Translated from Spanish by: Channah M. Bejarano Gutierrez

I was born in Honduras. In 1996, I moved from the interior of the country to Tegucigalpa, the capital city, where I began my university studies. Up until that point, I had no knowledge of my Jewish background. One day, my history teacher commented that my surname had Sephardic Jewish origins. Since then, I have wanted to know more about Jewish culture and history. I pursued a degree in history and published two books.1 I am currently living in Haifa, Israel where I am studying towards my Ph.D.

When I first began my research, I found an Inquisitional order, which was issued in the year 1802 and originated out of Mexico; it prohibited the entrance of Jews in the Viceroyalty of New Spain. It was sent to every diocese and province in the Viceroyalty.2 The missive was particularly relevant in Honduras due to the fact that it was the principal Atlantic province of Central America and contained important ports.

Honduras was closely linked to its neighbor, a city called Yucatan, which possessed the most important Jewish colony in the Viceroyalty. Yucatan also provided slave labor to the Viceroyalty.3 Both Honduras and Yucatan were conquered by Francisco de Montejo and as well as other conquistadors.4 In Honduras and Yucatan, the names of cities as well as surnames like Trujillo, Merida, Caceres, etc. originate from the Spanish province of Extremadura. This Spanish province was home to an important population of Jewish conversos due in part, to its bordering Portugal. The proximity of Extremadura to Portugal facilitated people’s escape from the Inquisition.5

In the middle of the seventeenth century, according to colonial authorities, half of the well established Europeans in the Guatemala region (Central America) were not Spaniards but Portuguese.6 The Mexican Inquisition considered most of their Portuguese population to be descendants of Jews who fled from Portugal after its annexation by Spain in the year 1580.7

At the time, an intense illegal immigration of Portuguese Jews to New Spain through the coasts of Campeche and Honduras occurred.8 These Jews in New Spain and particularly in Honduras had important business relationships with their established relatives in the Dutch dominions of the Caribbean.9 Such relationships allowed their Jewish identities to survive. They studied religious literature and often married each other.10 In Amsterdam, there was an important market for indigo dye produced exclusively in Central America.11 In El Salvador they conducted business legally with Spain via the port of Veracruz in Mexico. They also conducted business illegally when they passed through the Occidental Honduras zone where the indigo tree was produced.12

One of the little towns of Honduras which produced the indigo tree was named Colohete. It is located near the highest mountain in Honduras and mostly populated by indigenous people. In the seventeenth century a temple was built in Colohete and featured a six pointed rosette, a design that was also used in the synagogues of Spain and whose origins date back to the time of the Temple of Jerusalem.13 The church‘s façade also contained a burning bush which referenced the biblical passage of Moses and the burning bush.

Colohete was acquired by the Lara y Guevara family.14 They took care of their hacienda and their indigo tree production until independence from Spain was achieved.15 Because of their bond to the indigo tree, the Lara y Guevara family likely served as the business connection to producers in neighboring El Salvador. The Lara y Mongrovejo family owned a hacienda focusing on indigo tree production. This was located in the town of Suchitoto, El Salvador.16 This town was an important indigo tree-producing area.17 The Lara y Mongrovejo family of Central America was dedicated to the production of indigo trees.

The nearest island to Honduras in the Caribbean is Jamaica. The Cohen de Lara family from Amsterdam resided there.18 They maintained important business interests extending to Africa.19 In the Neveh Shalom synagogue, Moses Cohen of Lara served as Haham throughout the first half of the eighteenth century.20

In a city in the western part of Honduras called Gracias a Dios, there was a lynching on June 16, 1690 of a certain man known as Bulero, who was a distributor of ecclesiastical indulgences. One of the versions of the legend relates that this agent was paid to eat meat every Friday.21 Historically, eating meat has been avoided on Fridays within Catholic circles because it is considered to be the day when Jesus suffered. Within Jewish practice it was customary to eat meat at dinner time due to the fact that it was when Shabbat began.

In the eighteenth century, the Lara family acquired more land or haciendas whose names derived from the indigenous Lenca word: .Yaru-singa. literally black monkey, but they changed the name of the haciendas to Yarushín close to the Hebrew Yerush-hem meaning the inheritance of them..22  After independence from Spain, the Lara family lost political and economic power in the colony and its own identity.23

In the city of Santa Rosa de Copan where the Lara family ultimately established themselves in the second half of the eighteenth century, there remains the Tabora family whose name is Portuguese. This is also the case with other surnames from Honduras such as Duarte, Silva, Pereira, Andrade, Chaves, Brito, Pacheco, Cuello, Miranda, and Pinto.

The most famous case of conversos in Honduras was of a person named Juan Nepomuceno Fernandez Zelaya y Lindo, former president of Honduras and El Salvador. He was the innovative force for the educational systems of both countries.24 He was buried in the city of Gracias where there are still a lot of people with Lindo as a surname. His grave rests on a fortress with a plant which has a seven pointed star. The origin of the Lindo family is in Curaçao, originally a Dutch colony in the Caribbean.25

A long time ago, the descendants of the Jewish conversos begin to intermarry with the rest of the population which included both indigenous and mulatto elements. Their customs, and furthermore the memory of their being a Jewish nation, have almost disappeared completely, but it possible to track them down by last names and place of origin. Now they are Catholic or Protestant and most of them do not have the slightest idea that they are descendants of Israel.

 Sources

 1. Ventura Lara, Libny Los Criptojudíos en Honduras (Tegucigalpa: Editorial Universitaria, 2008);Ventura Lara, Libny El Linaje de Lara en Honduras (Tegucigalpa: Instituto Hondureño de Antropología e Historia, 2010).

2. Honduras, R.P.C.L., Orden del Rey, la Inquisición de México comunica a sus Comisarios de no dejar bajar judíos en los puertos de todo el distrito. Tomo 1 de bautismos, 89-90; data: 4.12.1802.

3. Liebman, Seymour B., Los Judíos en México y América Central, Siglo XXI editores s.a., México, 1971; 160.

4. España. Ministerio de Cultura. A.G.I., Guatemala, 100, N. 8. Expediente de Confirmacion de Encomienda de Quesaylica, Anbalaquira, Panila, Zoletega y Cucuyagua en Gracias a Dios a Diego López Pineda, data: 1631; España. Ministerio de Cultura. A.G.I., Patronato 56-2-3. Probanza de Alonso de Reinoso, data: 1542.

5. Gonzales Lopo, Domingo La inmigración en España (Santiago de Compostela: Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 2004) 162.

6. España. Ministerio de Cultura. Biblioteca Nacional de España: Mss/3047 ff137-142. Copia del memorial de abiso que el capitán Cristóbal de Lorenzana, vezino de la ciudad de Santiago de Guatemala, dio a Su Majestad para reparo de las turbaziones que los rreynos de las yndias pueden tener en lo benidero, ocasionadas por los negros y mulatos que hay en ellas. data: s.a. 1650?

7. Liebman, Seymour, Los Judíos en México y América Central, Siglo XXI editores s.a., México, 1971; 223.

8. Liebman, Seymour; Op. Cit. 158.

9. Liebman, Seymour; Op. Cit. 262.

10. Liebman, Seymour; Op. Cit. 24.

11.McLeod, Murdo Spanish Central America: A Socioeconomic History 1520-1720 (Berkeley: University of California, 1973) 382.

12. Idem 181.

13.Military Orders, Castles and Heritage, ciclo de conferencias. Entrevista con el organizador Dr. Adrian Boas. Data: Dr. Reuben Hecht Arts Center, University of Haifa 6.6.2010.

14. Guatemala. AGCA. Signat. A3, Leg. 2072 Exp. 31509 Fol. 1 f. Título de Encomienda a Fernando de Lara y Guebara vezino de Gracias a Dios de 305.18 tostones; data: 10.11.1666.

15. Guatemala. AGCA. AI.15 (4) 1885-191. Doña María Teresa Núñez contra don Nicolás de Lara por pesos. Data: 1795. Aparece el Capitán Don Nicolás de

Lara poseyendo haciendas de añil con cuya producción ofrece remediar una deuda de 3,726 pesos 3 ¼ reales contraída por la adquisición de .unos generos de Castilla y China que de su almanzen le vendió. una comerciante guatemalteca.

16. The farm that they had in Suchitoto was .La Bermuda. and he had another farm in San Miguel the biggest producer of indigo called .San Jacinto. Falla, Juan José Estractos de Escrituras Publicas AGCA Volume 4 Leg. 517, A 1670. (Guatemala: Editorial Amigos del País, 1994) Fol. 276 v.

17. Rubio Sánchez, Manuel Historia del Añil o Xiquilite en Centro América Volume 2 (San Salvador: Ministerio de Educación, 1976) 111.

18. Jewish Encyclopedia (New York: Funk and Wagnals, 1906) Make relation about the Cohen de Lara family like only one family settled and dispersed from Amsterdam.

19. Bel Bravo, María Antonia y otros, Diáspora Sefardí (Madrid: MAPFRE, 1992) 206.

20. http://www.sephardim.org/Neveh_Shalom/index.html (accessed: 7.3.2011). The first Cohen de Lara naturalized in the British colonies in the Caribbean Sea was Daniel Cohen de Lara in Jamaica 30 Nov. 1686. Lloyd Dewitt Bockstruck Denizations and naturalizations in the British colonies in America 1607-1775 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2005) 67.

21. Diary La Tribuna, Article: La Leyenda del Bulero, data: Tegucigalpa,20.7.1991.

22. Larde y Larin, Jorge Toponimia autóctona de El Salvador Oriental (San Salvador: Ediciones del Ministerio del Interior-Imprenta Nacional, 1975) 253.

23. Ventura Lara, Libny El linaje de Lara en Honduras (Tegucigalpa: Instituto Hondureño de Antropología e Historia) 185-201.

24. Arbell, Mordechai, The Jewish Nation of the Caribbean (Jerusalem: Gefen Publishing House) 330.

25. Idem.

“Our Roots: Exploring Hispano Family History,” a special genealogy workshop, will be offered just before the conference opens, on July 22, from 12 to 4:30 p.m. at the Hotel Albuquerque.

Speakers include Robert Martinez and Henrietta Martinez Christmas, members of the Hispanic Genealogical Research Center of New Mexico, and Mona Hernandez, SCJS member, each with extensive experience tracing their Iberian roots. Also speaking is Genealogist Schelly Talalay Dardashti. José Antonio Esquibel, foremost genealogical researcher, historian and author on the subject has prepared a special message for the event on Hispano roots in New Mexico. SCJS board member Arnold Trujillo is Coordinator, with the support of Gloria Trujillo and Mona Hernandez. The workshop will be open to the public for a  fee of $20 and free to those who preregister for the conference by July 15.

The Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies Annual Conference and Meeting
July 22-24, 2012 * Hotel Albuquerque, Albuquerque, NM

2012 Registration Form

Full Conference Registration includes all presentations, entertainment, Sunday genealogy workshop, two dinners, one lunch, and two continental breakfasts. Kosher meals are available upon advance request at an additional cost. No walk-in requests accepted for Kosher meals.
Hurry and register early in order to receive the bonus $10.00 early bird discount. The discount will be available only through June 20, 2012. Note that early bird is not available for non-member registration, meals or vendor sales tables.

SCJS member early bird registration until June 20 ____x $190.00
SCJS member registration after June 20 ____x $200.00
Supplemental charge for Kosher meals ____x $ 75.00
Vegetarian Meals: No charge ____x $ 0.00
Vendor Registration: One (1) vendor sales table for full conference ____x $ 75.00

Partial Conference Registration

Sunday Genealogy Workshop Only _____x $ 20.00
Sunday OR Tuesday only: Sunday dinner OR Tuesday breakfast (genealogy workshop not included) ___x $ 59.00
Monday AND Tuesday Only: Includes breakfast, lunch and dinner _____x $180.00
Monday Dinner Only _____x $ 40.00
Supplemental charge for Kosher meals if requesting partial registration per day _____x $ 25.00

Total Conference Payment _____ $_____
Make check payable to: Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies and mail with completed registration form to: Gloria Trujillo, P.O. Box 3051, Montebello, CA 90640

Name: ________________________________________________________
Address:_______________________________________________________
City: ______________________________________State: ____ Zip: ______
Telephone: ________________
Email Address: (important) __________________________________________

Come Home to New Mexico with SCJS
For Our 22nd Annual Conference, July 22-24

SCJS is preparing for a homecoming. For it was in New Mexico in 1991—in the mountains, near Taos, to be exact—that the first gathering of what was to become the Society took place. And it’s in New Mexico—in Albuquerque—where our 22nd Annual Conference will be held, July 22-24, at the Hotel Albuquerque in Old Town.
It was in New Mexico that some folks turned on their radios one day in 1988 and heard a program on National Public Radio called “Search for the Buried Past: The Hidden Jews of New Mexico.” The program spoke of a Jewish ancestry for some Hispano families, who either practiced aspects of Judaism in secret or observed Sephardic Jewish customs in their lives, unaware of the origin. The word spread, as listeners identified everyday practices in their families.
Those who gathered at that founding meeting of the Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies, three years later, were well aware of this phenomenon. Among them were individuals who had discovered crypto-Jewish heritage in their own families, as well as scholars, a rabbi and others interested in regional history and culture. The Society they established was academic and secular and its twin mission is still operative today: to stimulate and disseminate research on the subject and serve as a resource for those studying crypto Judaism or exploring it in their own lives. I call your attention to the article by SCJS Founder Stan Hordes on page of this issue, which explores this further.
Although there are other regions in the US where crypto Judaism can be found, such as the Texas/Mexico borderlands and in Northeastern communities with a history of Portuguese immigration, it was the “discovery” in New Mexico that brought the phenomenon to national attention. New Mexico was where Members Stan Hordes and Seth Kunin conducted their research and interviews for their foundational work in this field and where the state’s Jewish Historical Association presented a day of related cultural programs at Albuquerque’s Kimo Theatre in the mid 90s. It was from New Mexico that Writer Kathleen Teltsch, with Cary Herz’s photography, filed the first national stories on crypto Judaism in the New York Times. And New Mexico is where my Hispano friends shared secrets with me of neighbors who light candles on Friday evenings, cover their mirrors when someone dies and sweep the floor toward the middle of the room.
So SCJS will be going home July 22-24, a family reunion of sorts. To reach out to that greater family in New Mexico, we’ll be offering “Our Roots: Exploring Hispano Family History,” a special workshop, just before the conference opens, on July 22, from 12 to 4:30 p.m. at the Hotel Albuquerque. Speakers include Robert Martinez and Henrietta Martinez Christmas, members of the Hispanic Genealogical Research Center of New Mexico, and Mona Hernandez, SCJS member, each with extensive experience tracing their Iberian roots. Also speaking is Genealogist Schelly Talalay Dardashti. José Antonio Esquibel, foremost genealogical researcher, historian and author on the subject has prepared a special message for the event on Hispano roots in New Mexico. SCJS board member Arnold Trujillo is Coordinator, with the support of Gloria Trujillo and Mona Hernandez. The workshop will be open to the public for a small fee and free to those who preregister for the conference by July 15.
Keynote speaker for the conference is David Gitlitz PhD, professor emeritus at the University of Rhode Island, and author, Secrecy and Deceit: The Religion of the Crypto-Jews. His talk on “Portuguish and Spaniolese? The Where of the Mexican Conversos.” will follow Sunday’s evening’s traditional opening dinner.
Monday and Tuesday will feature scholarly papers, personal stories of the crypto-Judaic experience and a variety of arts programs. As this issue is published, Program Chair Seth Ward and his committee are reading through the proposals of those have responded to the Call for Papers. Last year’s conference featured twenty-three presentations from a variety of disciplines on several continents —academic, cultural and artistic—and this year’s looks like it will match or exceed that figure. Seth gives more detail in a story on page .
Writer and Educator Isabelle Medina Sandoval will present the first annual Martin Sosin Address, funded by the Sosin-Stratton-Petit Foundation to advance scholarly studies of crypto-Judaic art and artisanship. The Foundation will also fund a workshop on Sephardic Songs of the Diaspora by Daniel Elias and Maurice Sedakka of the Daniel Elias Sephardic Ensemble. The Ensemble are the featured musicians of this year’s annual Judy Frankel Memorial Concert on Monday evening.
Also featured are artists from four genres whose work is influenced by crypto Judaism. Anita Rodriguez and Diana Breyer, New Mexico visual artists, will take conferees on a walk through of their vibrant exhibits, taking about muse and process. Lois Rose Rose will present an exhibit on the pomegranate and its place in Sephardic and crypto-Judaic history. We’ll see excerpts from Marranos, feature film by Howard Woolf, and learn how the awareness of his converso family inspired its making.
Chair Gloria Trujillo and Albuquerque Chair Stan Hordes have secured the right hotel in the right place. We’ll be staying at the Hotel Albuquerque in colonial Old Town. Information on hotel reservations and a registration form are on pages , so copy, complete and mail the form to Gloria. There’ll be time to talk with speakers, browse our book table, spend time in the art gallery and relax with old and new friends in the extended familia that is SCJS. Join us for the homecoming in New Mexico.

The SCJS Conference 2012 will take place at the Hotel Albuquerque in Old Town Sunday July 22 through Tuesday July 24, 2012

We have arranged for a special room rate of $99 per night single/double. To get this rate, be sure to mention that you will be attending the conference of the Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies.

2012 Registration Form
Location: Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town, 800 Rio Grande Boulevard, NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104
Room Rates: $99.00 Single/Double occupancy
Reservations: 505-843-6300 or toll free at 800-237-2133
For Online Reservations click here.

Please contact the hotel directly before the June 30, 2012 cut-off date in order to receive the special conference rate. When calling please use block code 12072012AN. You can also register online using the special website noted above. Enter the dates on the website that you want to reserve and the block code at the top right hand corner of the page. Rates are offered (3) days pre/post conference event dates, based on availability.
Hotel Albuquerque amenities include complimentary parking with over 600 parking spaces, and complimentary high speed internet/WIFI in all rooms. Hotel also has three on-site restaurants. Old Town Albuquerque is nearby with its many shops and restaurants.
Door to door airport transportation is provided by Sunport Shuttle. Shuttle transfers cost approximately $28.00 per person round trip.
Hotel Albuquerque is located two blocks from I-40 providing access to all areas of the city. The hotel is a landmark hotel nestled in the heart of the Old Town Plaza and museum district with its 400 year history and more than 1501 shops, restaurants and galleries to explore.

The Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies will be holding its 22nd Annual Conference Sunday July 22 through Tuesday July 24, 2012, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. We invite papers on crypto-Judaism from any discipline (e.g., anthropology, history, sociology, philosophy, literature, music, etc.) and from any geographic location or time period. We also welcome papers on all aspects of the Sephardic experience and that of other communities exhibiting crypto-Jewish phenomena. Papers breaking new ground in research on New Mexico and Southern Colorado are particularly welcome. Interested scholars and professionals, including advanced graduate students, are invited to submit proposals for papers, presentations or workshops. Proposals are also welcome from individuals with personal stories or other personal research relating to crypto-Judaism. Proposals may be for individual papers/presentations or for complete sessions on specific topics. Please indicate if presentation represents completed research or work in progress. Conference presentation proposals must include a 200-word abstract and a brief bio. Proposal Deadline: April 1 2012. Please use this form to submit your proposals or make inquiries via email to sward@uwyo.edu. Seth Ward, Religious Studies, University of Wyoming. Click http://www.uwyo.edu/sward/scjs/cfp2012.pdf for a traditional, printable Call for Papers. For more information on the Society, on this conference and on past meetings, see other pages on this website.
————————————————————-

* Required

Your Name *

(as you would like it in the program)

Institutional Affiliation (or City)
(Institutional affiliation is particularly relevant for persons, such as university faculty, whose institutions support their research, travel or both. Our program will list a city of residence for most others).

Email *

This will be our main way of communicating with you!

Contact Info: address, telephone(s), any additional emails *

Proposal Title *

Abstract of proposal *

Brief Bio
About three sentences

Please copy and submit this form to:
Program Chair, Seth Ward

You are invited to join the Society for Crypto Judaic Studies at its 22nd Annual Conference, to be held at the Hotel Albuquerque in Old Town Albuquerque, New Mexico, July 22-24, 2012.

The program will include many important presentations from scholars in the field and from individuals who have discovered the crypto-Jewish roots of their families.

Thanks to a grant from the Sosin-Stratton-Petit Foundation, the conference will feature artistic presentations with crypto-Jewish themes and an evening of Sephardic music.

This year, for the first time, the conference will include a special genealogy workshop “Our Roots: Exploring Hispano Family History”.

All are invited to join us for three days of scholarship, music, art, learning and camaraderie.

For details see the following links:

 Genealogy Workshop

Conference Registration

 Hotel information and registration

For more information see The President’s Message on Conference 2012

BASHERT
I am the catch
in your throat;
the wordless cry,
unexplainable.

I am the cloud
that follows you;
raining
at the slightest provocation.

I am the scar
that has
become a flower.

I am the pilgrim
you brought home;
the Jew you hid
from the fire.

I am your dark sleep.

I am your dream
of finding someone
whose arms
will hold you
when daylight comes.

HOMECOMING
Pour eternity
into the kiddush cup tonight
Drink, drink, drink,
Each drop’s
a memory revealed.

I slake my thirst
with the breath of angels
and ancestors,
and taste Sephardi
on the tip of my tongue.

I will dance this shabbat
with a rose
blooming from my lips,
a star in each eye.
Moonlight,
a ribbon in my hair.

MEMORIA
Adonai assigns each Jew a rabbi or tzadik
because you can’t eat yeshiva or angel’s wings,
Even the holy need parnassa, and a job is a job, after all.

But we still were hiding
so my great grandmother, a woman, a bird at the end of flight,
was my first rabbi, my first tzadik.
Us two, with eight more in Gan Eden.
No one else allowed, no one knowing.
Because the neighbors already looked at us with sharpened eyes,
sharp as the knife she killed chickens with for Fridays.
The two of us, the ten of us,
burned that bread, lit those lights
and sang down the slipping night
and Shekinah’s stars.

I am her patchwork Jew,
offering poor wages
to those rabbis close now.
No drush is as sweet as the honey from her table.

Lisa Alvarado is an educator, poet, novelist, and journalist. She is a Mejicana/Chicana eldest daughter of an eldest daughter of an eldest daughter of an eldest daughter. Her first time making challah was at the side of her great abuelita, who also shekered chickens, and taught her first brucha. It was with this woman and her mother that Lisa was given her Hebrew name, Leila Shulamit, whispered one night after shabbat. Lisa loves saying that name now loudly and clearly.
Alvarado is the founder of La Onda Negra Press, and is author of Reclamo and The Housekeeper’s Diary, originally a book of poetry and now a one-woman performance. Her first novel, Sister Chicas (written with Ann Hagman Cardinal and Jane Alberdeston) was released in April 2006 by Penguin/NAL. Sister Chicas is a coming of age story concerning the lives of three young Latinas living in Chicago.
Sister Chicas won 2nd place Best First Novel in English (Latino Literacy Now/2007) Her book of poetry, Raw Silk Suture, is the newest release by Floricanto Press, and was reviewed by Rigoberto Gonzalez.
Lisa is the recipient of grants from the Department of Cultural Affairs, The NEA, and the Ragdale Foundation.

Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2011, San Diego

Meeting was called to order by president Dolores (Dolly) Sloan at 12 noon, after the final presentations of the Conference. About 24 people were in attendance.

Dolly presented the agenda. She thanked Gloria Trujillo for the wonderful arrangements at the Crown Plaza Hotel.

Seth Ward, Program VP, and Gloria Trujillo, Conference VP, presented early reports on the conference, which had just ended. There were 45 registrants. The conference evaluation sheets which had been filled out by the membership should be helpful in considering improvements for the future. There were comments from the membership regarding publicity to attract attendees (see below). There was also discussion of allowing interested local people to observe either gratis or at a reduced rate, without meals.

The place and date of the 2012 conference: The conference will be in Albaquerque in late July, so as to allow educators in states with August school returning dates to attend. It will not conflict with Tish B’av. Members will be informed when the exact date is formalized.

The next subject of discussion was the proposed increase in yearly membership dues.
Seth Ward explained explained that increased expenses made it necessary to increase dues. Discussion followed on the issue of special reduced prices or free access for local people to attend lectures only. There was concern that some trouble-makers might come. Abe Lavender offered to be “bouncer” for unwanted visitors. No decision was taken on this issue.

After discussion, it was moved, seconded, and approved to increase yearly membership dues in the following manner:

General membership $45 (previously $35.)
Seniors (65+) $40 ( new category)
Institutional $60 (previously $45)
Students $10 (previously $10)
Donor-Sustaining: $100
Donor-Patron: $1000

It was approved to make these dues effective January, 2012.

By-Laws were ammended by unanimous vote to add the office of First Vice President to Article VI, after the description of the office of the President and before the descriptions of additional officers. Here is the wording:

“1. First Vice President: Shall be responsible for facilitating the President’s initiates, assisting the President with coordinating the work of the board’s officers, and preparing to serve as the Society’s future President. In the absence of the President, the First Vice President shall serve as the presiding officer at board, business and annual conference meetings. Additionally, the First Vice President shall identify and develop a portfolio of activities that specifically advance the development and ensure the stability of the Society. To this end, the First Vice President should be prepared to make a multi-year commitment to the Society and should anticipate serving in the future as the President for a term of two years.”
Adoption of this amendment requires adjusting the numbers in the listing for each office so that the First VP is listed as Number 1.

Dolly praised Immediate Past President Kathleen Álcala for all her work. MSA to purchase a trophy or appropriate item for Kathleen to thank her for service as President from 8/09-2/13/11.

Debbie Isard will coordinate the implementation of a new online newsletter for members and friends, to be called La Granada. Tentative date to begin is October 2011.

Deadline for the Fall/Winter issue of HaLapid is September 1. It was announced that the Editor, Lillooet Nordlinger has been approved by her doctoral committee to receive her Ph.D.

There was discussion of the need for more publicity/marketing efforts to increase number of conference attendees. Glorya Romero-Tschabold volunteered to coordinate this for the Albuquerque conference in 2012.

It was announced that the board has approved taking steps to affiliate the Society with a four-year university. Roger Martinez will coordinate efforts.

The following nominees for officers and Board of Directors were voted in unanimously. They will serve a two-year term from 8/09/11 to 8/08/13:
President: Dolores Sloan
Immediate Past President: Kathleen Álcala
Program Vice President: Seth Ward
Membership VP: Art Benveniste
Communications VP: Lillooet Nordlinger
Conference/Meetings VP: Gloria Trujillo
Secretary: Rachel Amado Bortnick
Treasurer: Diana Zertuche

Members at Large:
César Ayala Casas
Harry Ezratty
Debbie Wohl Isard
Seth Kunin
Abe Lavender
Lois Rose Rose
Arnold Trujillo
Matthew Warshawsky
Senior Advisor: Stan Hordes

The meeting was ajourned at 12:45 pm.

Submitted by Rachel Bortnick, Secretary

SOCIETY FOR CRYPTO-JUDAIC STUDIES
Questionnaire for Members

The Board of Directors of the Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies is conducting a survey to ensure that SCJS members are receiving full benefits from the Society’s programming. The Board also wants to know if there are other types of programming or features the members might want instituted.

In order to help us deliver the best programming and information, please take a few moments to answer this questionnaire and return it to the book table. We need your co-operation in answering this survey to help make the Society the best it can be and to create programming that will interest and stimulate members. Results and analysis will be presented in HaLapid.

Please download this form, fill it out and email it to:
mailto:cryptojews@pop.powweb.com

If you wish, you may enter your name in the space provided at the end.

1. How long have you been a member of SCJS (approximate number of years)?

2. What prompted you to join SCJS? Please check all that may apply.
academic reasons __
I am/may be anusim or crypto Jewish
of Sephardic descent __
to learn more about crypto Judaism __
to support the work of the Society __
other (please elaborate below) __

2. What is your highest academic degree? If you have a college degree, please tell us in what field.

3. Please check which of the following SCJS conferences you have attended in the past five years:

2010-San Antonio __
2009-Denver __
2008-Phoenix __
2007-El Paso __
2006-Albuquerque __
None of the above __

4. If you checked one or none, please tell us why you haven’t attended more conferences.

5. Please tell us which activities, presentations or exhibits you have enjoyed and why.

Please tell us which activities, presentations or exhibits you have not enjoyed and why.

6. What is your opinion of the balance of academic to non-academic presentations at the Society’s conferences? Would you like more or less of either? Please explain.

7. Do you believe that the Society is fulfilling its goals as you understand them? Please elaborate on your answer.

8. Is there anything the Society can do to enhance its purposes, such as adding to programming? Please elaborate.

9. The Society has met annually at the beginning of August. Does this time period work for you? Yes___ No___. Would you be able to attend the conference if were scheduled at the end of June? Yes___No___. If you replied No or either of these, what is the best time period that would work best for you?

10. Do you have further comments with respect to the Society’s programming, presentation or fulfillment of its goals? If so please set them forth below. Thanks!

Name (optional, but helpful) __________________________________________

Email __________________________________________