Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies
 | |
| Formation | 1991 |
|---|---|
| Type | Non-profit |
| Purpose | Research on Crypto-Judaism |
| Website | www |
The Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies (SCJS) is an American non-profit organization that promotes historical research and contemporary developments concerning Sephardic Crypto-Jews and their descendants, who are part of the Jewish diaspora originating from Spain and Portugal that fled to the New World during the Inquisition. Founded in 1991, the organization hosts an annual conference and publishes a biannual journal.
History
[edit]The SCJS was founded in 1991 by Rabbi Joshua Stampfer of Portland, Oregon, and Dr. Stanley Hordes of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and playwright Rena Down of New York City.[1][2] The organization was established in response to a growing interest in the Jewish ancestry ties in New Mexico and the broader Southwestern United States, a region with historical connections to Sephardic Jews dating back to early colonization.[3][4] By the end of the 20th century, several Sephardic Jewish organizations, including SCJS, had emerged in this part of the US.[4]
The first SCJS meeting was held in Fort Burgwin, near Taos, New Mexico.[5] In 1994, the SCJS held an annual conference in several towns in Portugal.[6] This was the only time they held a conference outside of the US. The following year, they launched their current website. The first set of bylaws for the organization were approved at a conference in Pueblo, Colorado, in 2001.[5] The SCJS website was also hosted on a platform called The Sephardi Connection, a virtual project for Sephardic Jewish communities.[7][8] The website was discontinued in the early 2000s.[9]
In 2002, steps were taken to register SCJS as a non-profit organization to obtain tax-exempt status and apply for foundation grants.[10] Attorney Martin Sosin from Santa Monica, California, provided pro bono legal assistance to help SCJS achieve this. The SCJS turned down an offer to advertise a bank in their publications until the non-profit registration was completed. That same year, SCJS announced the launch of their current website and began migrating information, including research articles and publications, to the new platform.[11]
The organization's primary mission is to promote historical research and contemporary developments related to Sephardic Crypto-Jews and their descendants,[12] who are part of the Jewish diaspora originating from Spain and Portugal and now dispersed globally.[13] Crypto-Judaism refers to individuals who practiced Judaism secretly while outwardly professing another faith.[14] Initially founded as a strictly academic and research-focused institution, the organization has expanded to become multidisciplinary, including non-academics from diverse cultural backgrounds and embracing both religious and secular circles.[15] The SCJS serves as a major repository of resource materials related to the Sephardic Jews who fled Europe for the New World during the Inquisition.[16]
The organization hosts annual meetings that bring together both academics and non-academics to discuss recent research and narratives related to Crypto-Jewish studies.[13] A significant portion of attendees are from New Mexico and other states in the Southwestern US.[13][17] The conferences typically feature a keynote address, presentations on recent research, personal accounts from individuals reconnecting with their Crypto-Jewish heritage, and entertainment.[18] SCJS has investigated DNA studies related to Crypto-Jews, other European Jewish groups, and the broader Jewish community.[19]
In January 2013,[20] the SCJS affiliated with the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) to create a scholarly research program. The goal of this program was to promote interdisciplinary work between the school's faculty, the student body, members of the community, researchers, and the extended Jewish community. It was described as the "first university-based program in the United States" focused on advancing research in Sephardic Crypto-Jewish studies. The program also aimed to develop a dedicated curriculum to cover this topic.[21] Years prior, the UCCS hosted a SCJS annual conference on its campus.[22] The affiliate program with UCCS ended in December 2015.[20]
Publications
[edit]The SCJS publishes an biannual journal called HaLapid (Hebrew: The Torch), which features research articles and stories submitted by writers on topics related to Sephardim and Crypto-Judaism.[23][24] Its name was inspired by a newsletter of the same name that was once published by Artur Carlos de Barros Basto, a Portuguese military captain who published several works on Judaism.[25] The SCJS's HaLapid was founded by Bob Hattem in 1992 and has remained active since its inception.[5] The journal mostly includes academic research articles and personal stories by descendants of Crypto-Jews.[26][27]
SCJS also publishes a free online newsletter called La Granada for its subscribers.[28] It was founded in 2013 with Debbie Wohl Isard as its manager.[5] Unlike HaLapid, which is published biannually, La Granada is released several times throughout the year to provide updates and developments between HaLapid's issues.[29]
References
[edit]- ^ "Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies". eSefarad. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
- ^ Wheelwright, Jeff (October 2008). "The 'Secret Jews' of San Luis Valley". Smithsonian Magazine. Archived from the original on 2024-09-28. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
- ^ Kunin 2023, p. 151.
- ^ a b Melammed 2004, p. 155-156.
- ^ a b c d "The First 25 Years" (PDF). HaLapid, Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies. 2015. pp. 24–25. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 24, 2024. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
- ^ Herz 2007, p. 122.
- ^ "HaLapid: Volume VIII" (PDF). Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies. 2000. p. 9.
- ^ "About This Site". The Sephardi Connection. Archived from the original on October 13, 1999.
- ^ "HaLapid: The Society of Crypto-Judaic Studies". The Sephardi Connection. Archived from the original on June 3, 2004.
- ^ Benveniste, Arthur (Fall 2022). "HaLapid: President's Message" (PDF). HaLapid, Society of Crypto-Judaic Studies. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2024-01-26. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
- ^ Benveniste, Arthur (Summer 2002). "HaLapid: President's Message" (PDF). HaLapid, Society of Crypto-Judaic Studies. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2024-01-26. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
- ^ Melammed 2004, p. 156.
- ^ a b c Kunin 2009, p. 24–26.
- ^ Schuster 2022, pp. 127–128.
- ^ "Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies 28th Annual Conference". Jewish Heritage Alliance. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
- ^ Sloan 2015, p. 4.
- ^ Veciana-Sanchez, Ana (July 13, 2015). "Conference on Crypto-Jews Comes to Miami for First Time". Miami Herald. Archived from the original on April 3, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
- ^ "Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies Annual Conference Set for Denver in June". Boulder Jewish News. May 2, 2019. Archived from the original on December 7, 2023. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- ^ Lavender, Abe. "DNA and the Sephardic Diaspora: Spanish and Portuguese Jews in Europe". Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies. Archived from the original on June 13, 2024. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
- ^ a b "About Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies". Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
- ^ "Historical Fiction –The Frontier between Imagination and Reality" (PDF). University of Colorado Colorado Springs. November 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 3, 2024.
- ^ McGraw, Carol (March 1, 2011). "UCCS hosts conference on Sephardic Jew". The Gazette. Archived from the original on October 3, 2024. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
- ^ "HaLapid: The Official Publication of Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies". Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies. Archived from the original on June 13, 2024. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
- ^ Liebman Jacobs 2002, p. 13.
- ^ Valerio, Max Wolf (Fall 2004). "Highlights of Portland Conference" (PDF). HaLapid, Society for Crypto Judaic Studies. pp. 1, 14.
- ^ Sloan 2015, p. 199.
- ^ Sloan 2015, p. 201-202.
- ^ "La Granada: Society of Crypto-Judaic Newsletter" (PDF). eSefarad. February 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-03-20. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
- ^ "La Granada: Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies Online Newsletter". Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies. Archived from the original on May 30, 2024. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
Bibliography
[edit]- Liebman Jacobs, Janet (2002). Hidden Heritage: The Legacy of the Crypto-Jews. University of California Press. ISBN 9780520936614. OCLC 51822234.
- Herz, Cary (2007). New Mexico's Crypto-Jews: image and memory. University of New Mexico Press. ISBN 9780826342898. OCLC 124075008.
- Kunin, Seth D. (2023). Reflections on A New Mexican Crypto-Jewish Song Book. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9781666926583. OCLC 1378934911.
- Kunin, Seth Daniel (2009). Juggling Identities: Identity and Authenticity Among the Crypto-Jews. Columbia University Press. ISBN 9780231512572. OCLC 1091532912.
- Melammed, Renée Levine (2004). A Question of Identity: Iberian Conversos in Historical Perspective. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195170719. OCLC 1014527259.
- Schuster, Diane Tickton (2022). Portraits of Adult Jewish Learning: Making Meaning at Many Tables. Wipf and Stock. ISBN 9781666724240. OCLC 1334718910.
- Sloan, Dolores (2015). The Sephardic Jews of Spain and Portugal: Survival of an Imperiled Culture in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries. McFarland & Company. ISBN 9781476615554. OCLC 680432065.
External links
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