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This year, the annual conference of the Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies convened in Albuquerque New Mexico. The hot, dry air felt saturated in desert colors, and white clouds stretched in the blue sky without limit. People came from many parts of the country to attend, and had many reasons for being there. All participants possessed a compelling interest in Sephardic Jewish history and culture; a few were scholars, others were searching for crucial information in their investigation of Jewish ancestry.

The first evening began with a kosher dinner and a concert of Sephardic music by Judy Frankel. Rachel Amado Bortnic, a conference participant who is Sephardic and an expert on Ladino (as well as being a native speaker) said later that Judy's interpretation of Sephardic songs is significant not only for its haunting and lyrical musical presence, but also because of her careful attention to Ladino pronunciation. Judy gets it right. Also, she learns her songs directly from Sephardim, helping to preserve what otherwise might be lost from a fading oral tradition, and remarkably, sets to music poems of current Sephardic poets, helping to create a new legacy of Sephardic musical literature.

The conference was crammed with information. Fresh ideas surfaced and older, more established facts were revealed in new perspectives.

Dr. Stanley Hordes and Dr. Seth Kunin gave presentations filled with important details of their collaborative research. Dr. Hordes, a founder of SCJS, clarified evidentiary issues in Crypto-Judaic research, including surname studies, ritual practices and the importance of context. He also gave a detailed report on his latest research tracking the origins of nine sample Spanish colonial New Mexico families. Through Inquisition records, he is connecting many of these founding families with crypto-Jews fleeing the Inquisition fires and trials in Mexico City. As he establishes connections, Dr. Hordes is fleshing out their stories with new historical details. Dr. Hordes is using this group as a strong sample of New Mexico Spanish colonial families. Since so many families in this region were interconnected and intermarried, their history may be strongly representational. It has been difficult to definitively trace Jewish roots since there was so much movement of persons, and they were often covering up or lying about their background in order to survive. However, given these historical circumstances, he is making significant headway and has traced many to their towns of origin. Surprisingly (or possibly not, given the circumstances after the expulsion from Spain), many of these families, although identifying as Hispanic culturally, could be traced to Italy, Greece, Belgium and even Ireland! Some had connections to the Canary Islands as well. Dr. Hordes has also found that they were endogamous, marrying among themselves, much like conversos and Sephardim the world over. He has established a connection between Juan de Oñate and the Halevi family, as well as tracing the secretary to Diego de Vargas, Alonso Rael de Aquilar, to the Spanish town of Lorca -- where it is recorded that his father “turned to become a Christian.” Working with Sephardic material culture specialists and Dr. Seth Kunin, Dr. Hordes’ book will be published by 2003.

Anthropologist Kunin next gave us new intellectual tools to comprehend the living process of identity and culture -- a post modern perspective. Culture, he told us, is not static, it is not a realm of ideal and unchanging “pure forms.” Using an anthropological term, “bricolage,” advanced by French anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss, Dr. Kunin said that culture is created from the materials and circumstances of the environment in which a people is situated. It is dynamic, forged by context and chance, a living process constantly being created by its participants through their experience of the world around them. With these concepts informing his research, Dr. Kunin is examining the various ways in which people have created crypto-Jewish practices. These might include the subversion of traditional Catholic practices, for example, using a crucifix as a Mezuzah, or lighting Sabbath candles while saying the rosary. Another method would be to borrow elements from the immediate cultural or natural environment, and make them Jewish through use in what was understood to be Jewish ritual; like substituting flour tortillas for unleavened bread. Since crypto-Jews were often living in relative isolation from traditional Judaism, they had to be inventive and create new forms with what they had available, recreating what they knew and remembered of Jewish rituals forbidden to them.

As culture is created by this constant inventiveness, it is important to understand that each individual will have a unique and fluid relationship to their own Jewish identity. This is true whether or not it has always been known, or is only recently being uncovered. Dr. Kunin emphasized that in interviewing an individual and attempting to determine Jewish ancestry or identity, the idea of "authenticity" should be reexamined. It is more important for the cultural anthropologist to investigate and attempt to understand the particular point of view and perspective of each person interviewed, instead of trying to impose a certification of "proof."

Dr. Kunin dismissed a myth that people are claiming Sephardic/crypto-Jewish descent because they perceive it to be a raise in status, or in order to deny Mestizo background. With some humor, he pointed out that the person putting forth this theory obviously feels being Jewish is a raise in status for Latinos, but that in real life situations -- he has found that his interviewees tend to disagree. For many of them, the issue of Jewish ancestry is a painful secret, and they prefer not to have it exposed, or will do so only with great personal conflict. Also, often these same individuals will openly claim American Indian or Black African ancestry, instead of denying that part of their background in an attempt to appear racially purely “white.”

Kristine Bordenave, MD, was unable to attend the conference, and asked Dr. Hordes to give an update on their research on the auto-immune disease Phemphigus Vulgaris, a fatal disease that affects the soft connective tissues of the body. Researchers have found that the disease primarily affects Jews of Mediterranean descent. Dr. Hordes, with permission of patients, asked questions about their backgrounds and learned that some knew of a crypto-Jewish background, several were unaware of, but had suspicions of such a background, and some had no such knowledge.

Father Michael Perko, Professor of Religious Studies at Chicago’s Loyola University, spoke about the cultural and theological aspects of Catholicism and Judaism that created a favorable climate for the genesis of crypto-Judaism (besides Catholics burning people at the stake!). Sephardic culture, he said, was conducive to the development of crypto-Judaism since it is “very adaptable,” more so than Ashkenazic Judaism. Sephardic Judaism, he stated, is not organized from “the top down.” The affinities of Catholic and Jewish theology were somewhat clearer, as he pointed out that both Catholicism and Judaism “relate to spirit through matter.” Both religions have holy places, ritual objects and ritual dress. This is a contrast to the Protestant tradition (Calvinism) in which belief is central and ritual clothing and objects are stripped away to basics. In other words, it isn't unusual to see a Protestant preacher wearing a suit and tie and speaking in a plainly adorned tent, or in a room that could pass for a gymnasium. This mutual emphasis on materiality (ritual objects and dress, sacred places) enabled Sephardic Jews to relate to Catholic ritual objects by transmuting them into their own. Also, the emphasis on family and community were central to both religions. Father Perko also pointed out that popular Catholic culture has always been more tolerant of religious syncretism than the official Catholic culture of the Vatican.

Father Perko, like Dr. Kunin, ruminated on the future of Crypto-Judaism. As an outsider's religion developed on the margins, in a frontier community, what hope is there of it continuing to exist in a post-modern world without margins, a "global village" connected by the speed of the internet and the voluminous dissection of the media? He remarked on the odd situation of descendants of crypto-Jews being accepted now by the Catholic community -- even being honored at "rubber chicken dinners" by the very group that once hunted them down!

A founding member, now Director of the Hispanic Crypto-Judaic Research Center at the University of Denver, Dr. Seth Ward spoke on the book, Heretics or Daughters of Israel, The Crypto-Jewish Women of Castille by Renee Levine Melammed. His talk was thought provoking and wide ranging. He pointed out we know “very little” about Jewish women in history, but in converso/anusim history the situation is markedly different. Renee Melammed, believes that much of crypto-Judaism was passed on through the women, as men were in the public sphere. Interestingly, Stanley Hordes has discovered in interviews that crypto-Jewish practices can be passed either through the male or the female. In any case, without question women played a visible and indispensable role in passing on crypto-Jewish practices and identity. The book details the process of Inquisition trials, and is particularly good in its detailed depiction of the trial of Lopez - Villareal women. At Inquisition trials, torture wasn't always carried out, but it was a constant threat. Torture was random, and could be used on anyone -- young, old, poor or rich. The random nature of the torture kept it an ever constant source of terror. Also, paintings of Inquisition executions hung in public places to keep people intimidated.

Mona Hernandez offered a ground breaking presentation of the venerated statue of the Virgin Mary, La Conquistadora, now in St. Francis Cathedral in Santa Fe, and her religious confraternity, Our Lady of the Rosary, as they relate to secret Jewish practice. The inventive way in which La Conquistadora became a symbol of Queen Esther, or Saint Esther (Esterika) is somewhat astonishing, as is a prayer recited by the Spanish colonists to ward off both Indian attacks and the hostilities of what they called “the gentile pagans.” Hernandez is directly descended from the families involved in the establishment of the religious confraternity, one of whom was tried by the Inquisition for Judaizing, Francisco Gomez Robledo.

In a preview of her upcoming book, Dolores Sloan spoke about the converso Luís de Santángel and his advocacy and financial backing of the voyage of Christopher Columbus. Delighted when the controversial voyage found land, the ecstatic Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand gave Santángel the right to export horses and wheat to the New World. More significantly, however, they gave the immediate Santángel family a 30-year exemption from Inquisition harassment. For although his advice and financial aid enabled the queen and king to expand their kingdom, it did not spare Santángel from the constant threat of Inquisition fires. He and his mother would be tried by the Inquisition for judaizing, but acquitted. Other family members would not be so lucky, and would burn at the stake. Interestingly, Sloan reported that some descendants of Santángel have returned to Judaism.

The final speaker was Richard Santos who recently completed and published his book Hidden Heritage about the Sephardim's role in the colonization of the Spanish American frontier. Santos is a tejano from South Texas, a proud descendant of conversos and crypto-Jews, as he said of his ancestors, “I am fiercely proud of those who fled or were burned at the stake -- or kept their religion secret.” The outspoken historian advocates the teaching of an “authentic history” of the Hispanic population of New Mexico and Texas. Listening to him speak, I realized how true it was that so much of Hispanic history has been homogenized or misrepresented.. As a descendant of the manitos from Northern New Mexico (Spanish Colonial founding families), I don't recall piñatas, the Day of the Dead or other Mexican cultural artifacts or events in my childhood. Santos’ talk was informative and inspirational, as his knowledge of Spanish Colonial culture and history is extensive. I look forward to reading his detailed, exciting and colorful book.

The conference was full to bursting, with every presenter a rich offering of insight and information. Other speakers included Dr. David Kazzaz, MD on his book, Mother of the Pound, which narrates the courageous story of his wife's exodus from Iraq, after martial law had been declared in 1950 and the Jews were under attack by neo-nazi forces. Dr. Kazzaz sees the book as an important addition to the story of Jewish women's history. He is also a founding member of the Hispano Crypto-Jewish Resource Center at the University of Denver, as well as Project Pride. He has a dream to build centers to help crypto-Jews throughout Latin America and the rest of the world.

Certainly, the Hispanic population of New Mexico is awakening to its hidden Sephardic heritage. Before the conference, I was happy to attend a dramatic reading of a new teleplay by Mario Martinez, Converso, presented at Albuquerque bookstore, El Rincon. The store is dedicated to “Hispano, Latin American and Jewish Cultures.” Both the highly visual and ambitious historical play, and the very existence of this wonderful bookstore, attest to a growing interest in and possible rebirth of Sephardic culture.

Ana Pacheco, Founding Editor and Publisher of La Herencia, a magazine for and about Hispanic culture in New Mexico, also testified to a growing awareness of the Sephardic ancestry of New Mexicans. Although she identifies as a Catholic, she acknowledged with pride her own Jewish ancestors. Ever since La Herencia began to feature a column written by Albuquerque writer Emma Moya called “Sephardim,” the calls and letters have been pouring in from Hispanic New Mexicans who suspect or know that they have Sephardic heritage; most have been positive.

On other notes of cultural resurgence and historical preservation, several speakers made announcements or called for renewed Sephardic cultural participation. Representatives of The New Mexico Jewish Historical Society testified to a growing involvement with issues of Sephardim and Anusim. Ladino expert Rachel Bortnic called for the "rescue of Sephardic culture" through study, awareness and participation. She distinguished Mizrahi culture from Sephardic, in order to clarify key cultural issues and differences. She also called on Ashkenazi Jews to be aware that Sephardic culture exists and is distinct -- in other words, not all Jews ate bagels or spoke Yiddish. Another speaker, Carlos Vasquez, announced the opening of the National Hispanic Cultural Center. He spoke with great feeling about the influence of Sephardic intellectuals in Spain, their key role in the establishment of Spanish grammar, and read part of the Edict of Expulsion, as well as the stirring response from Isaac Abravenel. He also spoke of “blood memory,” memories that one cannot possibly have personally, but that come suddenly in dreams or intuition. He advised everyone to listen for these voices, as they could open a path to knowledge of the past. The Hispanic Cultural Center will open October 21, 2000 in Albuquerque and will have spaces for the performing arts, visual arts and other cultural activities. It will also have a genealogy research center and a publications unit.

Finally, an inspiring talk by Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb underscored this incipient blossoming of Sephardic culture in New Mexico. Rabbi Gottlieb had a grandmother from Spain, and wrote a play, Esther, the Secret Jew, while studying in Israel. The early impact of Sephardic culture on her consciousness prepared her for unexpected developments later in life, with first, a Hispanic friend who revealed a hidden and nearly lost Sephardic heritage, to heading what is now a congregation in Albuquerque with many returning anusim. The temple service incorporates Sephardic melodies and Ladino ritual, and is careful to avoid the objectification and exoticizing of anusim. Rabbi Gottlieb reminded everyone of that amazing period in Spain, the golden age of convivencia, when diverse cultures flourished and fed each other with rich artistic intelligence and blazing philosophical erudition. She called for another period like this to begin, a time of opening to individual creative voices without suppression, to each culture's specific and universal pulse. This SCJS conference was one small, positive step towards this expansive goal.