Venta Prieta: Mexico

In this episode, we meet the Jewish community in the Mexican village of Venta Prieta (which means ‘dark windows’). The locals who, at the turn of the 20th century when their village was first discovered, were dubbed the Jewish Indians (on account of their indigenous Mexican features) have their own synagogue and are known to observe all Jewish commandments and traditions. It is also believed that they are descended from the Spanish Jews who, in the 15th century were forced to abandon their faith or face expulsion from Spain (thereby earning the nickname, ‘anusim’ – literally meaning ‘coerced’).