# Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies

The Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies (SCJS) is an American non-profit organization that promotes historical research and contemporary developments concerning Sephardic Crypto-Jews and their descendants, who are part of the Jewish diaspora originating from Spain and Portugal that fled to the New World during the Inquisition. Founded in 1991, the organization hosts an annual conference and publishes a biannual journal.

## History

The SCJS was founded in 1991 by Rabbi Joshua Stampfer of Portland, Oregon, and Dr. Stanley Hordes of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and playwright Rena Down of New York City. The organization was established in response to a growing interest in the Jewish ancestry ties in New Mexico and the broader Southwestern United States, a region with historical connections to Sephardic Jews dating back to early colonization. By the end of the 20th century, several Sephardic Jewish organizations, including SCJS, had emerged in this part of the US.
The first SCJS meeting was held in Fort Burgwin, near Taos, New Mexico. In 1994, the SCJS held an annual conference in several towns in Portugal. This was the only time they held a conference outside of the US. The following year, they launched their current website. The first set of bylaws for the organization were approved at a conference in Pueblo, Colorado, in 2001. The SCJS website was also hosted on a platform called The Sephardi Connection, a virtual project for Sephardic Jewish communities. The website was discontinued in the early 2000s.
In 2002, steps were taken to register SCJS as a non-profit organization to obtain tax-exempt status and apply for foundation grants. Attorney Martin Sosin from Santa Monica, California, provided pro bono legal assistance to help SCJS achieve this. The SCJS turned down an offer to advertise a bank in their publications until the non-profit registration was completed. That same year, SCJS announced the launch of their current website and began migrating information, including research articles and publications, to the new platform.
In January 2013, the SCJS affiliated with the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) to create a scholarly research program. The goal of this program was to promote interdisciplinary work between the school's faculty, the student body, members of the community, researchers, and the extended Jewish community. It was described as the "first university-based program in the United States" focused on advancing research in Sephardic Crypto-Jewish studies. The program also aimed to develop a dedicated curriculum to cover this topic. Years prior, the UCCS hosted a SCJS annual conference on its campus. The affiliate program with UCCS ended in December 2015.

## Objectives

The organization's primary mission is to promote historical research and contemporary developments related to Sephardic Crypto-Jews and their descendants, who are part of the Jewish diaspora originating from Spain and Portugal and now dispersed globally. Crypto-Judaism refers to individuals who practiced Judaism secretly while outwardly professing another faith. Initially founded as a strictly academic and research-focused institution, the organization has expanded to become multidisciplinary, including non-academics from diverse cultural backgrounds and embracing both religious and secular circles. The SCJS serves as a major repository of resource materials related to the Sephardic Jews who fled Europe for the New World during the Inquisition.
The organization hosts annual meetings that bring together both academics and non-academics to discuss recent research and narratives related to Crypto-Jewish studies. A significant portion of attendees are from New Mexico and other states in the Southwestern US. The conferences typically feature a keynote address, presentations on recent research, personal accounts from individuals reconnecting with their Crypto-Jewish heritage, and entertainment. SCJS has investigated DNA studies related to Crypto-Jews, other European Jewish groups, and the broader Jewish community.

## Publications

The SCJS publishes an biannual journal called HaLapid (Hebrew: The Torch), which features research articles and stories submitted by writers on topics related to Sephardim and Crypto-Judaism. Its name was inspired by a newsletter of the same name that was once published by Artur Carlos de Barros Basto, a Portuguese military captain who published several works on Judaism. The SCJS's HaLapid was founded by Bob Hattem in 1992 and has remained active since its inception. The journal mostly includes academic research articles and personal stories by descendants of Crypto-Jews.
SCJS also publishes a free online newsletter called La Granada for its subscribers. It was founded in 2013 with Debbie Wohl Isard as its manager. Unlike HaLapid, which is published biannually, La Granada is released several times throughout the year to provide updates and developments between HaLapid's issues.