This is the first lecture of a series of discussions on the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisition. These videos are short … More
Category: Crypto-Jewish History
Rabbi Jose Faur and the Decline of the Andalusian Tradition
The eminent Rabbi Jose Faur passed away last week. He was a unique Sephardic scholar and rabbi from the Syrian … More
The Eternality of Punishment
Most Jews in the 21st century see hell as a Christian concept. The reality is much different. Competing views on … More
The Sephardic Jews of Spain and Portugal: Survival of an Imperiled Culture in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries
I had the pleasure of working with Dolores Sloan on the board of the Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies from 2011- … More
Jewish Conquistadors in the New World
In 1391, a new period in the history of the Jews of Spain began. Jewish communities throughout the Peninsula except … More
The Rambam and the Maharal Come to Dinner: A Theoretical Discussion on the Topic of Jewish Identity
Anyone even remotely familiar with the Talmud will note the routine exchange or dialogue that takes place between rabbis. The … More
Jewish Conquistadors in the New World
Three events transpired in 1492 in the Iberian Peninsula, which had tremendous ramifications for years to come. The first was … More
The Jews in the Caribbean (Littman Library of Jewish Civilization)
I do not have The Jews in the Caribbean yet in my personal connection, but Jane S. Gerber’s previous major … More
The Karaites and Conversos
Most people familiar with my work know that my area of primary expertise is Sephardic history, more specifically the Crypto-Jewish … More
Anusim and Brit Milah Circumcision Part 2
In this video, we continue looking at a section from Simcha Asaf’s work on the Anusim. This section deals with … More
