cryptoJews

Crypto-Jews, or crypto-Judaism, refers to people who outwardly professed Christianity while secretly observing Judaism. The phenomenon arose in the Iberian Peninsula after the late 15th century, when Jews were forced to convert or leave under the 1492 Alhambra Decree and the ensuing Inquisition. Some conversos publicly adopted Christian forms but retained Jewish beliefs, rituals, and identity in private, often within family networks that kept discreet practices across generations.

Historians document crypto-Jewish practices through inquisitorial records, personal letters, and genealogical studies. Private Sabbath assemblies, kosher food preparation, and secret use of Hebrew or Ladino in prayers or liturgy have been reported in various regions, including Iberia and the colonial Americas. The risk of discovery was severe, with punishments ranging from penances to torture or execution, depending on time and place. The persistence of crypto-Judaism varied by locality, with some families maintaining traditions into later periods or eventually resurfacing publicly as Jewish communities reestablished themselves.

Today, crypto-Judaism is studied as part of Sephardic Jewish history and the broader history of religious coercion. In scholarly contexts, the term crypto-Jewish is used for those who concealed Jewish rites; the terms conversos or anusim are also used when discussing historical converts who retained or later revealed Jewish practices. The field relies on archival inquisitorial records, liturgical remnants, and genealogical research to understand the experiences and legacies of crypto-Jews.