Episode
We Never Completely Forgot Who We Were with Yaffah Batya DaCosta
- Published
- May 24, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 3643
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://rss.com/podcasts/the-story-of-us/2852295
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Summary
What happens when an entire people are forced to hide who they are… for generations? In this episode of The Story of Us , Jeff sits down with Yaffah Batya daCosta—educator, speaker, and advocate for the descendants of the “Secret Jews,” families who were forced to convert during the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisitions while quietly preserving pieces of their identity in secret. But this conversation is about much more than history. It’s about memory. Identity. Belonging. And the human need to understand where we come from. Together, they explore the story of the Anousim (“the forced ones”), how ancient persecution still echoes into modern life, and what happens when someone begins rediscovering truths their family was never allowed to openly speak about. Along the way, the conversation widens into something universal: How fear divides people. How stories shape identity. And how understanding each other more deeply may be one of the few paths toward healing. 🎯 What You’ll Take Away Who the “Secret Jews” were and why their story still matters today How forced conversion and hidden identity shaped generations of families The surprising connections between history and modern global tensions Why human beings are more alike than different beneath culture and belief How compassion and curiosity can lead to deeper understanding 🌍 Key Themes Identity and ancestry Generational memory Religious persecution and survival Human connection Healing through understanding 👤 About the Guest – Yaffah Batya daCosta Yaffah Batya daCosta is an educator, speaker, coach, and advocate working to support descendants of the Anousim —Jewish families forced to conceal their identity during the Inquisition. Drawing from her own ancestral journey, she has spent decades studying Jewish history, early…