The Anusim — Jews forced to convert yet secretly keeping their faith — represent one of the most dramatic chapters in Jewish history.
Who Are the Anusim?
The term Anusim (Hebrew for “the forced ones”) refers to Jews who were compelled to convert to Christianity but continued to secretly practice Jewish traditions. In Spain and Portugal they were also called Conversos, Cristãos Novos (New Christians), or by the derogatory term Marranos.
After the expulsion from Spain in 1492 and Portugal in 1496, hundreds of thousands of Jews faced a terrible choice: exile, death, or conversion. Many chose to maintain a Christian exterior while secretly practicing Judaism in complete secrecy.
Life Under the Inquisition
The Portuguese Inquisition was established in 1536 and operated until 1821. It trained investigators who visited homes, eavesdropped on conversations, and received reports from neighbors. Any sign of Judaism could lead to torture and death.
According to researchers, between 1536 and 1821, the Portuguese Inquisition tried about 40,000 people, of whom about 1,200 were publicly burned at Autos-da-fé.
How Did They Preserve Judaism?
- Secret Sabbath — Lighting candles in interior rooms, away from windows
- Kashrut — Avoiding pork and non-kosher fish, sometimes with excuses of “illness” or “taste”
- Prayers — Reciting Hebrew psalms from memory, without forbidden holy books
- Yom Kippur — Fasting with the excuse of “stomach illness”
- Mourning — Jewish mourning customs in hidden rooms
- Passing the Identity — Mothers passing the secret only to daughters, to transmit it to future generations
The Community of Belmonte — An Amazing Survivor
The most remarkable example of preserving Jewish identity is the community of Belmonte in northeastern Portugal. Until the 20th century, this community maintained Jewish customs in complete secrecy — for about 500 years!
In 1917, government researcher Captain Artur de Bragança Pinto first discovered their existence. In 1988, most community members publicly returned to Judaism and built a synagogue. Today, the Belmonte synagogue is a pilgrimage site.
International Recognition
In 2015, the Chief Rabbinate of Israel determined that descendants of Anusim who return to Judaism do not need to undergo conversion.
The Portuguese citizenship law for Sephardic descendants (2013, 2015, 2022) is also an act of reconciliation — state recognition of the wrong done to their ancestors.