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Best Western Eight days before
Christmas, some New Mexicans light
a luminaria, a candle nestled in a
paper sack, then add an additional
glowing luminaria every evening
until Christmas, when nine burning
lights illumine the holiday
darkness. If this process of
kindling flames sounds familiar, it
is no coincidence. These New
Mexicans are crypto-Jews:
descendants of converso colonists
who practiced Judaism in secret,
fearing the relentless persecution
of the Inquisition, whose long
reach extended into the New World.
Even many of those who became
Catholics have kept alive their
Jewish traditions to this day,
lighting candles on Friday nights,
abstaining from pork, observing a
feast or fast of Esther, covering
mirrors during the mourning period,
and maintaining many other Jewish
practices. The fascinating story of
these crypto-Jews is still being
written. Many are rediscovering and
exploring their Jewish roots, some
even confirming their Jewishness
through DNA testing. Some have
converted to Judaism; others feel
they have been Jewish all along.
Inspired by them, these sweet
potato latkes glow with New Mexican
spice. This dish was featured as
part of our Hanukkah Recipes photo
gallery.
