Once We Were Slaves: The Extraordinary Journey of a Multi-Racial Jewish Family

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For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. Indeed, we, too, were once stupid, disobedient, and misled. We were slaves to many kinds of lusts and pleasures. We were mean and jealous. We were hated, and we hated each other. You were slaves to sin. But I thank God that you have become wholeheartedly obedient to the teachings which you were given.

For we ourselves also once were foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, despicable, hating one another. But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.But thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching you were transferred to, then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt: and Jehovah brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand;

But thanks be to God that, although you were once slaves of sin, you have become obedient from the heart to the pattern of teaching to which you were entrusted. This building in Barbados is where the Brandon siblings were converted to Judaism. (Laura Leibman) Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt; and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand: It was the will of their grandfather George Gill that made a difference to the siblings’ future prospects. Slaves could inherit from the free and Gill’s bequest enabled the siblings to be freed, while their enslaved mother inherited slaves herself, and Gill’s long-term slave partner, the siblings’ grandmother Jemima Gill, was given the financial means to free herself. These complex relationships demonstrate examples of compliance with existing social structures that drew lines between free and enslaved, and show how some individuals used these same structures to better their own or their children’s futures. Financial stability, care, and responsibility for enslaved family are all evident in George Gill’s will.Dogged original research and superb narrative skills come together in this gripping account of pitiless evil.