Jewish Majorca Stories
Explore the hidden Jewish history of Majorca in this unique virtual four-part series!
Recordings are available with donations. Pay as you wish.
Medieval Majorca:
The Golden Age
OCTOBER 12
RECORDING AVAILABLE
Trace the footsteps of the Medieval Jews who walked the narrow alleyways of the casco antiguo, or old town, of Majorca as we visit the inside of the permanent exhibit in the Jewish Quarter Interpretation Center inaugurated in 2015. Discover famous Mallorquin rabbis, philosophers, and cartographers, such as Jafuda ben Cresques, and learn about the terrible attacks on the Jewish quarters of the island in 1391, which would later set the stage for the forced general mass conversion of 1435. Keep your eyes peeled throughout the tour for hidden clues and hints that suggest a robust Jewish community that was extinguished over centuries in the fires of the Inquisition.
Crypto-Judaism:
Faith During the Inquisition
OCTOBER 19
RECORDING AVAILABLE
On this interactive tour, you will be challenged to imagine how secret Jews kept their Jewish traditions alive behind closed doors throughout the Inquisition. What were some of their customs? How did they pass on through the generations this “illegal” religion? How does a famous failed boat escape of 1688, when 40 Crypto-Jews tried to flee the Inquisition of the island unsuccessfully, tie into the history of Jews on Majorca? In this new, cutting-edge virtual tour, Jewish Majorca founder Dani Rotstein brings his wealth of informal Jewish education straight to your living room, pulling back the curtain on the Spanish island’s secret Crypto-Judaic and Converso history. Don’t miss your chance to discover a unique 600 year-old community, one that the global Jewish world is helping bring back to life!
Chuetas:
A Segregated Society
OCTOBER 26
RECORDING AVAILABLE
Signs of a “secret” Jewish community can still be found on Majorca Island today. See how many you can uncover when you join us to hear the one-of-a-kind history of the Crypto-Jews, or Chuetas, who, during the Inquisition, publicly professed Catholicism while privately adhering to Judaism. These Catholic descendants of the island’s Jewish Conversos were treated like second-class citizens for centuries. They were forced to marry within this subgroup of 15 infamous family names all the way until the early 1900s. Now, some are reclaiming their lost identity, either through genetic testing or religious reaffiliation. It’s a story you have never heard before and one you will never forget!
Rebirth & Renewal:
Modern Jewish Revival
NOVEMBER 2,
RECORDING AVAILABLE
Learn about the exciting revival that is taking place on Majorca island today. Some Chuetas are returning to the faith and, with the help of Jewish expat residents, they are laying the building blocks to a strong, vibrant Jewish future in the Mediterranean. Hear interviews with Chuetas, see the new memorials that are being placed around the city, and experience exciting concerts and cultural learning conferences that are being organized jointly with the local authorities.
Every Tuesday, join Jewish Majorca founder Dani Rotstein to explore
the hidden Jewish history of Majorca Island — for FREE!
Dani Rotstein is a film producer, history-teller, Rikud-aholic, and community organizer living in the Balearic Islands of Spain. Originally from New Jersey, he moved to Majorca Island in 2014 where he learned of the taboo history of the Conversos or Chuetas native to the island. Since then, he has made it his life’s passion to continue exploring, uncovering and sharing this interesting piece of little-known Jewish history. He believes that the revival of modern Jewish life in Spain can be a shining light to the rest of the world.
FREE REGISTRATION HERE
Love this initiative and would like to help promote educational and cultural tourism on Majorca island? Please make a contribution to Jewish Majorca.