SELECT ONE OF TWO OPTIONS:
OPTION ONE - Crypto Jews: Coming Out of the Shadows
Presenter: Anna Correa, Stony Brook Class of 2020
Since the Spanish Inquisition, crypto (hidden) Jews have been living in Latin America with two identities, originally suppressing their Jewishness to avoid persecution, but practicing in secret. The recent explosion in DNA testing has prompted a growing number of crypto-Jews to come out of the shadows, rediscover their roots and explore what the experience has meant for their families. This session will delve into the lives of two individuals who have traced back their secret Jewish identity to honor their ancestors and themselves, the presenter's own emotional experience and family history as a self-proclaimed “B’nei Anusim,” and what obstacles the incoming Latino population faces in re- entering the Jewish world.
OPTION TWO - Jews and Tattoos
Presenter: Andrew Zucker, Stony Brook Class of 2020
The idea of Jews with tattoos may seem like a contradiction in terms. But despite a presumed Torah prohibition, a growing number of Jewish teens and young adults appear to be "getting inked," many with Jewish-related symbols, while some rabbis are debating both the interpretation of the prohibition and whether the prohibition is still relevant today. This presentation will explore the history of Jews and tattoos, the halachic debate and answer one question every Jewish mother asks? Can someone with a tattoo be buried in a Jewish cemetery? The presenter's senior capstone project, including video interviews with students, serves as the basis for this presentation.