60 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Friday, December 72, 1918 'Secret Jews' Still Hiding After 500 Years' ZOA Leader Queries U.S. Earnestness for M.E. Peace ...NEW YORK (JTA) — Ivan J. Novick, president of the Zionist Organization of America, expressed doubts about "the impartiality of the American 'moderators' and the earnestness of the Administration to actually bring about peace between Israel and Egypt." Addressing the ZOA's na- tional executive committee, he also said that claims have been made, "and not without cause, that (Egyp- tian President Anwar) Sadat's demands for chang- ing the agreements reached at Camp David emanated from the White House and the State Department -who seek to placate the (Arab) rejectionist front which re- cently assembled in Baghdad and declared war on the Camp David deci- sions." Novick noted that a number of events in the Mideast have played a role in "cautioning Sadat to move here slowly towards peace with Israel, if he should not get the conces- sions to placate the Islamic , fundamentalists." Among these events, Novick referred to the situation in Iran and the unsettling developments in Iraq, South Yemen and Afghanistan. "The effect of all this on the Israel-Egypt situation is quite obvious," he observed. "Sadat no doubt has reason to fear a rebellion of the Moslem brethren in Egypt, which would seriously threaten his government On the other hand, Is- rael must also be cautious in any agreement she makes with Sadat, and whether they will be honored by those who may follow him." HAIR REMOVED FOREVER Men & Women Short Wave Method Fast • Safe • Permanent Any Part of Body Free Consultation Dorothy Stofer Formerly of Northland Center 647-3432 16231 14 Mile Road (Betty. Southfield & Greenfield) — By WARREN FREEDMAN In these days of concern for human rights, secret Jews, or Crypto Jews, should be rediscovered and encouraged to present themselves, if they so de- sire, as practicing Jews, without stigma-nor the op- probrium of their non- Jewish neighbors, institu- tions or governments. There are - perhaps as many as 10,000 Marranos principally in northeast Portugal, on the Island of Majorca, Spain, -and in Mexico who must be redis- covered. These peoples are descendents of baptized Jews suspected for almost 500 years of being secret adherents to Judaism. The word "Marrano" is "swine" or "pig" in Spanish (on the Island of Majorca the Marranos are known as "Chuetas" which also means "pigs"). Indeed, the Marranos or Chuetas were held in contempt by their Catholic neighbors who call them "conversos," meaning converted people; the "con- versos" were regularly de- nounced as non-believers, and they led lives as pitiful martyrs. After massacres of Jews throughout Spain in the year 1391, the number of Marranos or New Christians in- creased because the will to survive demanded that they be externally JOIN US IN PROJECT JOIN (JEWISH OCCUPATIONAL INTERNS) PAID SUMMER INTERNSHIPS IN JEWISH COMMUNAL AGENCIES FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS Enrolled in Undergraduate or Graduate Degree Programs Apply Now by Calling: the JEWISH VOCATIONAL SERVICE 967-0500 Project JOIN is a unique summer program that combines valuable profes- sional experience with an opportunity to sample a possible career. The ten week internships may be in the areas of social work, teaching, health-related professions, program development, or other areas of agency involvement. $650.00 tax free stipend for the summer. Deadline for application is January 5, 1979. 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Liter- ally, the only true "anusim" or, forced converts, were these Portuguese Jews be- cause, unlike the Spanish Jews who had a choice, Por- tuguese Jews were simply converted en masse. But not all Spanish—and Portuguese Jews were slain or forcibly converted by the excesses of the Inquisition. Fugitive Marranos went to Italy, North Africa, and especially Turkey. The Dutch Jewish com- munity had its roots in Mar- ranos who escaped from Spain and Portugal (the great philosopher Spinoza was a Marrano). Migrations of Marranos in the years fol- lowing 1492 reached Brazil, Mexico, Chile, the Philip- pine Islands, and indeed "the four corners of the earth." In Italy, Marranos populated the cities of Ancona, Ferrara, Venice and Leghorn. The great discoverer Christopher Columbus is believed by many scholars to have been a Marrano. The existence of these Marranos in the 20th Cen- tury was not generally known until 1917 when a Polish Jewish businessman "discovered" them D in northeast Portugal. Cap- tain Arturo Carlos deBarros Basto, a Portuguese officer, in 1920 publicly declared himself to be a Marrano and announced that he would return to Judaism by estab- lishing a Marrano synagogue in Oporto! It is of interest to note that the Marranbs in Spain and Portugal as well as the Chuetas on the Island of Majorca have retained cer- tain Jewish characteristics: Sabbath observance, abstention from certain Bantam Books Names Detroiter NEW YORK — Former Detroiter Esther Margolis has been elected senior vice president, director of pro- motion, advertising, public- ity and public relations by the board of directors of Bantam Books, Inc. Ms. Margolis joined Ban- tam in 1962 as assistant promotion director and in 1965 was appointed the company's first publicity di- rector. In 1971 she was elected a vice president. foods such as ham and pork, and fasting each year on Yom Kippur. These char- acteristics sharply sepa- rated the Marranos or Chuetas from their Spanish and Portuguese neighbors. It would be a tremendous upheaval for a Marrano or Chueta to enter the Jewish fold today. As Jews they would be welcomed with open arms by Jewish com- munities and by the state of Israel. But unfortunately ill will of their Spanish and Portuguese neighbors makes the "re-conversion" exceptionally difficult. Perhaps the answer for the "re-discovered Jews" lies in a Vatican pro- nouncement that it is no longer necessary for these Marranos or Chuetas to practice their Judaism secretly be- cause the Church is sym- pathetic to the rights of all human beings to prac- tice religion according to their own consciences. Indeed, a Vatican letter to that effect might open new vistas for these Marranos or Chuetas who for almost 500 years have secretly adhered to Judaism, although ex- ternally Christian. 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