Secrecy and Deceit: The Religion of the Crypto-Jews

Jewish Latin America Series

by David M. Gitlitz

This important history documents the religious customs of the crypto-Jewish culture in Spain, Portugal, and their American colonies, principally Mexico, Peru, and Brazil. In coping with clandestineness, crypto-Jews rapidly evolved their own idiosyncratic religion. Its Jewish core was quickly replaced with concepts and practices from the surrounding Catholic culture covered by a veneer of Jewish theology. Included in this award-winning volume are examinations of crypto-Jewish beliefs, superstitions, birth customs, education, marriage and sex, holidays, dietary laws, conversions and death, and burial practices. Secrecy and Deceit provides a comprehensive account of the customs of these secret Jews. "Secrecy and Deceit provides rare glimpses into a subject that is increasingly fascinating to many different audiences."--Jane S. Gerber, Director, Institute for Sephardic Studies, CUNY Graduate Center
"Historians and students of comparative and popular religion will be drawing on this work for years."--Haym Soloveitchik, Yeshiva University
Winner of the National Jewish Book Award and the Lucy B. Davidowicz History Award

Genres: History, Nonfiction

699 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Description of religious practices of Jews who became Christians yet continued in some way to practice their religion in Iberia and their colonies. Many interesting examples, yet exhaustive and repetitive examples from Inquisition files. A good source, but not a general read.