Five centuries ago, the Jews of Spain were faced with an unimaginable choice: convert to Christianity or leave the country. When King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella united Spain under Catholic control, they celebrated by decreeing that Spain should be an entirely Christian country. As of August 11, 1492, no Jew could remain in the country. Any Jew who would be found in Spain after that date would be tortured to death.
Most of Spain’s Jews fled. August 11, 1492 coincided with the somber Jewish holiday Tisha B’Av, when Jews recall the destruction of the ancient Temples in Jerusalem. Added to these national tragedies was the expulsion from Spain. Hundreds of thousands of Jews lined the ports and harbors, embarking on boats headed for North Africa, for Turkey, for Italy and other points unknown. Many of these unfortunate Jews were tricked by unscrupulous captains; some were sold into slavery or even murdered once they left Spanish waters.
Some Jews remained, publicly embracing Christianity but continuing to practice Jewish rituals in secret. Doing so was to court death. Seeking to root out secret Jews, the Catholic Church established the Spanish Inquisition in 1480, tasked with interrogating, torturing and - if they determined that people were practicing Judaism in secret - burning Jews in public mass executions. Despite the promise of death by unimaginable torture, many Jews continued to cling to their Jewish tradition, observing Jewish holidays and eating kosher food as best as they could. They were known as conversos.
The brutal Inquisition authorities appealed to the public to observe their neighbors and be alert to any sign of Jewish practices. They asked household servants to report any suspicious behavior to church figures. Many of these testimonies have been collected and documented by the husband and wife team Dr. David M. Gitlitz and Dr. Linda Kay Davidson, both former professors at the University of Rhode Island.
In each city in which it was active, the Inquisition published a document called the Edict of Grace, which enumerated the offences that could mark someone as a secret Jew and have them hauled before the Inquisition and tortured. According to one local Edict, Jews were people who:
…(keep) the Sabbaths (by) cooking on...Fridays such food as is required for the Saturdays and on the latter eating the meat thus cooked on Friday as is the manner of the Jews...not eating pork, hare, rabbit, strangled birds...nor eels or other scaleless fish, as laid down in the Jewish law… Or who celebrate the Festival of unleavened bread (Passover), beginning by eating lettuce, celery or other bitter herbs on those days.
Ironically, as years went by and it became harder and harder for Spain’s secret Jews to transmit their heritage to their children, the Edict of Grace acted as a guide to some Jews, outlining what they should do if they wished to hold on to their Jewish heritage. Central to Jewish practice was preparing and eating special foods for Passover and holding secret Passover Seders.
In the annals of the Inquisition are testimonies of servants and neighbors accusing Jews of secretly celebrating Passover. They paint a heartbreaking picture of committed Jews who tried hard to follow the religion of their ancestors, and suffered terribly for their Jewish devotion.
Juan Sanches Exarch was tried by the Inquisition in the city of Teruel in October 1484. Even though Jews had not yet been expelled from Spain, many Jews faced pressure from local officials to convert to Christianity. Juan Sanches Exarch was seemingly one of these Jews who gave into repeated requests and publicly embraced Christianity but continued to maintain a Jewish lifestyle in secret.
Fifty-three articles laid out the charges against him; Passover observance featured prominently. “He celebrates the Passover, on that day eating matzah, celery, and lettuce as the Jews do” the Inquisition put forth. “He gets unleavened bread from the Jewish neighborhood on the Passover. He buys new dishes for the Passover. He does everything else the Jews do on Passover…. He washes his hands before praying (as is the custom at the Passover seder, and at other Jewish meal times).”
Juan Sahches Exarch faced a two year trial and in the end was found guilty; he was condemned to death in 1486.
In 1492, a high level advisor to King Joan II of Aragon, Pedro de la Caballeria, was questioned by the Inquisition and accused of being a secret Jew. According to another secret Jew who was forced to testify against him, Pedro de la Caballeria admitted that he maintained a Jewish lifestyle in secret. “Who hinders me, if I choose, from fasting on Yom Kippur and keeping (Jewish) festivals and all the rest? Now I have complete freedom to do as I like; those old days (of being restricted because he was a Jew) are gone.”
One of the ritual items that was associated with Pedro de la Caballeria was a dish favored by secret Jews: huevos haminados. This dish of eggs boiled with onion skins, olive oil and ashes, resulted in tinted eggs that had a flavor of onions, and were often eaten on Passover.
Another Passover dish embraced by secret Jews was Bunuelos, or dough made from matzah meal that’s fried in oil and then drizzled with honey. Many Sephardi Jews continue to make these Passover sweets today. Historians have uncovered a description from a Spanish woman named Margarita de Rivera who lived in Mexico in 1643, who described making bunuelos in secret. One hundred and fifty years after her ancestors were forced to hide their Jewishness, her family continued to make this classic Passover pastry.
Matzah was perhaps the most damning Passover foods that could bring Jews before the Inquisition. The Inquisition in the town of Almazan recorded several cases of secret Jews making matzah. A woman named Angelina, identified as the wife of Christoual de Leon of Almazan, was accused of making “the dough of flour and eggs, and formed some round, flat cakes with pepper and honey and oil” and baking these curious, flat breads in the Spring.
In 1505, also in Almaan, a Christian woman in the town named Olalla testified to the Inquisition that she sat behind one of her neighbors, a woman named Beatriz, in church, and observed that week after week, Beatriz would take the communion wafer in her mouth, then discreetly spit it out instead of eating it. During her trial, probably after being tortured, Beatriz admitted that she and a friend, identified only as the wife of Ruy Diaz Lainez, “made some cakes separately of another dough that had no leavening and they kneaded it with white wine and honey and clove and pepper, and they made about twenty of those and they kept them...in a storage chest” out of sight of prying eyes.
Some conversos seem to have had the custom of adding finely ground dirt to their matzah dough, perhaps to imply that the Israelites had so little flour in Egypt that they had to add dust, or perhaps to illustrate that matzah is also known as bread of affliction. Whatever the reason for this curious addition, it comes up in Inquisition documents from the 1620s in the town of Ciudad Rodrigo, in Salamanca near Spain’s border with Portugal. A secret Jew named Isabel Nunez was accused of “making a Passover bread which they used to mix without leavening or salt, saying certain prayers over it”. Her friend Ana Lopez was accused of eating “Passover bread”. (Ana Lopez was acquitted and set free; tragically, it seems that Isabel Nunez was found guilty of being a secret Jew.)
For generations, Spanish Jewish families maintained their Jewish lifestyles under pain of death and against the greatest odds. Untold numbers were tortured and killed, burned to death and murdered. May the memories of the secret Jews who kept Passover under unimaginable circumstances and danger be a blessing, and may their memories inspire us today to celebrate Passover with joy and pride.
(25) AB Serfaty, May 17, 2020 3:03 PM
"Dirt in masa"
I've not heard of dirt in masa but to this my sister who makes haroset for family and friends scrapes a brick and adds the powdered brick to the haroset mix .
(24) Caralyn Lipschutz, November 12, 2019 4:04 PM
Articles of Excellence
I am writing a book for YA on the Inquisition and I am extremely grateful for the well written, concise and I know, historically accurate information.
Thank you for being a depository of Jewish history!
(23) Jacqueline Bourg, May 2, 2019 10:41 PM
FRENCH CANADIANS ARE JEWS TOO
B'H
Throughout the years, I wrote to many Jewish Agencies in Israel, telling them of our Spanish Jewish ancestry. We were once in Southern France (1492) from Spain and left France in 1610 because of heavy persecution there also. It is a SAD SAD story as we became known as FRENCH ACADIANS. Why "Acadians"??? Well, my Rabbi and I concluded our people were hiding their Jewish identity as we immigrated to Nova-Scotia Canada in 1610.
Our "French" surnames could easily be identified as Jews. Our DNA is "J2" meaning Jewish. Who has believed my report throughout all those years? NOBODY. Israel is not even looking for us. Don't you know that we came out from Spain in 1492??? SHAME.
I am doing my utmost best telling my kin people of our REAL IDENTITY... which is NOT Catholic, nor FRENCH!!!! Not as easy task as our ancestors hardly kept Jewish traditions, other than keep the Diatery Law, but, with seafood, OF ALL THINGS. My only answer to that is, my ancestors applied this Law to whatever they had to eat upon their arrival in July of 1610.
Sincerely
Jackie Bourg
Montreal
(22) Ira Rosen, April 29, 2019 10:54 AM
Church execution of Crypto'Jews
Although the Inquisition tortured and tried suspected heretics, they "relaxed" those found guilty to the secular authorities for execution. They made a big point of not actually doing the execution.
(21) George FRANKL, April 29, 2019 12:58 AM
Your documentary the Spanish Inquisition was well done and much appreciated!
The persecution and torture of Jews in the Inquisition was nothing compared to the Nazi persecution of Jews in Eastern Europe.
I was there and personally witnessed scenes that are indescribable in terms of cruelty and suffering.
(20) roz@autobarn.com, April 28, 2019 7:13 PM
good
keep writing enjoy reading them
(19) glenda lafont, April 27, 2019 8:14 PM
MS.
Their faith could not and would not be destroyed. Brave, holy people.
(18) Glennon LaFaber, April 27, 2019 3:29 PM
Thank you for this great article. I traced my roots to a French Jewish ancestor, about 500 years ago. He went to India, settled there as a trader. Likely he was a converso as he did not practice his Jewish faith. I think he too was caught up in the trauma of his time.
(17) Anonymous, April 27, 2019 1:50 AM
Christopher Columbus's voyages were God's Key
Good article, but my knowledge of this historical period is that you left out one key piece of information, Christopher Columbus's voyages to the New World saved many Jews from persecution.
(16) Phyllis Gross, April 26, 2019 10:33 PM
I loved this article!! Toda?
This article was well written. I loved it! Toda!
(15) Kathy Melendez, April 26, 2019 3:31 AM
Secret Jews in New Mexico
During the time of the conquistadors many secret Jews came to the Americas and settled in northern New Mexico. Only in the last 30 years have families learned of their Jewish heritage. My family is known to have possibly been Sephardi, a history we are still tracking.
(14) Michael Benstock, April 24, 2019 1:11 PM
A fine article relating to the lives of the converses during the scourge of a Inquisition
I was especially interested in the customs that had come down from the early conversos to their following generations. At our home we observe one such custom which we believe was introduced by the converses in their desperate desire to cling to their religious roots. Before Grace on Shabbat and Hhagim we sing a hymn caked Bendigamos which some say was an abbreviated Birkat Hamazon. I’m from an English background and thus my ancestors came to England from Holland. The Lingua Franca in the Netherlands was Portuguese not Spanish. Thus the hymn gained little traction until the 1960s when it was enthusiastically taken up and sung at many occasions. It was sung in New York in a slightly different form but the nusahh adopted by the London Congregation of Spanish and Portuguese Jews is sung in classical Spanish rather than in Ladino. I hope these few words were a useful addition to this delightful article and wishing you all a happy Pesahh. Cheers Michael Benstock
Reuven Frank, April 25, 2019 5:25 AM
I think I've heard it
Michael
I was sitting at a meal in the Ohr Somayach Yeshiva in Jerusalem when it came close to the time for the Birkas HaMazon.
All of a sudden, the Spanish speaking group started singing to "Senyor del Mundo" this lively song with a refrain that had to do with the Blessing After Meals.
I still remember it and think it may have been the song you are referencing.
(13) Esther Rodríguez, April 24, 2019 3:29 AM
And my grandmother “donated” her bread on Good Friday
B”H. Thank you for such an interesting article. My Canary Island born grandmother, whose last name was “Abreu” -Ivry, in Portuguese- would give away her bread, dough, crackers on Good Friday. This, she did in Cuba, where my Father’s family had migrated to, as told to me as a Child, by my aunt Carmín. I found this family history odd. That is, until I saw the religious family living next to my other grandmother in Washington Heights, where we migrated to after the Cuban Revolution. It took time for me to realize that someone whose family name indicated Hebrew roots, was getting rid in the 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and thereafter, of her Chametz. All of her action, dressed up as penance of giving something up, in reality, cleaning up her kitchen for Passover. This vestige of practice among many others, pointed my way to a Beit Din, B”H, an Orthodox conversion.
(12) Anonymous, April 23, 2019 9:30 PM
Celebrating passover in Barcelona
I am spending passover with my daughter my son in law and two grandkids in Barcelona Today we visited a small town one hour away from Barcelona called Girona Girona has a jewish quarter where getto used to be and jews lived before beeing expelled Reading your article everything becones alive and real Will read your article to my grandkids Thank you
(11) ronald dolinger, April 23, 2019 8:13 PM
Goyim from Hell
The so called religion of Goshca Poydric is a joke then and now. At the end of days Hashem will make them crawl to embrace Judaism
(10) Seth Grossman, April 23, 2019 7:49 PM
Is that why the Spanish word for beans are is 'judias' but frijoles or habichuelas everywhere else?
Is that why almost every dish in Barcelona seemed to have pork or seafood in it when I stayed there? Did Spaniards deliberately put trafe in almost every dish to identify conversos when they ate beans instead so they could turn them in to get the reward money?
(9) Shelly, April 23, 2019 6:39 PM
Dedication!
I’ve never had an issue keeping kosher, even on Passover. After reading the lengths the Spanish Jews went to in order to keep kosher on Passover (even at risk of death and torture), makes my sacrifices seem like a walk in the park. I’ll never complain again. And I will commit to doing even more. May all of those heroes serve as role models to the Jews today. Thank you for this wonderful and informative article. Chag Pesach Sameach
(8) Anonymous, April 23, 2019 6:35 PM
confusion about the dates of various stories
It seems that the historical dates are perhaps not accurate. In one case, the event is described to have happened 150 years after, the date given is in the 1600's. Please reread the essay and correct if necessary.
Aside from that, the story is very poignant.
Ira Rosen, April 29, 2019 11:07 AM
Dates
The Inquisition lasted well into the 19th Century.
The events quoted did happen to in the 1600's
(7) Merle Lewis, April 23, 2019 3:56 PM
crypo jews at los adaes, Mexico
the area of Ebarb-Zwolle-Noble, (today) Louisana I firmly believe was settled by Jews fleeing both the Spanish and Mexican Inquisition. Finally, a report on our then leader Antonio Gil y Barbo refers to him as Jewish. Through the years, I sincerely believe, it became known as a refuge for Jew and thus there are elements of Dutch, both in practice and his words. Could and would someone investigate, research for us.
(6) Anonymous, April 23, 2019 2:48 PM
The right for Jews to return today to Spain
I am a descendent Spanish Jew originary from Morocco, we spoke very old Spanish at home, with a mixture of Hebrew at times,
my parents used to tell me that their grandparents and Jewish people living in Morroco, never ceased to curse and blame the famous Isabel and Ferdinand for their misfortune! In synagogues, we used to pray in ladino and Hebrew, same with songs, and Spanish culinary was an everyday meal in our table.
Jacob Bendayan was my grandfather who built part of the Spanish consulat in Larache, Morocco, and through his acquaintances, the whole family became Spanish, meaning, I was born Spanish,
but today the Spanish government grants citizenship to all Sefardic Jews from all over the world, the king Felipe express it in his own words,: our brothers come back to your land as a way to amend for wrong doings in the past, do you think it is proper for Jewish people to come back to Spain?
Dvirah, April 23, 2019 5:14 PM
Wouldn't Advise It
Considering that antisemitism is on the rise again in Europe, I would not advise any Jew to be anywhere on that continent - both for our own safety and because, frankly, they don't deserve us.
Miryam Barsheshat, April 23, 2019 10:38 PM
AGREE
Yes, in Spain, VOX ! extreme right is on the rise, even though the party is still a minority, but as in the U.S. Pandora box has been opened, they blame the bad economy to immigration, And even though around 20.000 Jews have already became Spanish, taking advantage of the King decree, many more are on the way, and can become a problem In the future! Thanks God, we have Israel!
(5) James Stuer, April 23, 2019 2:14 PM
The Secret Jews of Today
I am truly blessed to read this article. I have been reading this subject since 2007 when I first read Dr. Dell Sanchez’s book OUT FROM HIDING: EVIDENCES OF SEPHARDIC ROOTS AMONG LATINOS. Since then, I realize that my roots go back to a Jewish Spain and the way my grandmother prepared foods (meats and dairy separate). Thank you for this article!!! You are truly blessed and highly favored by YVHV!!! -Coach Stuer-
(4) palli raju, April 23, 2019 1:21 PM
Jews showed extraordinary faith...They give up their lives for observing commandments of Hashem.They only can act like this on the earth.
(3) Ari, April 22, 2019 9:01 PM
Focusing on the wrong heros
The true heros of the Spanish Expulsion were those that held onto their Judaism and left Spain. They risked their lives and their fortune to remain Jews. Those that stayed behind, while they should not be judged by us, chose a path that is not a model for us to follow. In fact, there were Rabbis of that generation who refused to allow those conversos to return to Judaism.
(2) MESA, April 17, 2019 2:04 PM
We Jews have always been an Am KShei Oref. We don't just give in to these things. And we're still around. Am Yisrael Chai V'Kayam.
Anonymous, April 25, 2019 5:29 AM
Very true
It's an unfortunate but very true fact of history:
When the Jews didn't keep the commandments, the Goyim "reminded" us that we were Jews and forced us to keep them or leave.
(1) Anonymous, April 15, 2019 10:07 PM
Please check the date.
Dr. Miller, here's wishing you a freilechen, koshern Peisach. Please check the date on your article. I think that March 31, 1492 could hardly match 9 B'Av, which was more likely on August of that year. I've read elsewhere that 9 B'Av was the last day the Spanish Jews could remain in Spain, and curiously enough, Columbus sailed on his trip to the American Continent around then, arriving on October 12, 1492. Thank you.