When I started studying Mexican history, I was surprised at how many of the early colonial leaders were “conversos”… Spanish Jews (or their children) who had to convert or leave Spain after Isabel’s conquest of Granada in January 1492. A good chunk of northern Mexico, including what’s now Texas and New Mexico were settled by Tlaxcalan and Converso pioneers (the New Mexico “Spanish” are nearly all of Jewish ancestry, according to recent DNA studies).
Shep Lenchek’s invaluable three-part series for Mexico Connect, “Jews in Mexico: A Struggle for Survival” notes that while most Mexican Jews are descended from immigrants who arrived between 1888 and 1939, there have always been “Crypto-Jews”:
The “Conversos” were under increasing pressure from the Inquisition. Looking for a place in which they could retain their Spanish identity, they focused on Mexico. In 1531 large numbers of them left Spain and Portugal for the New World.
The inquisition had not yet come to Nueva Espagna and the new arrivals soon married into prominent Mexican families, became priests and bishops and enjoyed a 40 year period during which time, many began to practice Judaism openly. Doctors, lawyers. notaries-public, tailors, teachers and silversmiths, they brought much needed skills to the new colony and were well received. They settled in Vera Cruz, Campeche, Oaxaca, Guadalajara, Morelia and Mexico City.
Conversos were not overtly persecuted, but were eventually assimilated into the general population.
The Inquisition was never as virulent in Mexico as it was in Spain, where more than 4,000 people were burned at the stake. Many more were imprisoned for the “Jewish Heresy.” Massacres were instigated that took thousands of lives. By contrast, between 1571 when the Inquisition was established in Mexico and 1821 when it ended, only about 110 people were actually burned at the stake. Perhaps the same number died under torture or in prison, either awaiting trial or after sentencing. There were no popular outcries against Jews. The Inquisition was imposed from Spain. It cannot be blamed on Mexicans.
It’s to the honor of Mexico to report that Lenchek notes:
The only recorded incidents of official anti-Semitism came in the 1930’s. Suffering from a depression, Mexican labor unions pressured the government to enact restrictions on “Chinese and Jewish” immigration. Later in the same decade, neo-Nazi right wingers, financed from Berlin, staged anti-Jewish demonstrations in Mexico City. But not a single act of violence against Jews or Jewish property can be documented.
Which isn’t to say that the “crypo-Jews” weren’t at a disadvantage when it came to remaining Jewish. But 500 years after the Conquest, some are rediscovering their roots… as Roberto Loiederman wrote for the Jewish Journal (posted on New American Media, 16-March-2007) :
… he told me he was going to visit a group of Mexicans practicing Judaism on their own — no rabbi, no shul — it sounded fascinating; I asked if I could come along.I wondered what had led these people — born into Catholic families — to follow Judaism. More than that, I wanted to see Judaism through their eyes. What do they feel when they say the prayers? What is the source of their faith?This was not the first time I’d asked these questions. During the High Holidays, I had attended services at Beth Shalom, where a vibrant group of Latino converts has revitalized that shul.
…Dr. Mario Espinoza, a Mexicali obstetrician-gynecologist, spoke about his certainty that he’s descended from Jews forcibly converted to Christianity centuries ago. He used the Hebrew word anousim (constrained people or forceably converted) rather than Marranos, which means “swine.”
For Mexicans who trace their lineage to anousim, the Inquisition is not ancient history. It continued in Latin America, including Mexico, from the 1500s until the 1800s. During that period, those whose ancestors had been forced to convert from Judaism to Christianity were harassed, tortured and sometimes killed if they were discovered to have continued Jewish practices, which is why those practices continued in secret, if at all.
… Lucia Espinoza mentioned a grandmother who lit candles on Friday night. Lupe Medrano said that when she looked through her late grandfather’s effects, she found a tallit hidden in a box. …
The group that has coalesced around the Medrano home is not the only one like it in Mexico. Far from it. The Web site of Beth Hatefutsoth, the Israel Diaspora Museum in Tel Aviv, lists a number of communities of “native Mexican Jews” — located in various parts of Mexico — who trace their origins to anousim.
How many descendants of anousim are there?
“It’s hard to figure out exactly,” said Rabbi Stephen Leon of Congregation B’nai Zion in El Paso, just across the border from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. “I’d only be guessing, but I’d say the number is very large. I have personally ministered to 40 such families. In the 20 years I’ve been here, not a week goes by that I don’t meet someone who tells me about childhood memories of crypto-Jewish practices.”
The Diaspora Museum Web site points out that even after converting to Judaism, “native Mexican Jews” have not been accepted by “traditional Mexican Jews,” nearly all of whom are Orthodox and descended from those who immigrated to Mexico from Europe and the Middle East in the early 1900s.
22 responses so far ↓
Theodore Davis // 22 July 2007 at 12:17 pm |
I lived and worked in the El Paso-Juarez area for four years during the seventies. After returning to San Francisco, I frequently visited friends and family in Juarez, but it just never crossed my mind to seek out or visit local Temples until recently. (I have been in Juarez for three months since May, staying with family.) I was surprised to find that in a city of three million people, no Temple or reference to anything Jewish could be found in the directory. I have not encountered anything remotely like antisemitism, but mention of a Temple or Synagogue or anything Jewish brings blank stares or puzzled looks, as though I were inquiring about UFOs or extraterrestrials.
The all too typical problems of being Jewish in Mexico’s past do not really explain – to me – the complete absence of Judaism in Juarez today. It would seem that Judaism in Juarez has been canceled due to lack of interest. What’s going on?
Ted Davis
tdavis37@aol.com
Ramon Alvarado // 3 September 2007 at 1:02 pm |
Well, actually Juarez only has about 1.4 million people. If to that you add the 700-800 thousand in El Paso, then you have a population a little over two million in what’s called “la mancha urbana”, and if you put the two cities together then you would have to consider the Synagogue (s) in El Paso and the Holocaust museum and the small but growing Lubavitch community. I know that jewish famlies from Juarez used to come to El Paso to visit the Temple, so maybe they never saw the need to erect one over there, afterall we’re just one city divided by a river…
Manuel Sanchez // 25 October 2007 at 5:18 pm |
I am now 41 years old and since I was a young boy, a little over 8, I was told we were Jews but not to say a word to the world. I will always considered myself a Jew and my wife celebrates the High Holy Days with me. My daughter’s name is Mariana Shavit(almost 2) and my son’s name is Moshe( 5 months). The Mo’el was Dr. Land, a Reformed Jew, and a dear friend of our family. I have a lot to share with you but what my ancestors did, I am alive. May Hashem smile upon you.
Todah Rabah,
Manuel
Hiram Joel Jacques // 5 January 2008 at 9:18 am |
You are correct about the Jewish blood lines of families from northeast Mexico and southwest Texas. I discovered that I was one of the descendants. I also have Tlaxcala ancestry. My mother’s ancestors included Tomas Sanchez, founder of Laredo, Texas and Joaquin Galan, whose 300,000 acres of land was stolen by Americans starting in 1850. Recent research by several authors have shown that Tomas Sanchez was also descended from numerous royal lines from many European countries like Spain, France, England, Germany, Poland, Hungary, etc. making us truly a cosmic race.
Gilbert // 23 August 2009 at 2:36 pm |
whats your mothers last name
Maria // 20 December 2009 at 9:31 pm |
Hello Joel Jacquez,
You have confirmed my suspicions of what had taken place in the family. My last name is Laredo, ancestry stems back to the region of Santander. Descendants also are found in the Philippines. The Philippines was a penal colony for Jews running away from the inquisition. It was a the last place of hiding from the competing Dominicans, Franciscan, and Augustinians.
Isela // 24 August 2008 at 9:20 pm |
I was born in Cd. Juarez and lived between the two cities (El Paso) until the age the 10. This message is for Ramon Alvarado. Are you a native of El Paso? Are you related to Victor and Maria Alvarado?
murl lewis // 14 September 2008 at 11:19 am |
i am descended on two sides from people who settled los adaes in today’s louisiana. when settled as part of nuevo espana, it was in the state of texas-coahuila. although brought up roman catholic, my rearing definitely points to jewdaism. other than my grandfather telling me that his grandfather came from pachuga, hidalgo they covered their trail well, (out of fear) and thus far i cannot connect the dots. HELP!!!!
unica_hija77 // 24 December 2008 at 5:35 am |
Does anyone in Cotija de la Paz know anything of anyone named Valencia migrating to the Philippines in the 19th century? My greatgreatgrandmother was a Valencia and Hispanic but none of us trace ancestry to Spain. Valencia is supposed to be a Sephardic name.
jenne // 6 January 2009 at 10:17 am |
Hola unica hija, I have no idea if people immigrated from Cotija de la paz but my husband’s family is directly related to Guizar y Valencia and also from that town, that family is 100 percent jewish, they converted to christianity only to avoid prosecution but either became priests or married within the family to retain the bloodline. email him at mexicankiwi@hotmail.com for more info.
unica_hija77 // 16 January 2009 at 4:17 am |
Thanks, Jenne. will do.
Tim Fields // 3 April 2009 at 9:34 pm |
I was just told by an elderly family member that our mexican ancestors were in fact Jews (I am a second generation american; our family name is Alvarado). They never mentioned this because they were forced out of the country due to harassment when Pancho Villa took control (?). She mentioned that they were ‘conversos’, and she was catholic, although I never once saw her attend mass or go to church. I am somewhat confused and wondering if there is a way to research this. Any help would be appreciated.
Jim Reforma // 27 May 2009 at 10:56 pm |
My Name is Jim Reforma, is it possible that my surname is also surname of the great greatgrandfather who’s surname is Reforma who lives in el paso?
Diana Macias // 12 September 2009 at 12:47 pm |
We are like the sparks, embers and small flickers of flame that get blown away in the wind from a larger flame. Hashem is slowly gathering and bringing all of us together again. Our minds – our eyes are being opened. The generation of lost souls is being gathered again in this the New Generation.
Sally // 15 September 2009 at 7:05 pm |
I was brought up in a family that was different, from other families. My father and mother, never went to church, but she would make us go every Sunday. My grandfather and grandmother
were the same they never went. They my grandparent never celebrated christmas, to them
it was like any other day. They would tell us that pork was very bad for you, so don’t eat it. My grandmother would light candles in her room. They would never allow strangers in their home, it was always family. She would tell us about the
evil eye, el mal ojo. My surnames are Jimenez, Garcia, Granado.
Roberto Hernandez // 19 December 2009 at 2:29 pm |
During my genealogical research I have found that judaism runs in my family.My mother was from Durango Mex.She was Cardenas before her marriage. I have seen that name in the list of the inquisition.Her mother was an Ortiz, another jewish name, etc. On my father’s side, from Chihu. Mexico, I also find that there is a jewish connection with the name Hernandez.My mother used to make bunuelos when we were young, a sephardic food,along with capirotada, another sephardic food.She also cooked goat,which seems to have ties to judaism.However, her or my grandmother never spoke a word about judaism,maybe they were crypto jews.
manuel ramirez castro // 20 December 2009 at 6:05 pm |
thanks for these posting it shows me that i am not alone in this quest for trueth,I am well aware of the feelings and plight of my people ,” The children of the anousim”.here in texas and mexico.I know that there are millions with the same cultura sefardita.we know who we are we know our people came from the holyland eretz Israel .My mother passed in the year 2000.before she passed she explained to me that judeismo is a religion and a people.Not only are we that but we are a special chosen people to do a work in this world. Thank you for all your up lifting comentarios shalom a todos. manny ramirez.
Roberto Hernandez // 27 December 2009 at 1:47 pm |
I have not found my surnames, Ortiz,Cardenas,Hernandez,in ay of the lists, therefore I am assuming my jewish origin. I did find Ayon on the list and have also seen that name on the list of inquisition victims. Can anyone suggest anything?
Sylvia // 27 December 2009 at 4:07 pm |
Hi Robert,
I took the liberty of looking up all three of the surnames you are looking for at http://www.sephardim.com and I found all three listed there – Cardenas, Hernandez and Ortiz. You should view this website and you will find a lot of info that will help you in your search. When you go to the website click on the search names , from there it will take you to another page and you will be able to view the exhaustive list of hispanic surnames with sephardic roots. I wish you all the best as your search continues.
Sylvia // 27 December 2009 at 3:55 pm |
I am currently researching my ancestral roots and I continue to see things come to light – bits and pieces here and there. When I read that buneulos and capirotada were sephardic foods my heart rejoiced – these are foods I grew up eating in my childhood. My maternal grandmother and great grandparents were all from the Tlaxcalilla, Mexico region and their surnames are all Sepahrdic. I am awaiting my DNA results to reveal definitively what I truly believe is my Jewish heritage. Ironically enough, I always felt a pull towards Jewish things all my life. My husband is Jewish and we are observant, keep kosher etc… I feel like we as Hispanics are coming into the knowledge of who we really are.
Roberto Hernandez // 28 December 2009 at 3:33 pm |
Regarding capirotada,I find that that is very common with a;; kinds people.Can anyone trace the origin of that recipe?
The “old Jews” of Mexico come out after 500 years « The Mex Files « Barbaryalan's Blog // 15 January 2010 at 1:42 am |
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