Anusim
9.9
Jews forced to change religion who secretly keep Jewish practices
- noun
- /ˈɑːnʊsɪm/
- Jargon
:
Anusim
- Some Jews converted only under duress and are labeled with the term anus/anusim, which is the Hebrew term for forced.
Examples
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So important is the distinction between the anusim and the meshumadim that the author extends it to the question of the intermarriage of old and new Christians.
Academic text (1992) -
Many anusim kept their Jewish traditions hidden, practicing in private to avoid persecution.
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The community of anusim often gathered secretly to celebrate Hanukkah despite their outward conversion.
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Historians study the lives of anusim to understand how they maintained their faith under pressure.
Surface Forms
Etymology
Anusim comes from a Hebrew word anus that means 'forced'. It refers to Jews who were forced to convert to another religion but secretly kept Jewish life and belief, so the name shows they were 'forced' to change on the outside while staying Jewish inside.
