Bnei Anousim in Europe Join Efforts to Support Israel

May 26, 2009
- Press Release -
www.shavei.org
For further details contact: Arik Puder - Spokesman at ArikPuder@gmail.com
or +972 52 5820820

For the first time, Bnei Anousim in Europe
enlist to join Israel's Hasbara (Public Diplomacy) efforts

Dozens of participants, whose ancestors were forced to convert to
Catholicism during the Inquisition over 500 years ago, gathered this past
weekend in Barcelona for a special seminar run by Shavei Israel to train
them in making Israel's case to the media

Barcelona (25 May 2009) - Amid rising anti-Semitism and anti-Israel
sentiment throughout Europe, and especially in Spain, the Shavei Israel
organization convened a special seminar this past weekend in Barcelona (from
May 22 to 24, 2009) with the aim of training Bnei Anousim to become
effective advocates for Israel and its cause in their home countries.
A number of experts on Israel advocacy were brought in to take part,
including Dr. Raanan Gissin, a former spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister
Ariel Sharon, and Ambassador Einat Kranz-Nieger, Israel's Deputy Ambassador
to Spain. Both conducted training sessions for the participants and provided
them with guidance and tools for defending the Jewish state in the local and
international media.
The seminar was held at the Jewish community center in Barcelona (known as
the CIB), and drew some 70 participants, mostly from Spain and Portugal, all
of whom are Bnei Anousim (whom historians refer to by the derogatory term
Marranos).
This marks the first time in the history of the State of Israel that Bnei
Anousim are actively volunteering to be part of Israel's hasbara efforts in
their own countries.
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