The Secret Jews of Majorca Island

During the Inquisition, the Crypto-Jews or Chuetas publicly professed Catholicism while privately adhering to Judaism. Synagogues were secretly built in private homes. Signs of this “secret” community can still be found today. We will visit the inside of the permanent exhibit in the Jewish Quarter Interpretation Center inaugurated in 2015 as we trace the footsteps of the Jewish Conversos who walked the narrow alleyways of the casco antiguo – or old town. We will learn about the famous failed boat escape of 1688 when 40 Crypto-Jews tried unsuccessfully to flee the Inquisition of the island. We will look for clues and hints that suggest a robust Jewish community that was extinguished over centuries in the fires of the Inquisition. In this new and cutting-edge virtual tour, Dani brings his wealth of Jewish informal education to pull back the curtain on the Spanish island’s secret Crypto-Judio and Converso history.

Dani Rotstein is a film producer, history-teller, and community organizer living in the Balearic Islands of Spain. Originally from New Jersey, Dani moved to Majorca 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.