Dona+Gracia

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Dona Gracia (Nasi) was born in1510 in Lisbon Portugal. She was from a Jewish family who was expelled from Spain and Portugal. She was one ofthe world'swealthiest womenin the 16th century, which she got by importingpeppermade ​​ from the East- and it wasa shady deal.She used her powerto save Jewswho were expelledandpersecutedspecifically by helping the Marranos in "the Spanish Expulsion ". She worked Mainly in Antwerp in Belgium where she was a Business Woman, philanthropist and Jewish stateswoman. At first she lived in Constantinople but before that she lived in a lot of places because of many reasons. She came from a Jewish Marranos family. She lived first in Spain but her family ran away from Spain to Portugal because of the "Alhambra Decree". In 1528 she married Francisco Mendes but unfortunately he died after 8 years and she stayed with her daughter Ana Reyna who was a widow as well. When Dona's husband died he left her money which she managed well.

After a while her little sister Braianda and her nephew Samuel (who died young) moved with Dona Gracia to Antwerp.There, her husband's brother, Diego Ran the family business which also included a large banking business. There Braianda married Diego. When Diego died she and her nephew took the business into their own hands. After a while Dona Gracia and her sister fought to inherit Diego.

Her family and she moved to Ferrara and there they returned to practicing Judaism and began using the name of the Nasi as a surname. There she helped with her power and her money; Dona defended Marranos and bought out prisoners to freedom.

Gracia returned to Venice in 1552 and finished the financial conflict with her sister with the assistance of authorities. One day, Gracia got a letter from Suliman and they moved to Consta. There she married off her daughter with Don Josef Nasi (Samuel).In 1961 Don Josef bought Tiberias for 1000 Dokotim.

In her effort to save the Marranos she helped them escape from the gentiles who wanted to hurt them. She helped them finance all kinds of things and food and paid for building synagogues and such.

Her motivation to help them was because she had come from a Marranos family and connected with the Jewish religion, and had the money for it.

She initiated the contributions but Don Josep helped her. She dedicated the money she inherited from her late husband as a banker and from the trade of gems, spices, especially black pepper. Today we celebrate 500 years for the birth of Dona Gracia I want to tell you about a wonderful person, about a donor, a philanthropist by the name of Dona Gracia. She came from a family of Marranos and she helped a lot of people. She contributed during her life money and time for the Marranos trying to help them deal with the expulsion from Spain. She did this even if sometimes her life was difficult and terrible. Even if she needed to run away from many people or countries she helped the Marranos extensively. Even when her husband died, she didn't stop. She continued to help and to contribute.

We need to take Dona Gracia as an example for us, because we need to be better people. Today, most of the world cares only about themselves.

However, we need to be more like her because she cared for every one and everywhere she can help, she did. She saved lives of many people and I hope that we will try to help poor people or people that who need help- just like Dona Gracia.

May her memory be blessed.

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Dona Garcia

Full Name: Dona Garcia

Parents’ Names: Agostino Mikas

Year of Birth: In 1510

Where Born: In Lisbon Portugal

Place of Work: Antwerp

Location: Belgium

Profession:

What s/he is famous for: (Innovation)

Because she help to the Jews in " ** expulsion from Spain ** "

=interview = = = Hi how are you? Very Good actually thank you, I'm so excited about this interview Yes, I'm also excited to speak with you. Tell me where do you live now? Now I live in Constantinople but before that Ilived in a lot of places because of many reasons. Are youstill in touch with yourlate husband's familywhohad died then?  No I __ ' __ mstill in touch with them because Ilove them; theyarealmost my real family I hear that you have a girl!,What happens to her now ? Is she married? Yes I have a beautiful girl and her name is Rina but she isn't married Tell me briefly about your family and your life. O.K I come from a Jewish Marranos family. We live__d__ first in Spain but my family ran away from Spain to Portugal because of the "Alhambra Decree". In 1528 I married Francisco Mendes but unfortunately he died after 8 years and I stayed with my daughter Ana Reyna alone. When he died, he left me money and I managed it. After a while me and my little sister Braianda and my nephew Samuel who died young moved to Antwerp there my husband's brother Diego __r__an the family business which also included a large banking business. There Braianda married Diego. When Diego died my nephew and I took the business into our own hands. And after a while my sister and I fought for the inheritance of Diego. Then there were mess. My family and I moved to Ferrara and there we returned to practicing Judaism and began using the name of the Nasi as a surname There with the power and my money I helped others; I defended Marranos and redeemed captives. I returned to Venice in 1552 and finished the financial conflict with my sister with the assistance of authorities__.__ One day, I got a letter from __S__uliman and we moved to Consta. There I married my daughter with Don Josef Nasi (Samuel). In 1961 Don Josef and I bought Tveria for 1000 dokotim for a year. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">You had an interesting life! , Well then how exactly did you help Marranos and Jews? <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">I helped them escape from the gentiles who wanted to do terrible things and I helped them in financing all kinds of things and food and I paid for synagogues etc. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Why did you want to help them? <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Because I came from a Marrano family and I was connected with the Jewish religion and I have the money for that. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Someone led you to contributing to the Marranos and the Jews, or did it happen alone? <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">I initiated it all but Don Joseph helped me. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">And how did you finance all your help? <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">I have a lot of money from my ex husband <span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Did you work in addition to your contribution? What and Where? <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Yes, I worked in my exe husband's business, in the business bank and in Trade in gems and spices, especially black pepper. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Well, then how do you sum your life up to now? <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Amm… this is great question... I think that my life is very interesting and I have a lot of adventures and this is good because my life is not boring. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Have to say that my life brought a big satisfaction. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Good I'm happy for you. We don’t have enough time to thank you and good luck with you life.

=speech= = = <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Ladies and gentlemen,

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Today at 500 years of the birth of Dona Gracia I want to tell you about a wonderful person, about Dona Gracia. She came from a family of Marranos and she helped a lot of people. She contributed during her life money and time for the Marranos trying to help them deal with the expulsion from Spain. She did this even if sometimes her life was difficult and terrible. Even if she needed to run away from many people or countries she helped the Marranos extensively. For example, when her husband died she continued to help and to contribute. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">We need to take selves so we need to be like her because she cares for every one and everywhere she can help, sheDona Gracia as an example for us, because we need to be better people. Today, most of the world to cares about them did. She saved lives of many people and I hope that we will try to help poor people or some people that need help- jus like Dona Gracia. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">May her memory be blessed. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">

=<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**RATIONALE** =

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The class chose to write about Women of Valor. I chose to write about Dona Gracia as I was interested in her as a historical figure and helped her fellow Jews at a terrible time. She became rich and used her power to help others that were not as lucky. I think there is a lot to learn from people like that, and we should do the same today.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">__Reflection:__ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">I learned that Dona Gracia was a great woman who helped Jews around her during the Spanish Expulsion. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Then you explain what you learned from working on the project <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">It has improved our: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">£ searching skills  <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">ý summarizing skills  <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">ý writing skills <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">ý vocabulary level <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">£ English language skills <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">What was difficult for you in the paper? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">I found it very hard to translate the material into English. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">a. Did you have enough time for the paper? Yes <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">b. Did you get enough help and support from your teacher? Yes <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">c. Did you understand the instructions? Yes, kind of. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">d. Were the assignments clear and fair? Yes <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">5. Choose one of the following: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">I enjoyed working on this project because I chose to write about her and found the material interesting. = =

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">bibliography =

= Wikipedia contributors. "Gracia Mendes Nasi." //Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia//. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 5 Dec. 2011. Web. 25 Jan. 2012.

"Dona Gracia the house of Nasi." //Jewish Heritage online magazine//. Jewish Heritage, 1.1.12. Web. 25/1/12. []. Mindel, Nissan. "Donna Gracia Mendez Nassi." //Chabad.org Jewish History//. Chabad, 1.2.12. Web. 1 Feb 2012. []. SephardicHistory. "DoÃ±a Gracia Nasi Mendes." //YouTube//. YouTube,  08 Aug. 2010. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skIQ61CfLsw>. SephardicHistory. "DoÃ±a Gracia Nasi Mendes." //YouTube//. YouTube, 08 Aug. 2010. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skIQ61CfLsw>.