New Mexico, 1500-1988

Hiding from the Spanish Inquisition in Spain and Mexico, Jews went underground in New Mexico in the 17th century but continued to observe Judaism secretly at home, while pretending to be Catholics. These Jews are sometimes referred to as conversos, marranos, crypto-Jews, or hidden Jews. In their descendants, most of whom have forgotten their heritage, evidence remains of remants of Spanish Jewish foods, songs, religious rituals, and other traditions such as not eating pork, lighting candles on Friday nights, playing with dreidel-type tops, etc.