Crypto-Judaism

As a crypto- Jews (English Crypto - Jews ) are occasionally convert ( from Judaism to another religion ) means and their descendants who continue to feel attached to the ancient religion contrary to their public religious affiliation and practice of Jewish culture and religion in secret.

Application

The word is derived from Greek: κρυπτός, kryptós, "hidden". The term Kryptojudaismus is used in the religious studies literature.

Getting crypto- Jewish groups originated in the 8th century after the forced conversions under the Visigoths, and in the 12th century under the Almohads in North Africa and Spain.

The best known group of crypto- Jews are the Marranos, Jews and their descendants, who transgressed in the Iberian peninsula under duress to Christianity. Some of them go further on the old religion, which brought the whole group under the general suspicion of Judaisierens ( judaizar / judaisar ). Crypto Jewish communities exist today in northern Portugal (example: Belmonte).

For the crypto Jews in the Islamic world is no single group name is used. In the 19th century in Mashad ( Iran ) a group zwangsbekehrter Jews under the name Jadid al -Islam ( "newbies in Islam" ) is known.