Chicana and Chicano Studies: Jewish Latinidad: Race, Religion, and U.S.-Mexico Border

Critical Response Paper

  You will write four, 2-3 page, 1.5-spaced, critical response papers throughout the quarter.
  Papers should respond to the themes, concepts and questions illuminated through the weeks lectures and readings.  Responses must incorporate at least 1 secondary source and 1 primary source from the weeks assigned readings. Papers may include connections to other readings, draw on personal experiences, critiques of the authors approach and post future questions and research possibilities
  Response papers will help deepen your engagement with the readings, hone your analytic skills and push you to make meaningful connections between primary and secondary sources–this is the work of the historian!
Quote and cite your evidence in your analysis*  Use all sources (minimum 6 quotes to be used in the paper)

Primary Source –
1. Shaul Magid. What Ocasio-Cortezs Jewish Heritage Means. Jewish Currents. January 8 2019

2. Maxwell Greenberg and Max Daniel. Ocasio Cortezs Jewish Heritage Isnt About You. Jewish Currents. January 18, 2019

Secondary Source – 
1. Jonathan Freedman, Klezmer America: Jewishness, Ethnicity, Modernity. Chapter 5 – Conversos, Marranos and Crypto-Latinos: Jewish-Hispanic Crossings and the Uses of Ethnicity

The main point (s) to focus and answer:
(Converso-New Christianity)
-Converts to Christianity
-Individuals in Spain or the Americas who were Jewish descent, but their identities as Jews is unknown
-The majority did not choose, or unable to maintain separate Jewish identities; fully assimilated into Iberian catholic culture

(Crypto-Judio, -Crypto-Jew)
-Secret Jew
-First appears in 19th century for individuals who secretly practiced Lewish ritual
-Secrecy still central to present-day identifications
-Alt term, Anusimthose who were forced
-Marrano

Key terms: (try to include in paper)
-Limpieza de Sangre
-Sistema de Castas
-Mestizaje
-Sefarad
-Right to Return