Casa Shalom
Institute for Marrano-Anusim Studies

Casa Shalom - Report on Majorca Seder 2001

May 8th. 2001

We have on six previous occasions managed to make Seder in Ibiza, the fourth largest Balearic Island. Always the difficulty has been to find a venue of sufficient size to sit everybody down, therefore we were exceptionally grateful when Mr. David Lewis most generously offered us his hotel, the Playa Real for Passover 2001. As we started to write interested parties that providing we managed to raise sufficient funds the Seder would go ahead, we were informed by Mr. Lewis that owing to renovations at the hotel being behind schedule ,this venue would not be available. He then very kindly offered us one of his Majorca hotels. Whilst I realized that there were several advantages in this location, it was more centrally located, we would have disadvantages in that the majority of our Ibiza people would not make the short journey to Majorca; a place where we had far less regular contacts.

Over the years many Casa Shalom members have expressed a desire to join us in the making of this special event. Mr. Lewis's offer meant that we could invite members from out of the Island to come and join us, but we felt that such applications should be considered only from persons or their families , seriously involved in this subject or from an Anusim background. We also trusted they would be discreet once they had met the local people who usually do not wish publicity.

The first problem was to raise sufficient cash. In this we were helped by my USA lectures that took place in February/ March and by a handful of stalwart members who raised further vital funds in Manchester UK and New York, that enabled the project to proceed. By the time our list closed , we had accepted applications from the USA, Canada, UK, Holland and Israel, plus Anusim from Spain . We refused many, especially Journalists. Sadly a number who originally were accepted had to drop out at the last minute for health and family reasons, plus the fact that the Israeli travel agents did not have the promised Itinerary of Charter flights to cover the length of the Festival, offering at the last minute only a seven day duration. This necessitated purchasing a more expensive ticket and have a longer non-direct flight to cover the necessary ten days . Because of all the help we received we were able to offer all the Balearic Anusim FREE accommodation in an excellent hotel and FREE fares from the other islands to anybody who found this cost a financial burden. The only charge for them was $25 per day for full Board Kosher meals.

Once more the American Joint Committee agreed to supply the Matzot and wine. This year having Israelis with us so we were able to bring these items in our luggage, greatly saving on costs and aggravation, but this time there was many more to feed and for the whole length of the Festival. Whereas previously I had cooked for everybody for one night Seder and just casually entertained on the other days, here we were considering the requirements of strictly Kosher food and facilities for approximately forty persons including children, some of whom would (because of living in the Diaspora), require two nights Seder. I visited Hermolis the Glatt Kosher caterers in London , who I have known many years. This company exports cooked Kosher meals all over the world under refrigeration. By using a European Community company we were saved all the hassle of customs barriers, import duties etc. An excellent varied menu was designed, which had to be modified once the problems of the UK. Foot and Mouth epidemic reared its ugly head, so we had to settle for a fare of poultry and fish. This health matter entailed extra costs for special Sanitary certificates that would take the consignment by refrigerated container, across France and Spain to Barcelona and then by boat to the Balearic Islands. Once the food arrived, we found it all most ample, exceptionally varied and tasty to a Gourmet level , but before we were to see the actual truck containing the pallet of 350 meals in the forecourt of the hotel there was much anxiety.

Because of the epidemic the meals were stuck for hours at both the French and Spanish borders and arrived just TWO hours before the onset of the Sabbath . When I had been in New York on the way to Majorca, after my lecture tour, I had taken into account that we might have hold-ups and so when purchasing all the breakfast items needed, I had taken the precaution of including some extra foods for main meals too. All these things I prevailed on our so helpful, American participants as well as my husband to take in their suitcases. In this respect we were given enormous assistance from Mr. Phillip Brill and Miss Da Silva.

On March 19th. my husband and I departed New York , for one week in Majorca. Everything arrived intact except one packet of biscuits. For the next few days we were exceptionally busy arranging with the most helpful management of the Santa Ponsa Park Hotel, what our requirements would be regarding new crockery, linen etc., and the necessary koshering of the dining room , large kitchen and the refrigerators.

On March 26th having made as many prior plans as possible , re accommodation, cots for babies, kosher powdered milk to brought from New York, excursions, discussions, loan of a Sepher Torah from Palma Synagogue, room for Religious services etc.,we now returned to Israel for 8 days to make final arrangements to bring all the necessary remaining foods like butter, 75 kilo of Matzot, 26 bottles of wines etc., before coming back to Majorca again on April 6th. This was ultimately achieved without any mishap except the breakage of three precious bottles of wine. We are greatly indebted to El-Al, Delta and Iberia airlines in permitting on these occasions the excess baggage without charge.

Once back in Majorca we set to work for two days with all the early arrivals, making the last necessary preparations for the Festival. One huge job was to take all the new crockery and push it in trolleys the 500 yards to the waterfront and ritually wash it in the sea as commanded by Jewish law. The Santa Ponsa Council does not permit any food to be eaten on the beach and we caused serious alarm at the sight of so many dishes arriving , until we were able to assure the locals that no food would be consumed on the clean sands.

It eventually transpired that although the Palma Synagogue, whose majority of members are European expatriates, had also a number of people with Anusim origins, they did not wish to lose their revenue of the few that came to their Communal Seder. Most of these Conversos having for many years felt isolated and often spurned by their fellow members, could not believe when we phoned them that there was a group coming out from abroad to assist them to observe Pesach, or that they could have, thanks to Mr. Lewis FREE accommodation at the hotel , with only a very nominal sum of $25 per day for full board and Kosher food at that. From amongst our UK participants we were most fortunate to have Mr. Alex Rosenzweig from the Jewish Memorial Council, who took a considerable interest in the needs of the Anusim and their desire to form their own Community in Palma. We were also blessed with the services of Rabbi Eliahu Klein, a visiting Fellow at Oxford, who supervised all the Kashrut of the kitchen and rendered the most delightful religious services in the little Synagogue we set up in one room . He led beautiful renderings of the daily services as well as the Sedarim, with full explanations for those that needed it, assisted by Yitzchak Kerem and Jonathan Schorch and Prof.. Marvin Meital. Casa Shalom printed its own Haggadah in Hebrew and Spanish, which was presented to everybody present as a gift. Extra copies are available to all Casa Shalom members at $5 per copy including postage. Without doubt this little memento will become a collectors item. We were also honoured to have with us at the service The United States Consul to the Balearics, D. Senor Bartolome Bestard Bonet. Just under forty persons attended, the first Seder. A number sadly dropping out at the last minute owing to illness and family problems.

One of our Canadian participants Dr. Judith Cohen, a famous Sephardic Musicologist informed us that a group of the Anusim/Chuetas were arranging a concert during the week of Pesach at which she would be performing. At that event we made many new contacts, who once we had gained their confidence, came to visit us at the hotel and participate in our activities and services for the last five days of the Festival. Many were without Matzot or any Passover items and we were glad to give them the basic items they needed. Nearly every evening we held talks, discussions and singing, to each others benefit and delight.We all learned a great deal about secret Jewish life and practices not only in Majorca, but in other places like Seville, Barcelona , Portugal and even Colorado USA. We were able to offer long term assistance to these people for the future.

In addition to excursions to places of Jewish interest, one of the other important activities of the Passover intermediate days was the offer of Yitzchak Kerem and his wife Judy , to travel with their baby to Ibiza, for two days , visiting some of the Anusim who were unable to come to the Seder. This couple delivered Matzot and food to as many persons as they had time to reach .A great Mitzvah was done here. We deeply regret that only three persons from Ibiza attended the Seder in Majorca and that this year we could not reach so many of them as previously, but we are endeavouring, if we can get sufficient support, to come out and install a Succah for the Festival of Tabernacles. .

I think it can truly be said that even though the participants came from so many diverse countries and backgrounds, we were truly one, albeit large, happy family who learned much about each other. Certainly those present will not quickly forget the friendships and happiness of our Pesach in Majorca . It finally only remains for me to thank each and everyone for what they contributed in time, effort and money and by no means least Mr. David Lewis ,and his wonderful staff at the hotel without whom nothing would have come to fruition.

Shalom

Gloria Mound.
Executive Director/Hon. Research Fellow Dept. Hispanics
Univ. of Glasgow 1988-2003.
Casa Shalom
Institute For Marrano-Anusim Studies
Gan Yavneh
Israel.
E-mail: marrano@casa-shalom.com  or Marrano@gezernet.co.il
Web-site: www.casa-shalom.com

Last updated: 29 Jan, 2007