Tour of Jewish Majorca
Hosted By: My Jewish Learning, Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA)
Join My Jewish Learning and Jewish Telegraphic Agency for a virtual tour of Jewish Majorca.
The Spanish Island of Majorca is known for its beach resorts, limestone mountains, and being home to tennis celebrity Rafa Nadal. But Majorca holds a secret, never discussed in most travel guides.
During the Inquisition, the Crypto-Jews or Chuetas publicly professed Catholicism while privately adhering to Judaism. In fact in the year 1677 they were caught celebrating Yom Kippur in an orchard outside the city walls. They were condemned by the authorities and even today the descendants of 15 endogamous families quietly preserve the light of the Jewish flame after centuries past.