Syllabus Crypto J

THE WORLD OF HIDDEN JEWS JWST/ANTH 4050-001 Spring 2012 Carlos Zarur Crypto Jews, Marranos, Conversos, Anusim, and New Christians The Jews in Spain and Portugal lived in relative peace under the Islamic Caliphs, during the era known as the Golden Age, and what Americo Castro called Convivencia, until the Catholic Reconquista. In 1492 the Catholics Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella, signed the edict of expulsion of the Jews from all their kingdoms. Those who did not convert to Catholicism were expelled from Spain. Approximately a third of the Jewish population that stayed converted to Catholicism either of their own free will or by force. Five years later, in 1497, the same situation happened in Portugal with the difference that there, they were not allowed to leave and were forced to convert. The Era of Spanish and Portuguese Jewries in Iberian lands ended and a new chapter in Jewish history was born. The newly converted Jews continued to practice Judaism in secret while professing their Catholic faith openly, the Spaniards referred to these ―converts‖ as New Christians, Conversos or Marranos. The Marrano, Crypto-Jewish phenomenon started in Spain and Portugal, reaching as far the American Continent, and persists to this day as a Sub-Culture, re-emerging in our days, creating one of the most polemic and actual chapters in modern Judaism. The main goal of this course using the lens of anthropological inquiry is to explore, discover and analyze the World of the Crypto (Secret) Jews. We will then analyze their customs, religious practices, languages, ethnic and regional subdivisions, occupations, social composition, and folklore, taking into account the construction of a new identity of the distinct groups during different periods of time. Then we will ask some fundamental questions about the definition of Jewish identity, practices, and community. Assignments: You are required to read assigned materials, bring the text books to the classroom and be prepared to discuss readings in class. Lap-Tops allowed to take notes, not for Social Networks. Evaluation/Requirements: -Class attendance and participation/Havruta -Midterm paper:5 page of a detailed analysis of Historical period -Research/Final paper: 10 page paper of a theme of their choice There will not be a mid-term or final exam.

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Historical Overview 01/18/2012 a. Introduction of the Origins of Sepharad, what is Sepharad, Sepharadim and what is not. Readings: Jane Gerber's book ―The Jews of Spain‖, pages IX to XXV 01/20/2012 a. The early Christian period b. Different Jewish groups. Readings: Jane Gerber's book ―The Jews of Spain‖, pages 2-26 01/23/2012 a. Muslim period and the Sephardic Sages, The Golden Age Readings: Jane Gerber's book ―The Jews of Spain‖, pages 28-57

Historical Overview II 01/25/2012 Video ―Out of Spain‖ The Golden Age (part one) Readings: Jane Gerber's book ―The Jews of Spain‖, pages 60-76 01/27/2012 Video ―Out of Spain‖ The Golden Age (part two) Readings: Jane Gerber's book ―The Jews of Spain‖, pages 76-89 01/30/2012 a. Under the Catholic Reconquista, Sephardic Jewish Identity b. What is a New Christian, Converso, Crypto-Jew, Marrano, and Anusim Readings: Jane Gerber's book ―The Jews of Spain‖, pages 92-114.

Historical Overview III 02/01/2012 a. Brief introduction to the Spanish Expulsion, Conversion, Inquisition and the birth of Secret (Crypto) Judaism Readings: Jane Gerber's book ―The Jews of Spain‖, pages 116-144 02/03/2012 a. Brief introduction to the Spanish Expulsion, Conversion, Inquisition and the birth of Secret (Crypto) Judaism II Readings: David Gitlitz book, ―Secrecy and Deceit‖, pages 3 to 27 02/06/2012 a. Brief introduction to the Portuguese Expulsion, Conversion, Inquisition and Secret Judaism b. Inquisition, the Sephardic Holocaust Readings: David Gitlitz book, ―Secrecy and Deceit‖, pages 35 to 64

Historical Overview IV 02/08/2012 a. The Sephardic Diaspora and the three branches of Sephardic Jews b. North Africa, Greece, Bulgaria, The Balkans and Turkey, welcoming the Marranos with open arms Readings: Jane Gerber's book ―The Jews of Spain‖, pages 146 to 175 02/10/2012 a. Amsterdam and London, Returning to Judaism and founding new communities, a new civilization under protestant rulers and open societies, and the reconstruction of the Sephardic identity b. The Spanish & Portuguese Sages and one heretic in Holland, Menasshe Ben Israel, Aboab da Fonseca and Spinoza Readings: Miriam Bodian‘s book ―Hebrews of the Portuguese Nation‖ pag. 25 to 52

02/13/2012 a. Amsterdam II Readings: Miriam Bodian‘s book ―Hebrews of the Portuguese Nation‖ pag. 96 to 131 02/15/2012 a. The Spanish & Portuguese Jews (Ex-Marranos) in France, Italy, Belgium and Germany Readings: Jane Gerber's book ―The Jews of Spain‖, pages 178-211 and Bodian‘s book ―Hebrews of the Portuguese Nation‖ pag. 1 to 24 02/17/2012 a. Doña Gracia Nasi, La Señora b. Reaching the New World as Spanish & Portuguese Jews: Dutch Brazil and the Caribbean Readings: Jane Gerber's book ―The Jews of Spain‖. Starting at the bottom of page 179181 and pages 205 -211

Historical Overview VI 02/20/2012 a. Reaching the New World as Spanish & Portuguese Jews: Dutch Brazil and the Caribbean II b. Shearit Israel, the first Jewish Community in United States, a Spanish & Portuguese congregation Readings: Bodian‘s book ―Hebrews of the Portuguese Nation‖ pag. 132 to 161 02/22/2012 a. The Portuguese Liturgy in New York b. The Touro Synagogue in Newport, the oldest Synagogue in United States and her CryptoJewish Background

Cultures of Crypto Jews The Cultures of Crypto Jews I 02/24/2012

Midterm Due a. The Crypto-Judaism in Spain and Portugal, their customs, religious practices and traditions, the Amalgam of Catholicism and Judaism, and a new identity in the Spanish and Portuguese Societies b. The languages of Crypto-Jews and their relation with the Judeo-Spanish dialects (Ladino, Djudezmo, Haketyia) Readings: David Gitlitz book, ―Secrecy and Deceit‖, pages 73 to 90 02/27/2012 Video ―Out of Spain‖ The Portuguese Marranos I-a Readings: David Gitlitz book, ―Secrecy and Deceit‖, pages 99 to 116 02/29/2012 Video ―Out of Spain‖ The Portuguese Marranos I-b Readings: David Gitlitz book, ―Secrecy and Deceit‖, pages 116 to 134 03/02/2012 Video ―Out of Spain‖ The Portuguese Marranos II-a Readings: David Gitlitz book, ―Secrecy and Deceit‖, pages 135 to 153 03/05/2012 Video ―Out of Spain‖ The Portuguese Marranos II-b Readings: David Gitlitz book, ―Secrecy and Deceit‖, pages 153 to 168

The Cultures of Crypto Jews II 03/07/2012 a. Re-discovering the Portuguese Marranos b. Gender among the Crypto-Jews, As Resadeiras, Women Rabbis? The transmission of the religion Readings: David Gitlitz book ― Secrecy and Deceit‖ pages: 44 - 53

03/09/2012 a. Belmonte, Tomar and Trás os Montes (activity class) b. Barros Basto, the Marrano Apostle and the resurrection of Judaism in Portugal (activity class) Readings: David Gitlitz book ―Secrecy and Deceit‖ pages: 80 – 82 03/12/2012 Video ―The Last Marranos‖ first part Readings: David Gitlitz book, ―Secrecy and Deceit‖, pages 183 to 193 03/14/2012 Video ―The Last Marranos‖ second part Readings: David Gitlitz book, ―Secrecy and Deceit‖, pages 199 to 210

The Cultures of Crypto Jews III 03/16/2012 a. The Marranos of ―Andalusia‖, Seville the oldest practicing Crypto-Jews in Spain b. Hervas and Catalayud the ―Jewish towns‖ in modern Spain c. Chuetas, a living community in Mallorca Readings: David Gitlitz book, ―Secrecy and Deceit‖, pages 217 to 235 and 45 to 47. 03/19/2012 Video ―Out of Spain‖ The Chuetas of Majorca, first part Readings: David Gitlitz' Book ―Secrecy and Deceit‖ pages 243 to 262 03/21/2012 Video ―Out of Spain‖ The Chuetas of Majorca, second part Readings: David Gitlitz' Book ―Secrecy and Deceit‖ pages 277 to 304

The Cultures of Crypto Jews IV 03/23/2012 a. Mexico, The mestizaje with another cultures and the encounter with European Jews, their practices and identity as part of the Hispanic Civilization b. Tlaltelolco, Taxco, Venta Prieta, Veracruz, Los Altos, Monterrey, Saltillo, Merida, Pueblo, Alburquerque and Santa Fe, What these Mexican and American cities have in common? Readings: Seth Kunin Book, ―Juggling Identities‖ pag. 1 to 21

SPRING BREAK March 26th to March 30th 04/02/2012 a. Crypto-Jewish customs in Mexico b. Monterrey and the Carvajals. c. Luiz de Carvajal ―el mozo‖ Readings: David Gitlitz' Book ―Secrecy and Deceit‖ -pages 53-58 -page 102 from: In 1589, to: his mother -page 108-109 from: Among the, to: for them -page 117 from: By that time, to leather, from: Fray Gaspar, to: and Jeremiah -page 150 from: The Portuguese, to: the Host" -page 221 from: In a similar, to: relative, from: Frequently, to: disguised it. -page 231-232 from: A particularly, to: and Numbers -page 233 from: Ironically, to: to emulate -page 281 from: The need, to: Brianda Lopes -page 324 from: Mexican Crypto-Jews to: burned out -page 325 from: In Mexico in the, to: and rest -page 326-327 from: It was crucial, to: prayers -page 327 from: Today the secret, to: the Sabbath -page 328 from: Margarita de Rivera, to: tambourine -page 330 from: But from, to: torments me" -page 367-368 from: In Mexico on Yom, to: who gives us life -page 383 from: In Mexico Luis, to: at Passover -page 386 from: Micaela Enriquez, to: priest give, from: Luis de Carvajal, to: vegetables -page 387-388 from: In Mexico, to: at night -page 391 from: There is some, to: thereafter -page 394 from: On the other hand, to: del alma, from: I.Judith, to: Moses had died -page 398 from: Juan de Leon, to: chocolate -page 398-399 from: Dona Ana, to: all day -page 473 from: A 1603, to: the East" -page 474 from: And Antonia, to: father's too, from: In the colonies, to: times standing" -page 510 from: Liebman concludes, to: follow up -page 517 from: In colonial Mexico, to: of rabbi -page 570 from: Some steadfast, to: customs

Case Studies I 04/04/2012 Guest Speaker Beatriz Pestana a. The Crypto Judaism in Colombia, Venezuela and other Latin American countries, secret networks and building a new identity under La Colonia b. Colombia and Venezuela, and the Criollo elite, The Canary Islands‘ connection c. Simon Bolivar, Secret Networks, Independence Movements, Jamaica-Colombia connection, Curacao-Venezuela connection. Readings: David M. Gitlitz " Secrecy and Deceit" pages: 58 to 60, 507 to 518 and 588 to 613 04/06/2012 Passover –No Class04/09/2012 a. The American South West Readings: Seth Kunin ―Juggling Identities‖ pages 146 to 191 04/11/2012 a. Real Crypto-Jews in the South West or descendants of Evangelical sects? Readings: Seth Kunin ―Juggling Identities‖ pages 82 to 113

Case Studies IV 04/13/2012 a. Brazil, The sleeping dragon. Are there more Crypto Jews than Jews in Brazil? b. Recife-Olinda, Paraiba, Bahia, Rio De Janeiro, Minas Gerais, and how different is the phenomena in the Brazilian States. c. Branca Diaz Readings: David Gitlitz book, ―Secrecy and Deceit‖: Death and Funeral customs page: 277 to 304 Pages 60-62 page 117 from: As the previous, to: in church page 150 from: Branca Dias, to: sacrament page 163 from: In the 1590's, to: urinating on it

page page page page page page page page page page page page

278 from: When Ana Rodrigues, to: do it 321 from: Wealthy crypto, to: inquisitor 336 from: Branca Dias, to: week 431 from: Evidently, to: in Spanish 502 from: Crypto-Jewish, to: my father 512 form: Typical was, to: Jewish Synagogues 513 from: The most, to: Jews Worship 517 from: In Brazil to: Pontifice dos Judeus 528: MEZUZZAH 601 from: Manoel Dias, to: heaven" 608 from: The Brazilian Poet, to: his wife 609 from: "These Networks, to: assist them

04/16/2012 Video ―The Hidden Star‖ part one Readings: David Gitlitz book, ―Secrecy and Deceit‖: pages 443 to 479 04/18/2012 Video ―The Hidden Star‖ part two Readings: David Gitlitz' Book ―Secrecy and Deceit‖ pages 317 to 341 04/20/2012 Video ―The Hidden Star‖ part three Readings: David M. Gitlitz ―Secrecy and Deceit" pages: 355 to 402

Case Studies V 04/23/2012 Video: ―About the Sugar Cane and Home Coming‖ part one Readings: David Gitlitz book, ―Secrecy and Deceit‖ pages 425 to 436 04/25/2012 Guest Speakers Beatriz Pestana and Manuel Martin a. The Bene Anusim in our days, their identity and self identification, can be a Secret Jewish Identity? b. The Secrecy still alive c. Diversity among the different groups Readings: David Gitlitz book, ―Secrecy and Deceit‖ pages 531 to 551

04/27/2012 Video: ―About the Sugar Cane and Home Coming‖ part two Readings: David M. Gitlitz ―Secrecy and Deceit" pages: 587 to 613

The Challenges of Studying Crypto-Jews Conclusion I 04/30/2012 a. How do Anthropologist and Folklorist identify Crypto-Jews? b. Finding real Crypto-Jews in our times, are there ―fake‖ Crypto-Jews? c. The DNA test, counts for Jewish Origin proof? d. The Strong endogamy and Jewish Genetic diseases among Crypto-Jews e. Patterns of cultural transmission and cultural change, cultural interaction across social boundaries, and responses to adversity and crisis. Readings: Kunin book, Juggling Identities, pages: 213 to 222

Conclusion II 05/02/2012 a. The close encounter with Official Judaism and their acceptance in the Jewish World b. The trial to return to Judaism, and the 3 paths c. The Sephardic and Ashkenazi overviews of the Marrano, Crypto-Jew phenomena. d. The Halakha and Religious issues and their evolution to integrate Crypto-Jews to the Jewish Societies, Ashkenazi vs. Sephardic, Conversion (Giur) vs. Return (Teshuba) e. The integration to Mainstream Judaism and the loose of Marrano Crypto-Jewish identity, Integrating Crypto Jewish customs to mainstream Judaism Readings: David Gitlitz book: pages 578 to 580

Conclusion III 05/04/2012 LAST DAY OF CLASSES AND DUE DATE FOR FINAL PAPER a. Analysis of the overall relationship between Israel and the Crypto- Jews c. Assimilation vs. Acculturation

The vast majority of scholarship of Crypto-Jews, Marranos, Conversos, New Christians and Anusim, is in Portuguese, since the field is well know researched and developed in Brazil and Portugal. In this course we will read the most important books in English. There are also some translations of texts in Portuguese and Spanish

Books: 1-Jane S. Gerber, Jews of Spain: A History of the Sephardic Experience. Before the brutal expulsion of 300,000 Jews from Spain in 1492, Sephardic Jews thrived on the Iberian Peninsula for more than a millennium, as Gerber relates in this stirring and riveting saga, a remarkable story of creative adaptation, minority achievement and survival. During the Golden Age of Spanish Jewry, Sephardim excelled in medicine, science, philosophy, music and literature. Columbus, evasive about his origins, kept close company with Jews, and several Jewish converts sailed with him. Gerber, director of the City University of New York's Graduate Center's Institute for Sephardic Studies, charts the haunted lives of "New Christians," secret Jews who were persecuted by the Inquisition, from Mexico to Peru, and surveys Sephardic communities that flourished openly from Romania, Syria and Turkey to the U.S. and Barbados. She examines the tensions between impoverished Ashkenazim (Jews of middle and northern Europe) and aristocratic Sephardim throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. Betrayals and horrors of WW II and the Holocaust reinforced Sephardic Jews' resolve to leave the Muslim world, and Gerber incisively looks at today's Sephardic communities in Israel, France, the U.S. and Spain.

2. David M. Gitlitz, Secrecy and Deceit: The Religion of the Crypto-Jews. This book is thorough in documenting the practices of Crypto Jews from the 1390 uprising till the 20th century.

3. Miriam Bodian, Hebrews of Portuguese Nation: Conversos and Community in Early Modern Amsterdam. In this book the Author explains how Portuguese Conversos reconstructed a Jewish identity and built a community in 17th-century Amsterdam.

4. Seth D. Kunin, Juggling Identities: Identity and Authenticity Among the CryptoJews. Kunin adopts a unique approach to the lives of modern crypto-Jews, concentrating primarily on their understanding of Jewish tradition and the meaning they ascribe to ritual. He illuminates the complexity of this community, in which individuals and groups perform the same practice in diverse ways. Kunin supplements his ethnographic research with broader theories concerning the nature of identity and memory, which is especially applicable to crypto-Jews, whose culture resides mainly in memory.

Optional Books but recommend 1. Cecil Roth, A History of the Marranos. This book is one of the early texts to study the phenomenon of marranism or secret Judaism. In the 14th and 15th centuries in which thousands of Jews were massacred, thousands of others were converted in order to escape death. After the expulsion many more joined the ranks of these "new Christians" as an alternative to exile. A large number of converts, while outwardly professing Christianity, secretly continued to practice Judaism. They created a widespread Marrano Diaspora. Thousands of Marranos have survived even into our times. 2. Marc Angel, Remnant of Israel, a Portrait of America’s First Jewish Congregation. The History of the twenty-three Jewish refugees of Recife, Brazil (former Crypto-Jews) who found their haven in New Amsterdam (actual New York) and became the first Jewish community in North America. 3. Yosef Kaplan and Raphael Loewe, From Christianity to Judaism. Isaac Orobio de Castro, a Crypto-Jew from Portugal, was one of the most prominent intellectual figures of the Sephardic Diaspora in the seventeenth century. After studying medicine and theology in Spain, and having pursued a distinguished medical career, he was arrested by the Spanish Inquisition for practicing Judaism, tortured, tired, and imprisoned. He subsequently emigrated to France and became a professor of medicine at the University of Toulouse before openly professing his Judaism and going to Amsterdam where he joined the thriving Portuguese Jewish community. Orobio sheds light on the complex life of a unique Jewish community of former Christians who had openly returned to Judaism. 4. Yosef Kaplan, Jews and Conversos: Studies in Society and the Inquisition. The interaction of Jews and Conversos as matter of study, open a new vision of CryptoJewish Phenomenon, family and trade links kept the coercion in both communities. 5. Janet Liebman, Hidden Heritage: The Legacy of the Crypto-Jews. CU‘s own Jacobs has devoted much time to researching Crypto Jews in the southwest. Her book one many prizes, but some in the field question her method. We will use Jacobs to ask what some of the methodological challenges are in studying a group of people, whom we apply labels to, but who may not self-identify with that label (or vice versa…people, who claim a label, but whom researchers reject using that label) 6. Andree Aelion Brooks, The Woman Who Defied Kings: The Life and Times of Dona Gracia Nasi. This lively, meticulously-documented biography is bound to become the touchstone of Gracia Nasi scholarship. Brooks has finally set the record straight about the life of this heroic Jewish Renaissance woman. An underground escape route that rescued thousands of conversos from the Inquisition's fury in Spain, Portugal and Italy. Despite their financial power, the Mendes family were forced by the Inquisition into quick moves and narrow escapes from Lisbon to Antwerp to Venice and Ferrara, back to Venice and then to Constantinople. Brooks's research, which involved previously unavailable documents in 13

languages and seven countries, effectively details 16th-century social, religious and economic conditions. 7. Mordechai Arbell, The Jewish Nation of the Caribbean: The Spanish-Portuguese Jewish Settlements in the Caribbean and the Guianas. Surinam, known as the ‗Jewish Savannah‘, where a vibrant Jewish community was granted full and equal rights two hundred years before the Jews of other communities in the region. St Eustatius, where the economically successful Jewish community was plundered during the British occupation in 1781. Curacao, named the ‗Mother of Jewish communities in the New World‘, where a prosperous Jewish community comprised nearly half of Curacao‘s nonslave population and was the center of Jewish life in the region. For all their economic and local political power, the Jews were little more than pawns in the 200-year struggle for control of the Caribbean by Holland, Great Britain, France and Spain. 8. Edward Kritzler, Jewish Pirates of the Caribbean: How a Generation of Swashbuckling Jews Carved Out an Empire in the New World in Their Quest for Treasure, Religious Freedom--and Revenge Historian and journalist Kritzler, brings the political and religious ramifications of Caribbean pirating into a whole new context while explaining how the Sephardic Jewish Diaspora funded piracy to advance their religious (and financial) freedom in the New World, through a deft combination of factual overview and anecdotes involving some of the more colorful figures of the time. 9. Martin Aaron Cohen, The Martyr: Luis de Carvajal, A Secret Jew in SixteenthCentury Mexico Immaculately researched, provided with rich and useful critical notes, powerfully written, "The Martyr" is a major contribution to converso studies and to colonial social history in general. This book traces the history of Luis de Carvajal the Younger and his family in Spain, their migration to the New World, their religious practices, and their adventures in New Spain until one by one they were put to flight or indicted by the Inquisition. Luis himself was burned at the stake in 1596 at the age of thirty. He left behind not only his legacy as an exemplary secret Jew but also valuable literary documents—his memoirs, his last will and testament, and his letters to his mother and sisters in the inquisitorial prison. 10. Renée Levine Melammed, Heretics or Daughters of Israel?: The Crypto-Jewish Women of Castile Between 1391 and the end of the 15th century, numerous Spanish Jews converted to Christianity, most of them under duress. Before and after 1492, when the Jews were officially expelled from Spain, a significant number of these conversos maintained clandestine ties to Judaism, despite their outward conformity to Catholicism. Through the lens of the Inquisition's own records, this groundbreaking study focuses on the cryptoJewish women of Castile, demonstrating their central role in the perpetuation of cryptoJewish society in the absence of traditional Jewish institutions led by men. Renee Levine Melammed shows how many "conversas" acted with great courage and commitment to perpetuate their religious heritage, seeing themselves as true daughters of Israel. Her fascinating book sheds new light on the roles of women in the transmission of Jewish traditions and cultures.

Documentaries: 1. Itzhak Navon series, Out of Spain, (3 chapters) 2. Frederik Brener, The Last Marranos 3. Elaine Eiger and Luize Valente, The Hidden Star 4. Shaul Kesslasi, About The Sugar Cane