Who Was Abraham Senior? The Jews of Sepharad Dr. Henry Abramson

Brief lecture on the life and times of Abraham Senior, important Jewish financier in late fifteenth century Spain.

[@ahamp80rn]

I’m one of Abraham Senior’s descendents in Brazil, through Constança Coronel. I discovered this information last year and, since then, Im studying about his life. Many thanks to share this vídeo.

[@ahamp80rn]

Henry Abramson If you want to read about part of his descendents, please check this link, very helpful: ximenez.unibe.ch

[@ianseniormorrison]

Alexandre Henrique de Aragão Mendes Pereira... Dear Constanca's descendent, do you descend from Duarte Saraiva Coronel, or Phillipe Henriquez?

[@reginaferreiradecastilho4842]

Alexandre Aragão : I m one of Abraham Senior s descendents as well, and through Constança Coronel as well. We are relatives, Alexandre ! I was born in Brazil. My name is Regina Ferreira de Castilho. I descend from him considering my mother s family from my grandmother (the mother of my mother!) Rachel. My family names are : Ferreira, Andrade, Miranda, Carvalho, Rodrigues, Santo Antonio, Domingues, Salgueiro, Requeixo, Lima, Prado, Cunha, Siqueira, Nunes, Amaral, Costa, da Veiga, da Costa Veiga, Rodrigues de Évora da Veiga, Coronel, Abraham Senior.

[@lautaroaguilar9584]

Mine are from Argentina. Neighbors!

[@eslycarvalho8994]

@@reginaferreiradecastilho4842 sim, tenho muitos destes nomes também

[@juangilcescoronel603]

Fascinating presentation! My mom’s family traces their lineage back to Abraham Senior and his descendants that settled in Amsterdam and the Dutch colonies in South America. Prof Haim Beinart had also written of sources that Senior was a Exilarch. Did any of this appear in your research?

[@cyalvarez9861]

Thank you very much Mr. Abramson for this lecture. A few things that I think might be important to clarify. Most likely Isabella threatens the Converso who were left behind and not allowed to leave probably not the Jews. Maybe not to kill them but more likely to make their life even harder. The Senior family was intermingled with the converso his wife for example was Violante de Cabrera probably the sister (or cousin) of Andrés Cabrera an important converso in the court of Isabella. So leaving was not just about leaving Spain but also leaving some of his family behind, where they (him and his sons) could not help them anymore (like he did so many times before) and a Captain (or colonel) doesn't leave a sinking Ship until everyone is safe... Also let's not forget that many believe that this was just a fase and that they would ultimately be able to practice Judaism again, like so many times before, once a more favorable king would come to power. Ultimately some of the family left for Portugal since we can trace the family name Coronel in the Portuguese inquisition data, when the inquisition started in Portugal some left for Amsterdam and then to Brazil where they practice Judaism openly again, other went to Galicia north of Spain. Where they most probably drop the Coronel name because it was an easy target from the inquisition and most likely bought an Old-Christian name since the name coronel vanish from the church record. It wasn't easy to leave Spain or Portugal once you were considered a New-Christian (punishable by death) so only a few could leave without arising suspicion from the inquisition. Some of the members of this family are heroes (and should be seen as such) they spend all their fortune trying to help the New-Christians and many of them kept Judaism is secret up to the bitter end... They apparently even found a secret synagogue in Abraham castle in Segovia! I'm sure one day we will know the truth about all of this! Thank you again for this lecture

[@arthurpontomota]

Great to know more about one of my ancestors (17 generations). Thank you!

[@tallmikbcroft6937]

I was raised in a Christian house. I was never taught this history. The church I thought I knew was involved in craziness. Thank you for educating me. I will have to reflect on this.

[@raulgonzales1374]

The Catholic Church did not disband the Inquisition until 1820 or 1821, even during the 1950's and 1960/1970's catholic families were told not to buy or possess an Bible in there home. Some of my relatives kept a bible at home but were very secretive about it and rarely talked about it and certainly never talked about it to people outside the immediate family circle.

[@bpeper1365]

@@raulgonzales1374 that’s crazy - sounds like a USSR situation. What’s worse, if what you’re saying is true, you probably had easier access to Bibles in the USSR.

[@lautaroaguilar9584]

This is my 13th grandfather!! ❤️❤️

[@leotilonunez3506]

Mi nombre es Fernando Nuñez y soy descendiente de abraham Senior , Mi familia partio de Cadiz rumbo a Sudamerica , y Vivo en Argentina, Saludos al señor Abramson y a todos los descendientes con los que compartimos un origen judio .

[@eslycarvalho8994]

Thank you Mr. Abramson. I am listening to all of your lectures. What pulled me in was the one on Crypto-jews. As bnei anousim on all sides of my family, it was hard to listen as you read the Edict of Expulsion. I empathize with Abraham Senior. What difficult decisions. Five hundred years later, my maternal grandmother in Brazil still “bled” the chicken before eating it. I often saw her dig a hole in the backyard to bury the blood after she slit its throat. My mother taught me to toss an egg that had blood in it. We never swept the trash out the door (neither does my son-in-law). The interesting fact on my mother’s side was having become Protestants six generations ago and changing the last name from Santos (because of idolatry) to Affonso, a hidden away town in Portugal. My grandmother made the shrouds for burial. My father’s side is all Iberian. Grandfather married the daughter of a Spaniard (Gallego) all up in the mountains where it was easier to hide from the Inquisition. My grandfather taught me never to go into a Catholic Church(!) but if forced to, “never kneel”. And many of us (me included) have the birthmarks on our upper legs, genitals and lower back that were the result of Sephardic intermarriage. You are so interesting to listen to and learn from although sometimes I feel in my soul that you are describing my grandparents and not my ancestors from 500 years ago. You will be pleased to hear that in a way we have come full circle and my grandson had a brit milah under an Orthodox mohel in our local shul. May you receive special blessings for teaching us.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Wow, you have an incredible story, I am so grateful that you shared it with me. Congratulations on the brit milah of your grandson! What a momentous and meaningful occasion.

[@eslycarvalho8994]

@@HenryAbramsonPhD It was very special, an honor and a privilege to watch my family come full circle 500 years later.

[@eduardoreyes1272]

Gracias, espectacular!!!!

[@blokefrommalaya]

i love history.. as an historian perspective. it is not to pin point who is good, bad, evil or saint.. facts is the key.. i love your lecture.. but i got to be honestly this lecture is seriously a tough pill to swallow.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Glad you found it meaningful.

[@florribs5704]

Wonderful presentation! I'm from Brazil and descendant of Abraham Senior

[@lutzdausend1840]

Thanks a lot for such a excellent lecture. Specially the explanation of the dynamics of history as you explained about the expulsion I liked. It's well presented in films like "The Wave" (2008) or "The Experiment" (2001) how our mind acts and goes with the current and finds pleasure in it, instead of stopping and reflecting. The last is done when the damage is already done. Thanks you!

[@ArnaGSmith]

This lecture was right on time as I am currently reading B. Netan;yaho's The Origins of the Inquisition in the 15th Century Spain.

[@jessicagoncalves3580]

He is my 12 grandfather. I am from Brazil. My family is from Spain and Portugal.

[@CazCoronel]

Mine too!

[@morrisday333]

Don't let the density of your live audience discourage you. I liked the joke!

[@mariferavery7646]

I'm one of his descendants on my father's side. We have our family tree traced all the way to judah senior/Felipe coronel right after the expulsion in 1492.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Interesting

[@mariferavery7646]

@@HenryAbramsonPhD they went from spain to Portugal then amsterdam and from there too curacao, venezuela, colombia.

[@tekboysp]

I'm a Spanish descendant of Abraham Senior, so this was very interesting! I also descend from Portuguese Sephardic Jews. Without them I would not exist :)

[@jeffczermanski2993]

Your jokes are awful. I love it. Please keep telling them!!

[@chooselife903]

My maternal family RUSSO. ..were killed during the 1530s in sicily during the inquisition and then AGAIN in ww2 more where killed in Dauchau. I have their numbers names and how they were killed... So it was a big deal and all these persecutions were connectef.

[@Akhenaton1352]

I am a descendant of Abraham Senior in Brazil, through Constança Coronel. and Branca Dias

[@elia.8993]

Where do you teach? I am looking for a school that offers a good Jewish studies program and Hebrew? I am a junior at my college, but I want to get later my M.A in Jewish studies and Hebrew.

[@nikkihosein9570]

My family is from the West Indies.The NewYork Times did an article onSephardic zJews In the Caribbean. My grandmother Veronica Louise Senior had her lineage traced back A.Senior

[@ianseniormorrison]

Nikki Hosein .Is your grandmother from Trinidad? Nikki.

[@moshepantelat4078]

The priest that was active in 1391 riots was Feran Martinez and not Vicente Ferrer - this one (together with pope Benedict 13) was active in 1414 conversions.

[@davidsavage6324]

on the edict of expulsion, I believe I read recently that Spain officially rescinded the expulsion, now enshrined in law, and not just a de facto rescinding.

[@raulgonzales1374]

Rescinded the expulsion, only about 500 years to late!

[@elhirba]

And Jews who could trace their lineage to Spain before the expulsion can get the Spaniard Citizenship

[@mariacoronellopez]

Dónde puedo encontrar este video subtitulado?

[@shariklein5883]

means. Where can I find this video with subtitles?

[@mariacoronellopez]

@@shariklein5883 exactamente

[@mariacoronellopez]

@@shariklein5883 con subtítulos en español, gracias.

[@markjacobi3537]

Very interesting lecture I listened from Melbourne Australia. Ferdinand and Isabelle forced the conversion of ABraham Senior - is that what you are saying? Quick question: DId any of his children grandchildren or even great grandchildren try and attempt to 'come back' return to Yiddishkeit?

[@ianseniormorrison]

Mark Jacobi It is claimed that they induced, Rather than ,forced it.His daughter Reina MAY have contemplated a return to Judaism.

[@ianseniormorrison]

A couple of corrections. There was a Reina Senior bought before the Inquisition, as a wittness,if my memory is correct. She seems to be the same as Don Abraham's daughter. I had seen a copy of the document. Interestingly, her daughter Maria became, at Marriage Mrs Juan Bravo, he being the hero rebel leader. Her son Antonio Perez Coronel went on the become secretary to Afonso Manrique, the 4th Inquisitor General in Spain. Some of the commenters claim knowledge of a lineal descent from Don Abraham. I have seen many of these, from relatives in the West Indies, Venezuela and Columbia. They all have holes in them. If any of the comments are based upon descent from Mordechai Abeniacar (aka Nicolante Pumentel) father of Phillipe Henriquez (aka Jeudah Senior), the chances are that you do not have Don Abraham as an ancestor. There is a very remote chance that his brother Soliman MAY be an ancestor. The trace back to Phillipe, son of Mordechai is in all likelihood correct. But anything beyond his birth Mordecai , 1563, is to say the least, inaccurate.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Thanks for the information!

[@olgamaria2552]

Cardozo family are descendant of Abraham Senior?

[@sebastianparra5516]

What does sonei or mean?

[@rosario7558]

Señor de la Luz

[@jaimendaniel5578]

The conical hat is not a sambenito, but a capirote. Sambenitos are more like badges or special gaments.

[@ln8601]

This map is misleading, ignoring that most fled first to Brazil, and not to North America initially.

[@elia.8993]

I didn’t get the joke 😫😫

[@chooselife903]

Miamonides stated during this time...that if a person faced death or conversion..one should convert and save his life. There is no reason to reconvert...since they are always jewish.

[@marcelomeireles2114]

I think Rambam told this in the context of conversion to Islam, since it is not a idolater religion. Xristianity is! So there is a long Rabinic dispute about Conversos, not a simple case, untill today.

[@yeshuamysaviour3156]

Amen I'm tired of people telling mr I should convert

[@ferdinanddaratenas3447]

Do you think there's a discount in the heavenly court for Jews who abandoned their religion under threats of torture and persecution? For example... no punishment for breaking the laws of the Torah under those circumstances, but you'll have to be reincarnated for an easier test, and later if you pass you get a lower place in heaven. Sounds fair? That's what "anusim" means in Hebrew, right? "Forced" or "exempt from keeping the commandments" The problem is that many of those Jews in Spain were reincarnations of Israelites who committed idolatry by their own free will in ancient times, so they had to die for their religion in the next life to fix that. I believe it was Shimshon of Ostropol who said that. It sucks. But is hell on earth or hell in the afterlife (which is worse).

[@yeshuamysaviour3156]

reincarnation is a lie . where is that in the Bible

[@ArnaGSmith]

You gotta stop with the bad jokes! The good ones are okay. LOL