[gozmike]

My parents are from Sicily and we only recently found out that our ancestry is Ashkenazi. In fact, my family is even from a town right outside Siracusa which makes this article all the more interesting.

Although I know very little of my ancestors that would date back to the time of mandatory conversion to Catholicism, I do know that many of my family's traditions and dialect words blend together Greek, Egyptian, Jewish (passover traditions!) I'm always amazed over the rapid transformation s and upheavals people from that part of the world must have experienced.

[akoster]

I am always amazed by this history. And by how one's Jewish identity could have been lost should an ancestor have decided to assimilate during a difficult point in history. Quite amazing stuff! Thanks for sharing!