Bnei Anousim & Baalei Teshuva

Shalom Aleichem! 

You may wonder what makes one a Ben Anousim or Bat Anousim. In Leshon Hakoydesh the term "Ben Anousim" (in Leshon Hakoydesh: בן אנוסים) literally means "son of converts" and Bat Anousim (בת אנוסים) is its feminine equivalent.

Throughout history Jews have been oppressed, forced to convert to other religions, and expelled from the lands where they lived (think of the Reconquista in Spain and the related to it expulsions). In order to preserve their lifes, many Jews converted and thus became "Anousim" (converts/אנוסים).

Map of the expulsions of Jews in the period 1100-1600.

Out of fear that their little children may unintentionally reveal the family's Jewishness to the wrong people, a lot of Anousim never told their kids of their true origins. They tried to blend in as much as possible, and when they kept some kind of an "unusual" tradition, they presented it as a Christian or Muslim (depending on the religion the specific family converted to) tradition.

The Alhambra decree with which the Spanish crown expelled the Jewish population from their territories.

Thus, many Bnei Anousim ended up unaware of their grand and facinating history, and observing partial customs the unusualness of which they never fully understood. Throughout their lifes they notice that they don't pronounce certain like their peers, that they celebrate holidays in ways slightly different than their peers', that their mother or grandmother cooks dishes other people haven't heard about, etc.

Many among the Bnei Anousim are lucky to find out about their family's past and eturn to their true home in the Jewish community (become Baalei Teshuva). They give way to the holy sparks Hashem gave them to shine into the world and let His numberless blessings to reach them.

Are you one of the Bnei Anousim?