Re: Where are your roots?
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In reply to:
Re: Where are your roots?
7/22/99
I belong to a long line of Jewish Landas, who most recently escaped Eastern Europe during WWII, though most of the family was slaughtered by the Germans in Aushwitz. Most of us now live in Israel, but some are left in Argentina and Canada. We trace our roots back to the town of LANDA in Spain. During the persecutions that led up to the inquisition, Jews were required to take "Spanish" family names: sone chose proffesions, some characteristics, others took the name of theirs towns - hence LANDA. In 1492 Ferdinand and Isabella united their Kingdoms of Castilla and Argon (?not sure about that?) and drove out the Moslem Moors, under whose rule the Jews enjoyed their "Golden Age" - their greatest era since being expelled by the Romans from the Holy Land in the 1st Century. Spanish Jews had to choose between conversion to Christianity or Expulsion. Most of our family left Spain for Poland, which welcomed Jews. Others converted and others chose to be "Morranos" - secret Jews who pretended to be Catholics, but eventually lost their Jewish identity. Those who became Catholics sometimes became active in the church in order to prove that they were NOT Marranos. We beleive that most Spanish Landas were originally Jews from the town of Landa. There are also many Jews called Landau who trace their origins to the town of this name in Germany. We jealously guard the different spellings of our name (and the ways they are pronounced).
More Replies:
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Re: Where are your roots?
4/17/00
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Re: Where are your roots?
12/25/99