHI
Click Above To View Video!
    
Purim has arrived on the evening of  March 7th! As we approached this beautiful festival, we also celebrated Rosh Chodesh for the new month of Adar on Thursday evening last week.  The Tanach tells us to "sound the shofar" during this time, according to Psalm 81:4.

 

This season announces the story of Esther, as a memorable picture of courage, strength and the survival of our people, the Jews. With all that Israel is facing, we must be aware to cry out to Ha Shem for our people's safety and well being.   
 
Courage is needed now, more than ever. Fear must not overtake us.

The beauty of Esther, within and without, rose above all threatening fears of destruction. Mordecai also stood by, leading and guiding her, along with his people the Jews.
 
 

Today, the 13th day of the Hebrew month of Adar, was the day of fasting. It was the day that Haman chose by a lottery (Purim means lots) to exterminate the Jews in order to satisfy his anger against Mordechai. 

 

Esther had actually asked the Jews to fast three days during the following month of Nisan, but the fast day is observed the day before the holiday of Purim. On the scheduled day of the planned massacre,  events turned because of Esther's courageous intervention, resulting in Haman's death and the elevation of Mordechai. The favor of  Ha Shem was an amazing miracle.  Although Ha Shem's name is never mentioned in the book, his hand is very apparent and powerful. 

 

The special fast is mentioned in the Scroll of Esther, The Megillat, which states, "And as they accepted upon themselves and upon their children, the matters of their fastings and their cry."

In our B'nai Anousim history, our forefathers, the Conversos, also kept this fast during the time of the Inquisition. These hidden Jews of Spain, kept their Judaism practices secret, on pain of torture and death. The fast was observed with particular solemnity and sometimes even on a different day, to not risk detection. Our Converso families identified with Queen Esther, the Jewess, in a very special way, as we continue to do today.   

 

 As the Scroll of Esther says, she "did not reveal her nation's identity or her birthplace".

 

Grace Singing at Dona Gracia Hotel
Dona Gracia Singing at The Dona Gracia Hotel

 

Such is the story of Dona Gracia Nassi, my namesake. Gracia, or Hannah, during the Inquisition. She was a heroine who stood in the gap to help her people. Today more people must rise to the challenge of the times. As Dona Gracia risked her life to "save her people" from the tentacles of the Inquisition, so may we rise with the faith of Ha Shem to stand in these perilous days for our beloved Israel.   

 

As we watch the events unfold around the world, in Iran and other places, it may be another "wake up call" of the shofar, to continue to stand as never before for righteousness. Scripture says, "He who watches over Israel, neither slumbers nor sleeps".  May Ha Shem's angels help and deliver Israel as we continue to trust in him.

 

  

 

 

DonaGracia in Carmel 
Loving Shalom,

Dona Gracia Serrano Fenn

Sephardim Hope International
 

Thank You for Your Prayers and Support!

Thank you for your prayers and financial support to SHI.  Thanks to those who order or download our music on our website!  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 restoration vision of HaShem.   Todah Rabbah! Thank you!  Check the new website at http://www.sephardimhope.net/ !  There is more information!

If you have questions, please do not hesitate to email us or to call our contact at 408-422-5498 and speak with Drake for scheduling or further information. 
 
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.
 
If you feel you have Benei Anusim/Jewish roots in your family line, please email brief information, names, origin, to: [email protected] . 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....
 
DNA Project Continues

We want to thank you for continuing to use our "DNA project" link on our website, www.SephardimHope.net . 

If you would like to take a DNA test to see if you might have "Jewish" DNA Sephardim Hope International has a special project with FamilyTree DNAClick on the link "DNA project" above to order your DNA test kit.  We are building a data base of names and your information is kept strickly confidential.
Awakening The Sephardim To The Negev!
 
Sephardim Hope International is a tax-deductible 501 (c) (3) educational  and benevolent international non-profit  to bring the message of the Sephardic Anusim Jews (the descendents of the forcibly converted ones) from Spain to the awareness of the world. 
 To donate by regular mail use the address at the bottom of this page.  You may also donate securely on-line by clicking here.  Or you may call (408) 422-5498 and ask for Drake Fenn to donate by phone.
 
 We look forward to hearing from many of you.  Remember that you can respond to our newsletter or email directly with questions at [email protected]. The new website address,  however is http://www.sephardimhope.net/
 
 
May HaShem continue to bless you!  Please do contact our administrator, Drake (my awesome husband and webmaster) at [email protected] for speaking and music engagements.
Contact Information
SHI Exec. Director Dona Gracia Serrano Fenn 408-422-5498
 
Anuaisim Names Project SHI Anusim Project 408-422-5498