Jewish community in London in seventeenth-century and the Bnei Anusim community in the Canary Islands.

The connection between the first Jewish community in London in seventeenth-century and the Bnei Anusim community in the Canary Islands.

La Orotava, Tenerife.

The first Jewish community of London and Canary Islands' Bnei Anusim Community is highly related. Some of the signatories of the request for the establishment of a Jewish community in London to Lord Oliver Cromwell lived in the Canary Islands for a long time and some of their families stayed in the Canary Islands. This is the case of the sister of Antao Fernandez Carvajal (Antao Israel Carvajal ) Lucina Rodriguez Arias. Lucina and her husband Gonzalo Rodriguez Baez and part of his family stayed in Tenerife and lived in La Orotava (in the north of the island). Lucina, her husband and other family members were arrested and were imprisoned in the prison of the Inquisition of Gran Canaria, but were finally freedom and could continue in their lives. Antao, Robles and other founders of Bevis Mark Synagogue were too Bnei anusim as Lucina, but in a new country they could create their own Jewish community.

Thanks to those Bnei anusim who chose London  Jews can live free in United Kingdom. I hope one day their descendants and families of those who could not come to London and escape the Inquisition can return to their faith.

Original petition to Cromwell