Guest Lecturer Dr. Ronnie Perelis to Speak at CTI
Wandering in the New World:
Jews, Conversos and Crypto-Jews in the Sephardic Atlantic
Crypto-Jews traveled far and wide to escape the Inquisition's grasp: How did these journeys impact their spiritual self-discovery? Living between worlds —the Catholic and the Jewish— how did these Jews negotiate their identity?
In this talk, Dr. Ronnie Perelis of Yeshiva University will look at the life stories of several Crypto-Jews who traveled to the Americas in search of riches and safety only to discover the power of their Jewish heritage.
In his talk, Dr. Perelis will address:
- Crypto-Judaism and the Sephardic Transatlantic Diaspora
- Dreamscapes and New World landscapes: A 16th century Crypto-Jew's Adventures in Colonial Mexico
- The Marrano's Mask: Indians, Jews and Crypto-Jewish Self-Discovery
Dr. Perelis will speak in our shul on Sunday evening, October 21st at 7:30 PM following Mincha and Maariv. The community is invited to attend. There is no charge for this talk.
Dr. Ronnie Perelis
Ronnie Perelis is the Chief Rabbi Dr. Isaac Abraham and Jelena (Rachel) Alcalay Associate Professor of Sephardic Studies at the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies of Yeshiva University. He loves exploring the complexity and dynamism of Sephardic history with his graduate and undergraduate students at Yeshiva University. His research investigates connections between Iberian and Jewish culture during the medieval and early modern periods. His essays on Sephardic history analyze the dynamics of religious transformation within the context of the crypto-Jewish experience. His new book, Narratives from the Sephardic Atlantic: Blood and Faith (Indiana University Press) explores family and identity in the Sephardic Atlantic world. Perelis engages the past with an eye towards contemporary concerns in his numerous public talks for wider audiences at synagogues, community centers and museums across the country.
Thu, April 25 2024
17 Nisan 5784
