What is a crypto Jew?

They are an ancient phenomenon but are largely associated with Sephardi Jews from Spain and Portugal. Painting depicts crypto Jews holding a Passover seder in secret. Crypto-Jews are Jews that practice Judaism in secret while publically claiming to hold a different religion.

Who are Crypto-Jews from Spain & Portugal?

However, the term is often meant to refer to Sephardi Jews from Catholic Spain and Portugal, who are also called conversos or marranos. However, the phenomenon isn't just limited to Spain and Portugal, with crypto-Jews from the Iberian Peninsula spreading throughout the world, particularly after the expulsion.

Where can I find a video about crypto-Jewish genealogy?

Watch a video series about Crypto-Jewish genealogy on RootsTech.org for free. Who Are the Crypto-Jews? The word “Crypto” means hidden. The group who became identified as Crypto-Jews were Catholic on the outside and Jewish on the inside.

Do crypto-Jews practice Catholicism?

After almost five centuries, some of the descendants of these families acknowledge having some Jewish ancestry, but practice Catholicism. Some crypto-Jews established themselves in the outskirts of San José, Costa Rica in the 16th century. They passed as Catholics in public and practiced their Jewish rituals in privacy.