wow. i just signed in and saw this message. i thought i was signed in all along. im in the same boat. i don't know whether to go ashkenaz or sephardic. like on one hand, sephardim is closer to my roots but, unlike you, i do not find it very welcoming all the time. the bnei anusim can be very racist too. i mean, if you think about it, there are very racist attitudes from portugese/spanish towards blacks too. then, there is no bad blood between askhkenazim and blacks per se. i mean, no bad history (slavery, for example) but due to the whiteness (how ashkenaz became white) some of them can hold very racist attitudes too. i find that it's easier also to retain your roots if you are askhenaz. if you are sephardic (there is more nationalism?) maybe, im not sure. other things. ashkenazim: more intellectual circles. more progressive. sephardic: less drama about reform, conservative etc. sephardim are for the most part orthodox, even if they are lax. the orthodox shul is the way to go. what do you think? would love discuss this further with you. shabbat shalom!