1492 Jewish Bravehood

The Jews were drastically expelled from Spain by the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile. In Portugal, the king deported 2,000 Jewish children to colonize the island of Santo Tomé, in Africa, and also decreed forced conversion to Christianity. The aim was to erase the traditions of a people. . The persecution grew even more in 1536, when the Inquisition arrived in Portugal. Many Jews died at the stake, others had their property confiscated. However, the community of Amsterdam was an oasis of freedom. In 1630, Jewish merchants accompanied the Dutch in the occupation of Pernambuco, in Brazil. In Recife, they built a beautiful community, but the inquisition returned 24 years later. In the flight, 23 refugees disembarked in New Amsterdam, now New York City. They founded the bases of the United States community. Some of their descendants are among the founders of Wall Street Exchange, Columbia University and Mount Sinai Hospital. 1492 - Jewish Bravehood is a history of faith, struggle and of overcoming.