Thursday Feb 28, 2008

Inquisition records at Notre Dame University

Posted by Schelly Talalay Dardashti

For those interested in the Inquisition and the tragedy of its impact on Sephardim and the Sephardic Diaspora, here is a collection of primary resource material.

Although in force in Spain in the 14th century, it was not until the late 15th century with the marriage of Isabella and Ferdinand that the Inquisition evolved into a tool to promote racial purity and Catholic orthodoxy. Its activities lasted into the 19th century in some places.

Notre Dame University purchased The Inquisition Collection in November 1996 from Libreria José Porrua Turanzas in Madrid, Spain, through an estate gift of Harley L. McDevitt. It is a significant collection (565 items) of books and manuscripts on the activities and history of the Inquisition in Spain, Portugal and the New World.

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Monday Jan 07, 2008

Texas: Sephardic scholar in residence

Posted by Schelly Talalay Dardashti

Sephardic history is part of my personal research, and Tracing the Tribe's readers note my affinity for all matters Sephardic, as I present interesting programs, books, author appearances, concerts and more with those who share these interests on a personal or cultural level.

Those in Houston, Texas, are in for a treat as this year's scholar-in-residence for the Horvitz program (in its 20th year) is Dr. Renée Levine Melammed; the theme is "Insights into Jewish History: Studying Women, Sephardim and Oriental Jewry."

A Jewish history professor who heads the Women's Gender Studies MA program at Jerusalem's Schechter Institute, Dr. Melammed has authored numerous articles dealing with women in Jewish history, Conversos of Spain and the Inquisition, and edits the gender and womens studies journal, Nashim

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Tracing the Tribe Jewish genealogy blog by Schelly Talalay Dardashti provides the tools and resources to peer into your family tree.

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Marvin T. Cox, Sweetwater, Texas, USA: If DNA tests can determine Jewish ancestry does it identify whether you are of Judah, Levi, or Benjamin? Is there an individual gene identifying each tribe, or a common gene linking all three tribes together as being part of Israel and therefore termed as being Jewish? If so, then could that same concept be used to locate and identify members of the lost ten tribes? Is there a gene which identifies each tribe, or a gene common to all twelve? Should this possibility be researched and explored. Are the ten tribes right under our noses, but we simply do not recognize them?

Marvin T. Cox, Sweetwater, Texas, USA: This is wonderful and exciting news. But, might an ignorant man ask a question: when did Israel become composed solely of one tribe--the Jewish People? Was not, and is not, Israel comprised of twelve tribes of people who, as the Jewish people, were scattered over the face of the earth, and, as the Jewish people, were prophesied in scripture to be returned to the land one day? I say look for your Jewish brethren, bravo, I support your efforts, but do not forget those brethren who are your brethren though they departed from Torah and may not be keeping Torah to this day, but brethren still.

Schelly Talalay Dardashti:

Dinah, Family Tree DNA president Bennett Greenspan responds:: "BRCA1 and BRCA2 are patented by Myriad Genomics ... NO ONE can test for these unless you work out a patent royalty system with them. For example Myriad charges $450 for 3 variants of BRAC2 while DNATraits changes $450 for 26 other Jewish inherited diseases (and about 100 variants)... "We wish this wasnt patented in the US but it is - if it wasnt we would of course offer it. ...we will probably offer it in Europe where the US patent isnt applicable (because the European Union tossed out the patent in 2004 or 2005). "

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