Dr Hilary Pomeroy
Iberia’s Secret Jews
Summary
Thousands of Iberian Jews were forced to convert to Catholicism after a series of pogroms in Spain in 1391 and the establishment of Inquisitions in Spain and Portugal (1478 and 1536). Nevertheless, many continued to practice their Jewish faith in secret. How the Jewish practice was maintained in the ensuing climate of fear and hostility will be the focus of this presentation, with present day examples from Dr. Pomeroy’s interviews in Spain, Mallorca, and Portugal.
Dr Hilary Pomeroy
Dr Pomeroy holds a PhD from the department of Hispanic Studies, Queen Mary University of London and is teaching fellow emerita in the Department of Hebrew and Jewish Studies, University College London. She has been an invited speaker at universities and institutions throughout Europe and has published numerous articles on Sephardi culture.