Our 2008-09 Season
Parted Waters
By Robert F. Benjamin
March 14 - 29, 2009
A World Premier, based on a suggestion by Janet Arnold and commissioned and developed through AJTC.
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Box Office: 602.264.0402
Crypto-Jews ("hidden-Jews") is the name given to those Hispanics who are descendent from the Spanish Jews of the time of the Inquisition - the late 1400's. Forced to convert to Christianity, many retained vestiges of their Judaism........for example, the grandmother may still light candles on Friday nights, though she's no longer sure why. They migrated to northern Mexico, New Mexico and southeast Arizona. Some estimates are that nearly 30% of Mexican and Cuban-Americans can trace their roots back to Judaism.
This contemporary play, set in New Mexico, brings to life three generations of Hispanics dealing with the knowledge and secrets of their lineage.
Partial funding provided by a Project Grant from the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture and support from the Sosin-Stratton-Pettit Foundation Arts Program of the Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies.