RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: HILTON HEAD SUN: FIRST JEWISH SETTLEMENTS IN THE NEW WORLD
RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: BLUFFTON SUN, HILTON HEAD SUN, MAY 2015, FIRST JEWISH SETTLEMENTS IN THE NEW WORLD
Shalom and Peace:
Our investigation of international Jewish communities has focused on Asia. We travel to the "New World": Recife, northeastern Brazil.
The first Jew in Brazil was Gaspar da Gama, secretary and translator for Portuguese Captain Pedro Cabral, in 1500. Da Gama was forcibly converted to Catholicism, but secretly practiced Judaism. These Jews were called "New Christians" or ''Murranos" (pigs). The proper term is ''Anusim" (coerced).
Anusim Jews found the prosperous sugar plantations in the 1500s. Many intermarried into prestigious Christian families. The Inquisition came in 1593, and many Anusim were returned to Lisbon for public burnings. Anusim Diego Fernandez, husband of renowned Catholic Branca Dias, was accused of keeping an "esnorga," (secret synagogue).
The first openly Jewish community was established during Dutch occupation in 1630. In 1636, Jews founded the first synagogue in the Americas: Kahal Kadosh Ẓur Israel with 172 members. Zur Israel is on "Rua dos Judeus" (Jewish street), renamed by the Portuguese as Rua da Bom Jesus (Good Jesus St.)
In 1642 Dutch Rabbi Isaac Fonseca arrived to 350 Jewish congregants. By 1639 Jews owned six sugar cane mills. Jews had important roles in commerce, slave trade, agriculture, militia, and medicine. Many Anusim returned to Judaism openly.
In 1645 the Portuguese began a nine year war to regain Recife. Jews joined the Dutch army, many killed in action. In 1654, the Dutch surrendered, and Jews left, founding new Jewish communities in Curacao and New Amsterdam (NYC, NY). Congregation Shearith Israel, 1654, is the first Jewish congregation in North America, founded by twenty-three Recife Jews. Not welcomed by Governor Peter Stuyvesant, Jews fought for their rights in Dutch courts and won permission to remain. (Touro Synagogue, Rhode Island was founded in 1658).
Anusim still lived in Recife. The inquisition into the 1750s, still investigated their clandestine observance of Judaism.
European Jews came to Recife in 1910, forming four synagogues between 1918 -1930. Sadly few accepted the Anusim descendants of the brave pioneers as Jews.
In 2000 Ẓur Israel was restored into a memorial-museum. Jews from the other Recife synagogues celebrate their weddings and B'nei Mitzvot here, and it again functions as a working synagogue after 360 years. In November each year, a Jewish festival offering dance, cinema, and food attracts 20,000 visitors.
Rabbi Arthur Segal is an international lecturer, author, and teacher. Visit him at www.JewishSpiritualRenewal.org . Email at RabbiASegal@aol.com
RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: OLDFIELD JEWISH WEDDINGS: HILTON HEAD: DESTINATION
RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: OLDFIELD JEWISH WEDDINGS: HILTON HEAD: DESTINATIONSegal's Jewish Spiritual Renewal — OldfieldPlantation Okatie, SCRABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: JEWISH WEDDINGS: HILTON HEAD ISLAND: DESTINATION: TRADITIONAL
Shalom: Please wish Mazel Tov v Siman Tov to DMITRY GREKOV and ELLA LIEF who were married in a tradition beautiful Jewish wedding ceremony on the beach, under a chuppah, at the Westin Hotel and Resort of Hilton Head Island, SC, with me, RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL, officiating. It was a destination wedding, with the couple from Boston, MA, wonderfully prepared by the Hilton Head Island Westin's in-house events planner, Ashlee Fleming.
Please note the Ketubah signing, the Chuppah, the rings, the Challah, the wine, the stepping on the glass etc.Hilton Head Island is a fantastic place to have a destination or local wedding, whether it be a Traditional Jewish wedding, or an interfaith wedding, or a Jewish not so Traditional wedding. Our hotels, wedding planners, bands, DJs, caterers, florists et. al. are all fantastic and easy to work with.If you're interested in YOUR Hilton Head Jewish weddings, please email RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL at RabbiASegal@aol.com and please visitwww.HiltonHeadJewishWeddings.org/weddings and/or www.HiltonHeadJewishInterfaith.org/weddings{Rabbi's 'Have Torah, Will travel' policy allows him to be able to service the CHARLESTON, SC area, the MYRTLE BEACH, SC area, the SEA ISLANDS, GA area, the JACKSONVILLE, FL - AMELIA ISLAND, FL areas, and the SAVANNAH, GA area www.SavannahJewishWeddings.com/weddings }
RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: HILTON HEAD SC JEWISH WEDDINGS: BRAY'S ISLAND: DESTINATION
RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: HILTON HEAD SC JEWISH WEDDINGS: BRAY'S ISLAND: DESTINATIONPlease join Ellen and me in wishing Mazel
Tov v
Siman Tov to Mona Klein and Charles
Sickles,
married at Brays Island Plantation, Beaufort County-
SC, with me ( Rabbi Arthur Segal's Jewish Spiritual
Renewal) officiating. It was a destination wedding
for this lovely couple from New Jersey.
May G!d continue to bless them and keep
them and bring them a life time of
happiness, joy,
and health, together!!
(note the Ketubah signing and
the stepping on the glass,
gorgeous Chuppah,
and Tallit over them during the Cohan
blessings).
WWW.HiltonHeadJewishWeddings.com
www.HiltonHeadJewishInterfaithWeddings.com
www.SavannahJewishWeddings.com
CONTACT RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL AT
RabbiASegal@aol.com
RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: HILTON HEAD SC JEWISH INTERFAITH WEDDINGS: WESTIN RESORT
RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: HILTON HEAD SC JEWISH INTERFAITH WEDDINGS: WESTIN RESORTRABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: HILTON HEAD SC JEWISH INTERFAITH WEDDINGS: WESTIN RESORTPlease wish Mazel Tov v Siman Tov to NewlyWeds,Mr and Mrs Brian and Kati JeriahGleason Randisi,gorgeoussunny beach day at The Westin Hilton HeadIslandtheir weddingcoordinator . Prior to the traditionalJewishceremony, they endorsedDaughters Avery and Keilan gave thebrideaway,and dog Inky was the 'dog of honor', (she ate a1/3 ofMay G!D grant them a happy, health joyous,spiritual life together!!Their Havdallah rehearsal dinner honoringBrian'sgrandmother 90th birthday,organized by Barbara Leifer Woods, Brian'smom,was at the Chart House On Hilton Head . Any marriageoccurring on our wonderful Hilton Head Island,South Carolina is off to a perfect start!! RabbiArthurSegal's Jewish Spiritual Renewal .CONTACT RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL AT RABBIASEGAL@AOL.COMHILTON HEAD JEWISH WEDDINGS, HILTON HEAD JEWISH INTERFAITH WEDDINGS, CHARLESTON JEWISH WEDDINGS, CHARLESTON JEWISH INTERFAITH WEDDINGS, SAVANNAH JEWISH WEDDINGS, SAVANNAH JEWISH INTERFAITH WEDDINGS, FLORIDA JEWISH WEDDINGS, FLORIDA JEWISH INTERFAITH WEDDINGS, SOUTH CAROLINA JEWISH WEDDINGS, SOUTH CAROLINA INTERFAITH JEWISH WEDDINGS, GEORGIA JEWISH WEDDINGS, GEORGIA JEWISH INTERFAITH WEDDINGS.\RABBI DR ARTHUR SEGALREBBETZIN ELLEN SEGALwww.JewishSpiritualRenewal.com/books www.FaceBook.com/Arthur.L.Segal www.FaceBook.com/RabbiArthurSegalJewishSpiritualRenewal www.RabbiArthurSegal.blogspot.com
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Hilton Head Island, SC; Bluffton, SC; Savannah, GA
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