SECRETS FROM A FORGOTTEN PAST
by Rufina Bernardetti Silva Mausenbaum
It was quite recently that I discovered I was not unique. There are many others like me with secrets hidden in a forgotten past, born out of a people that have disappeared. These secrets were nearly exposed during the 1930's in Portugal when a light in the form of a Marrano renaissance flickered and died before it could take flame. Until now buried under the ashes of fear, humiliation and shame, it is estimated that in Brazil alone there are between 15 and 30 million and possibly up to half of all in Portugal!
The oldest and most south-western country of Europe; Her borders unchanged for 800 years; with a history full and rich with Jewish culture, history and martyrs; is nobles and peasants alike are "tainted" with Jewish blood. A country where Jews dominated life and excelled in all spheres, whether commerce, academics or intellectually; (a time) when the Spanish and others complained that one could not conduct business anywhere in Europe, or the new world, unless you had a "Portuguese" partner. Portuguese being synonymous with Jewish! Portugal tried hard to become "Judenrein" (free of Jews) 500 years ago. A chilling prelude to what lay ahead with Nazi Germany. For me, with a Portuguese heritage this is especially poignant as my own origins, history and culture have been effectively obliterated.
A remnant of the vibrant Jewish past remains, in part due to a little boy born in Amarante, a town outside Oporto. He was 10 years old in 1897, when his grandfather told him "We are Jews" and taught him the secret prayer said by "Crypto" Jews (secret) on entering a church; "I come here to visit neither wood nor stone, I come only to worship you, Highest Lord, who is that governs us" from "Crypto Jews of Portugal" by David Augusto Canelo 2nd Ed. 1990.
The little boy's name was Artur Carlos de Barros Basto, and although he was baptised as a Catholic, as many other "anusum" (forced to convert) retained their Judaism in their hearts. He converted to Orthodox Judaism when he was 33 years old. Many families of Portugal maintain traditions and Jewish practises throughout the ages. Some with no knowledge where it originated, as with my own family who are all Catholic but retained many Jewish traditions that have been passed down without explanation. My grandmother, who's name I bear, was taught odd in the village where our family had gone to seek refuge and anonymity, so necessary for survival. "Odd", because once a year she would disappear by going to the fields for a whole day and night on "antepura" (Day of Atonement).
Although Artur Carlos de Barros Basto hardly gets a mention in the Encyclopedia Judaica, he is a hero and modern-day martyr for Portuguese Judaism. He has become known as the "Portuguese Dreyfus" amongst those who know his life story. He studied and qualified as an engineer, became a professional soldier, was decorated after World War I for bravery by the British and the Portuguese and promoted Captain. A Captain who was dismissed from the army because he was a Jew. He coped with his humiliation as best he could because unlike Dreyfus, there was no world indignation or outcry to help him vindicate himself. He fought the battle against prejudice alone.
By the end of the 19th century Historians believed that Portugal had achieved her goal. The Inquisition, which lasted 300 years in that country had managed to rid Portugal of all her Jews. The governments thinking, the forced conversions and persecutions had made 4000 years of history, culture and religion disappear, felt it necessary to "invite Jews" back into the country to try and reverse the economic decline that had culminated with being "Judenrein". A few came from Morocco, Tangiers and Gibraltar being granted recognition in 1892.
| Permission was granted
for the synagogue to be built but was not allowed to face the street. The
Shaare Tikva (Gates of Hope), is easily missed behind high walls and gates
within a courtyard at Rua Alexandre Herculano, Lisboa, even today. It is against this background of religious "tolerance" that Captain de Barros Basto established a small synagogue in Oporto. He also started a weekly newspaper, writing under his Hebrew name of Abraham Ben Rosh while also visiting remote areas, often in full military regalia. He did this to reassure this stifled segment of the "secret communities" of the Government's acceptance of their true religion. Many of these trips were made with two medical doctors accompanying him to perform circumcisions when required. |
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Circumcisions being an integral part of Judaism was outlawed by the Inquisition and many, in fear of their lives had to forgo this ritual. This fear continued up until this period...
|
The synagogue in Oporto grew
from one room into a beautiful building donated by Ellie Kadoorie, himself
a "Sephardi" family (Jewish from Spain and Portugal/the Iberian
Peninsula) with business interests in Shang Hai and Hong Kong. The "Kadoorie"
synagogue was built on a plot donated by Baron Edmond de Rothchild of
Paris, while in Braganca, another synagogue with its own Rabbi was started,
called "Gates of Redemption". The Captain, married with a family at the stage, established a Yeshiva (religious school) in Oporto, which in the 9 years of existence managed to educate 90 students in Hebrew, French, Portuguese, Jewish religious history and studies. |
These activities did not go unnoticed by Salazar, believed to be of Marrano heritage himself, and his government who were not impressed with the situation. An estimated 10,000 families in Portugal, previously professing to being Catholic, were now admitting to have lived secret or double lives up to then, and were in fact secret Jews. Trumped up charges were brought against the Captain and within 24 hours he was court-marshalled, stripped of his rank and ordered to close the Yeshiva. He was devastated but remained devoutly religious man, often praying alone in the Kardoorie synagogue, until his death in 1961.
The Marrano renaissance, still in its infancy died when one small fear was ignited amongst the Jews of Portugal. The fragile communities remembered that no so long ago, until well into the 19th century, you could be buried alive at the "Auto-da-Fe" (Act of Faith) on the mere suspicion of practising Judaism. With the advance of Nazism and with it, anti-semitism, they could probably visualise once more looking at a map of Portugal, the 3 main centres of the Inquisition forming the "heart" of the country; Lisbon, Coimbra, Evora. The heart that destroyed her own children and could easily do so again...
Yet the miracle of Portuguese Judaism continues, especially in the community of Belmonte. A town in north-east Portugal. Previously known as "Crypto" (secret) Jew, they have recently, in December 1996, proudly rejoined mainstream Orthodox Judaism. After 500 years of secrecy and fear. Living and hiding in this charming town high in the "Serra da Estrela" (mountain of stars) they managed with faith and perseverance to maintain their religion. As often stated, they were Jews in all but name and Christians in nothing but form. Sons of this community had attended they Yeshiva of Captain Barros Basto in the 1930's.
It is with pride that I remember my grandmother Rufina, and others like her, who in spite of the danger to their lives managed to keep their faith alive. How pleased she would have been had she known her humiliation had not been in vain. That today, many years later her granddaughter observes the "antepura" (Yom Kippur - Day of Atonement) openly as Jewess with Portuguese heritage. Although I too was baptised in the Catholic Church, I, like Captain de Barros Basto converted back to the religion of my forefathers, Orthodox Judaism. Often when listening to the Portuguese "Fado" (Folk music) the haunting soulfulness reminds me of a people forgotten, and my "saudade" (nostalgic longing) for the past continues...
Notes:
When Captain Barros was buried in Armarante, near his grandfather, the state
of Israel offered to bury him in a honoured spot alongside other great figures
in Jewish history, but he had left instructions, he wanted to be near his loved
ones.
A special thanks to my hero Mario Soares, President of Portugal who made a public
apology to the Jewish community of Portugal on the 17th March 1989 for the horror
and tragedy of the past. He linked the decline of Portugal directly to the "expulsion"
of the country's Jewish citizens. The expulsion in Portugal never took place.
Instead the citizens were converted and baptized en masse and by force. Although
we cannot forget or change the past, there is hope for a future together, for
the people who share the noble lineage of King David, once more...
I am proud once more to say: "I am of Portuguese Jewish origin".
Saudade has many meanings:
Longing
Loneliness
Sadness
Melancholy
Soulfulness
It is "suffered" by most Portuguese...
Names by which Jews were
known:
Nuevoa Christianos - New Christians
Anusim - Hebrew meaning for "forced" and is applied to "forced
convert".
Muraim - Arabic for hypocrites
Meshumadim - Hebrew for "those who have gone over to the other side"
Crypto Jews - Secret Jews
Marrano - Swine or Pig - Spanished term not used in Portugal
Prepared and submitted by:
Rufina Bernardetti Silva Mausenbaum
Copyright 1997, 1998, 1999
PO Box 85359
Emmarentia 2029
Johannesburg, South Africa
E-mail: Rufina Bernardetti Silva Mausenbaum
