The World Federation of Anusim Communities

Throughout United States, the Caribbean, Latin America, Spain, Portugal, and around the world there are individuals with Jewish ancestry. The descendants of Spanish and Portuguese Jewry may number in the tens of millions today. Growing numbers want to explore their Jewish roots and to reclaim their Judaism.

The period of persecution began around the middle of the 1200's and lasted into the end of the 1700s. Jews were forced to adopt the Christian religion under threat of torture and death. After these forced conversions, many were known as "New Christians." Throughout the period they sought many routes towards freedom. Many went to far away communities, first to Portugal. Then the Inquisition laws began there, then to Livorno, Italy, Ibiza, Majorca, and Minorca (where they were called Chuetas), as well as the Canary Islands. Later as the Spanish and Portuguese colonies opened up in the New World, they became the first "explorers" and colonists. Once they reached the relative safety of the New World, many began to openly practice Judaism. As a result, the Spanish and Portuguese authorities created regional Inquisitional tribunals to persecute them. Torture chambers and Inquisitional courts were set up in Lima, Peru, and in Mexico. The accused were brought from all over the colonies, including such far away places as the Philippines. All of the accused were tortured to extract confessions and then burned at the stake.

Large communities of Anusim were established in Mexico, the American Southwes,; the Caribbean, including Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and the West Indies. The five colonies in Central America that later became Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Panama also had Anusim populations. Other smaller communities were established in Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and Chile.

The World Federation of Anusim Communities (WFAC) is a union of Anusim communities (Agudat Sefarad Olami La Union de Comunidades de Anusim Mundiales) whose mission is to coordinate outreach efforts to Anusim. Established in 2005 as a project of Be'chol Lashon, the World Federation of Anusim Communities shares the goals of uniting and growing the Jewish people. WFAC is dedicated to bringing people of Spanish and Portuguese Jewish descent back to Judaism. Be’chol Lashon is working with Rabbi Manny Viñas, head of El Centro de Estudios Judíos "Torat Emet".

Anusim dream of returning to Judaism; an ancestral yearning for freedom of religious expression. It is a passion that Anusim still feel today five hundred years after the expulsion from Spain. The story of the Anusim is one that must be told and studied, a history, which is still alive today.

Anusim remond us of the eternal Jewish spirit. The unbroken chain throughout the centuries. Jews draw personal filfillment and satisfaction from this history. Anusim are a testament to the human spirit, and serve to inspire all humanity.