Congregation B’nai Zion of El Paso with support from the Jewish Federation of El Paso announces the 7th Annual Sephardic Anousim Conference to be held July 16 – 19, 2010.
The focus of the conference is the past, present and future identities of B’nai Anousim, the descendants of Jews who in 1496 were forcibly baptized in Portugal and prevented from leaving after their ‘conversion.’
El Paso is a city with a strong crypto-Jewish presence and Rabbi Stephen A. Leon of Congegation B’nai Zion has a long history of working with anousim, assisting them in their return to Judaism.
The conference schedule follows.
Friday, July 16th
6:15 PM Shabbat evening services followed by a traditional Shabbat dinner
Keynote Speaker: Andree A. Brooks
Portugal: Facing up to its Converso Heritage and the Impact upon our B’nai Anousim.
Saturday, July 17th
9:30 AM Shabbat morning services followed by Kiddush lunch
Speaker: Andree A. Brooks
Dona Gracia Nassi, Her Life and Times as a Role Model for Today
Speaker: Schelly Talalay Dardashti
Genealogy 101 & Sephardic Trends research
Shabbat rest
7:00 PM Mincha
Seudah Shlesheet
Speaker: Rabbi Juan Mejia
Moving Onward with the Anousim Movement
Ma’ariv & Havdalah
Art Gala: Wine and hors d’oeuvres
Introductions by Sonya A. Loya and presenting artists Elizabeth Genova, Dan Grife, artisan Sonya Loya and photographer Peter Svarzbein
Sunday, July 18th
8:30 AM morning services followed by bagel breakfast
Speaker: Rabbi Stephen A. Leon
Tisha B’Av: A Resolution Realized
Panel discussion
2:30 PM Parted Waters, a play by Robert Benjamin (donations graciously accepted)
5:00 PM evening services
Monday, July 19th
Tisha B’av speaker, Dennis Durfee of Portland, Oregon
Conference fees are $118 per person and scholarships are available. A mention that you are attending the ‘conference at B’nai Zion’ will get you a group rate discount at the Holiday Inn – Sunland Park on reservations made on or before June 23rd.
Registration and payment information can be found at the Congregation B’nai Zion website.
More on the B’nai Anousim and Crypto-Jews in general, can be found at the Society for Crypto Judaic Studies website.
