Reader Reviews
Parent Guide
Gracia Mendes Nasi was born in Portugal in the year 1510, and this book tells the story of her incredible life.
Gracia spent the first twelve years of her life thinking she was a Christian girl named Beatrice de Luna. On the eve of her bat mitzvah year, she learned that her parents were Jews who had fled from Spain and now had to practice their Judaism in hiding.
After marrying Francisco Mendes, a wealthy spice trader, Gracia learned that he and his family were using their resources and connections to save the lives of Jews being persecuted under the Inquisition. After Francisco died, Gracia became one of the wealthiest and most powerful women in Renaissance Europe. She spent the rest of her life moving from country to country, staying one step ahead of antisemitic persecution and doing whatever she could to save the lives of her fellow Jews.
Readers will be inspired by this action-packed story of a real-life historical figure who wasn’t afraid to stay true to her values and fight for the lives of others.
Parent Guide
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