Join Harry Ezratty, author, historian and maritime lawyer, for a fascinating look into the world of our hidden Jewish ancestors.
Sunday, November 10 at 2 p.m. at Shaare Torah
In the 15th century, 1,000 years of Jewish life and culture in the Iberian Peninsula officially ended with the Spanish Inquisition, resulting in the expulsion or forced conversion of primarily Spanish and Portuguese Jews. Those who fled around the world took their traditions with them, often keeping them “crypto” — concealed or secret — wherever they confronted a strong church. Fast forward to today as descendants of these Jews, many of whom are discovering their Jewish roots for the first time, are also learning how their ancestors kept elements of Jewish tradition alive .
Harry Ezratty was born in New York City to parents who were descendants of Jews expelled from Spain in 1492. His ancestry includes Crypto-Jews. Harry serves as a member of the board and legal counsel for The Society for the Study of Crypto-Judaism and has lectured at many colleges concerning Crypto-Jews, often as scholar-in-residence. He is the author of 11 books “500 Years in the Jewish Caribbean: The Spanish and Portuguese Jews in the West Indies” and “Searching for Solomon Henriques,” a novel that tells the story of a Sephardic family divided by the Spanish Inquisition. Harry currently teaches Jewish history at Baltimore Community College.
Admission is free; registration is required.
A book signing will follow the presentation with books available for purchase (cash and check only)
