division b, volume iii: the history of the jewish people (the modern times) / חטיבה ב, כרך...

World Union of Jewish Studies / האיגוד העולמי למדעי היהדות

/ חקר יהדות ברז'ל — דין וחשבון על מצב המחקר RESEARCH ON JEWS IN BRAZIL — PRESENT STAGE Author(s): RIFKA BEREZIN, ZIPORA RUBINSTEIN, GISELE BEIGUELMAN, ציפורה ,רבקה ברזיןג'יזל בייגלמן and רובינשטייןSource: Proceedings of the World Congress of Jewish Studies / דברי הקונגרס העולמי למדעיDIVISION B, VOLUME III: THE HISTORY OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE (THE ,היהדות, כרך טMODERN TIMES) / חטיבה ב, כרך שלישי: תולדות עם ישראל (העת החדשה)pp. 353-360 תשמ"ה / 1985Published by: World Union of Jewish Studies / האיגוד העולמי למדעי היהדותStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/23529448 .

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RESEARCH ON JEWS IN BRAZIL — PRESENT STAGE

RIFKA BEREZIN, ZIPORA RUBINSTEIN AND GISELE

BEIGUELMAN

Our report is based on 38 research works carried out in the academical field. It consists of Master disserta

tions, Doctoral theses presented in its majority at the

Sao Paulo University and some others at different univer sities in the State of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia. These researches comprehend the period 1964 1985 and are limited only to works carried out in univer sities sities.

50$ of the 38 works concern Jews in Brazil in various

periods. 14 of them are related to marranos in Brazil and Portugal; 5 are related to Jews in Brazil enclosing the contemporary period; 7 deal with Jewish History in

different periods; 6 deal with literature, 3 of them

regard Hebrew Literature and 3 others deal with Brazilian

Literature; 3 are on Biblical themes; 1 one Hebrew

Language and 2 on Moshav and Kibutz.

One can see by our report that main researches held

on Jews in Brazil are concentrates principally in

History and study chiefly the marranos in the Colonial

Period. It seems to us that this is due to the Brazilian

historians growing conscience of the important cultural

and economical role played by the marranos in the

constitution of the Brazilian society, and also to the

influence of Prof. Anita Novinsky's work in this field.

We can quote Käthe Windmäller's words as written in her

Master dissertation about Antonio Jose, the marrano poet

who was martyrized by the Inquisition (0 "Judeu" no

Teatro Romantico Brasileiro. Universidade de Sao Paulo,

1984): "The presence and activity of the marranos in the

353



Rifka Berezin, Zipora Rubinstein and Gisele Beiguelman

Brazilian Colonial Period, as well as the problematic fascination of their identity as divided persons between

reality and conscience, are aspects ventilated only recent

ly in the general context of Brazilian History. The

access to the inquisitorial processes - since the second half of 19th century - made possible the understanding of

their behaviour, activities, social and family relation

ships as Brazilian marrano inhabitants since the discovery of Brazil and thus were intimately linked to its progress and development", (p.93)

Prof. Jose Gonqalves Salvador presented his Doctoral

thesis in 1 957. Os Cristaos-Novos nas Capitanias do Sul

(1530-1680): aspectos religiosos, Universidade de Säo

Paulo, 1967, already stated the marranos intimate vincula

tion with the social and economical Brazilian evolution

in the 16th and 17th centuries. In further researches

Prof. Salvador will show in a more accurated and detailed

way the role of the marranos and the Jews in the conquest,

exploration and peopling of the Brazilian soil and the

social and ethnic composition of southern Brazil as well

as the development of international and internal commerce

in this area. In view of the importance of Prof. Jose

Gonpavles Salvador works, he had his researches published: 1. 1. Salvador, J. Gongalves. Os Cristäos-Novos, Jesuitas e

Inquisigao Inquisigao. Sao Paulo, Pioneira, 1969.

2. Idem. Os Cristaos-Novos: Povoamento

e Conquista do Solo Brasileiro 1530-1680. Säo

Paulo, Pioneira, 1976.

3. Idem. Os Cristaos-Novos e o Gomercio

no Atlantico Meridional com Enfoque nas Capitanias

do Sul 1530-1680. Brasilia , Pioneira-INL, 1978.

Prof. Anita Novinsky brought a valuable contribution

to the studies of the marranos in Brazil. Her research on

the marranos in Bahia during the period of 1624-1654

threw a new light in this area of marranos studies.

Following the thinking of the Portuguese historian Antonio

Jose Saraiva, she understands the cristao-novo as a myth

created by the Inquisition to disguise the class conflict

against the rising bourgeouisie whose main nucleous was

354



Research on Jews in Brazil

composed by individuals of Jewish origin. She interprets the marrano phenomenon as a form of resistance against the

established social structure. The cristao-novo is a split individual who does not accept Catholicism but also does

not find his place in Judaism. In her opinion, this is the

marranos main problem that places them in conflict and

tension with their contemporary society which also

excludes them. The importance of Prof. Novinsky's work

also comes from her contribution in orienting and prepar

ing new Brazilian researchers in this field. In the last

years, various Master dissertation were supervised by Prof.

Novinsky, most of them based on the analysis of inquisitor ial processes:

1. 1. Alves, Luiz Roberto. A Fabula em busca aa Historia:

relaqoes entre as narrativas manuscritas de Bento

Teixeira e 0 poema Prosopopeia. Universidade de

Sao Paulo, 1977• The author analyses and compares documents and manuscripts

contained in the inquisitorial process of the first Brazil

ian poet in regard to his poetical work trying to expla,in

that cultural Brazilian moment as the crossing of various

cultural sources, including the Jewish one.

2. Carneiro, Maria Luiz Tucci. Os Cristaos-Novos e a

Questao Questao da Pureza de Sangue: alguns aspectos das

manifestaqoes racistas em Portugal e no Brasil

Colonial do seculo XV ao XVIII. Universidade de

\ Säo Paulo, 1980. The author discusses the Brazilian racial democracy

through the analysis of the religious prejudice existing

in Brazil since the arrival of the first Portugueses.

She demonstrates through the study of documents the dis

crimination of the white Catholic minority against other

minorities by means of a legislation subserviant to the

social, political and economical interests of the Church,

Nobility and the State. She concludes that racial prejudi

ce in Portugal and in Brazil satisfied those interests

and was based on the Blood Purity Rule which forced Jewish

descendants and other ethnic groups to change their habits

and ways of life in order to escape the inquisitorial

355



RifkaRifka Berezin, Zipora Rubinstein and Gisele Beiguelman

persecution. This situation would "be modified only by the

revogation of this law by Pombal in 1773•

3• Liberrnan, Maria. 0 Levante do Maranhäo "Judeu Cabepa de

Motim": Manoel Beckman. Universidade de Sao Paulo, 1983.

This dissertation is concerned with the rebellion in the

17th century in Maranhäo, conducted by the marrano Manoel

Beckman and his brother Thomas Beckman. The inssurection

was against the government corruption and also against commercial monopoly which impoverished the settlers who

had come to Brazil looking for new opportunities and free

dorn. Manoel Beckman was condemned to death not only because

he was a revolutionary but also because he was a rnarrano

who had prospered economically and socially.

4. Mizrahi, Rachel B. Trajetoria de Vida de um Gapitäo

Mor na Colonia: Miguel Teiles da Costa e a

Inquisipao. Universidade de Sao Paulo, 1981. The author points out some aspects about the marranos and

fulfils some blanks in the History of Brazil during the

18th century. By researching the life, activities and the

destiny of Miguel Teiles da Costa, she shows the ambivalen

ce between legislation and practical life in Brazil which

permitted a marrano to climb a high position, although

proihibited because he was a descendant of Jews, and on

the other hand, the swift changing of the Inquisition

procedure whenever convinie it. Using the figure of this

cristäo-novo she also demonstrates the internal division

of the marrano between an imposed Catholicism and an

unknown Judaism.

5. Monteiro, Yara N. Presenqa Portuguesa em Lima nos Secu

lös XVI e XVII. Universidade de Säo Paulo, 1980.

Based on a survey of the activities of the Inquisitorial

Tribunal in Spanish America, the author observed that

Portuguese!swere its main victims and the correspondence

of the Colonial authorities claimed that these Portugueses

were marranos and secret Jews in their majority. The author

studies the places where they lived and carried out their

activities and also the pression. and persecution they

356




suffered, and how they assembled themselves as a group

apart. The author has verified the coincidence linking the end of the action of the Inquisitorial Tribunal and the end of the Colonial Period; she thinks that the

survival of the Inquisitorial Office was connected to the

economical activity and mantainance of the economical and

commercial commercial monopolies on the American colonies.

6. Norton, Howard W. Sermoes Anti;judaicos pregados nos

Autos-De-Fe em Lisboa 1706-175C. Universidade de

Sao Paulo, 1980. The author investigates the influence degree of sermons

held at the auto-de-fe ceriinonies which instigated the

Potuguese people against the Jews. He shows that the

sermons pronounced during those cerimonies which should

have the aim of converting and instructing the herectic

marranos in the true Christian faith, went far beyond

this; they attacked overtly the Jewish people and their

institutions institutions, thus damaging the image of the Jews for

centuries centuries.

Prof. Sonia A. Siqueira in her thesis: A Inquisicao

Portuguesa Portuguesa e a Sociedade Colonial: a apao do Santo Oficio

na na Bahia e em Pernambuco na epoca das visitapoes,Univer

sidade de Säo Paulo, 1972, also investigates the marraiio

phenomenon in Brazil and points out its contribution

towards a more liberal and tolerant atmosphere in terms

of ideology and religion compared to the one in Portual.

This This fact, however, would not stop intolerance toward

cripto-judaism, open Judaism and the Inquisitorial perseeu

tion. tion. Prof. Siqueira also supervised the Master disserta

tion of Sarah Znayde Ianchel: A Inquisicao na Bahia: o

caso de Ana Rois, Universidade de Sao Paulo, 1981. The

work consists of the transcription and analysis of the

inquisitorial process of Ana Rois. The author also

analyses the social relashionships between the Christians

and the descendants of the converted Jews. She concludes

that in Brazil they reached a high level of integration

due to acculturation mainly by means of mixed marriages.

In account of the existing conditions there was no

receptivity to the inquisitorial action, which had to be

357



RifkaRifka Berezin, Zipora Rubinstein and Gisele Beiguelman

imposed.

During the last years some research work on Contempora ray Jewry in Brazil took place. These studies investigate mostly Jewish identity and commnitarian life in Brasil. Prof. H. Rattner wrote one of the first works in this area. His His research work Tradiqsao e Mudanqa: a comunidade Judaica em Sao Paulo, Universidade de Sao Paulo, 1971, is based on the the census carried out in Sao Paulo which studied the

demographic, organizational and educational aspects of the Sao Paulo Jewish community. He investigated the maintenance and rupture of the community. Relating the development of the communitarian institutions with the historical develop rnent of the Brazilian society, he concluded that the

organizational character of the Jewish community nowadays corresponds to the American model, which emphasizes the

social and recreative aspects. Within this context the

author questions the value of this communitarian structure

for the survival of Jewish identity.

The work of Silvia Jane Zveibil Identidade ßtnica Ju daica: caracterizapao e processo de constituipao,Univer sidade de Sao Paulo, 1980, also deals with the Jewish

identity. The objective of this research is the investiga tion of the process by which the Jews constitue an ethnic

group. The author interviewed Jewish adolescents, students of Jewish and non-Jewish schools. She finds out that the Jewish ethnic group is defined in terms of differentiated

identity by its very internal social organization in rela tion to society in general and to other groups. Limits are established to reinforce the group solidarity and in this

way the group identifies itself and is identified by others.

Jewish identity is also the research theme of Sonia B.

Ramagem entitled: A Fenix de Abraao, Universidade Federal de Brasilia, 1983. She intends to apprehend the set of

ideas and values that explain the behaviour of the ethnic

religious Jewish group, in this way delimitating how this

Jewish identity is constituted in Brazil. The controversy created by the project of marranos desdendants who intended

358




to returno to Judaism, and the reactions shown by the Jew ish community regarding its legitimacy, furnished ideologi cal data to the author. She concludes that in the case of

Brazil "a society possessing an "ethos" of acculturation, it is less dangerous for the Jew to define himself by his

religion than by his nationality."

The research by Ethel V. Kosminsky Rolandia a Terra Pro

metida: ;!udeus refugiados do nazismo no norte do Parana, Universidade de Sao Paulo, 1984, is quite interesting from

the point of view of Jewish identity. The author tries to

find out what happens with the identity of a German Jewish

group whose members fled from Nazism and settled as farmers

in the north of the State of Parana, Brazil. She shows that

their Jewish identity is ruled by the interiorization of

Nuremberg racist laws (1/2 Jew; 1/4 Jew, etc). In other

words, they identify themselves as Jews because they were

discriminated. She also demonstrates that they differ from

the surrounding society by their faithfulness to German

cultural values which gave them their "superiority" in rela

tion to the "other". This differentiation also permits them

to survive as a group apart which maintainsonly weak links

with Brazilian Jewish community and does not identify it

self with Zionism.

It is worthy mentioning the Doctoral thesis of Gilda S.

Szklo Alegoria e Tradipao; 0 universo de .judaismo de Moacyr

Scliar, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, 1984. This

work deals with the elements of Jewish tradition which

appear in the work of a Jewish Brazilian writer, Moacyr Scliar. Gilda S. Szklo studies the role of Judaism and Jew

ish values in the work of Moacyr Scliar within the frame

of Brazilian modern fiction. She investigates how the Jew

ish folkloric tradition and the "shtetl" traditions develop

in the writer works through the dialectics between imagina

tion and reality. She analyses the mythological and messia

nie vision which saturate Scliar's fictional universe. This

is the basic structure of his work shaped in historicity

and allegory, but transported to a capitalistic world which

turns it into a quixotic vision.

359



Rifka Berezin, Zipora Rubinstein and Gisele Beiguelman

In the literary field it shoud be mentioned the work of

Maria Augusta Toledo 0 Judeu no Teatro Brasileiro: perso

nagem e mascara, Universidade de Sao Paulo, 1984. She

investigates investigates the repertoire of Brazilian theatre and con

cltides that racial prejudice still exists, mainly in plays of minor literary value which still show the Jew as a myth ical entity without any human component. In regard to plays more artistically elaborated - in spite of the efforts

endeavoured to annulate such mythical Jew from the second

half of the 20th century on - this concept is still alive

in the plays which are consistently based on the medieval

tradition.

The Centre de Estudos Judaicos of the Sao Paulo Univer

sity started a new series of publications under the name

of JUDAICA-BRASIL that has already published the works of

Liberman, Mizrahi, Windmüller and Kosminky, viewing to

collect and divulge works dealing with Jews in Brazil from

the point of view of their history, literary and artistic

production.

Besides this works we should mention researches under

taken by the couple Egon and Frieda Wolff from Rio de Ja

neiro. Their work was not included in this survey since

they dont belong to the academic area. However, there is

no doubt about the importance and usefulness of their

work in collecting data and it deserves all our respect.

It should be mentiones also that Prof. Eva A. Blay,

together with a group, is undertaking an important research about the memory of the Säo Paulo Jewish commu

nity, registered also in films, taped interviews, fotos, etc etc.

360



division b, volume iii: the history of the jewish people (the modern times) / חטיבה ב, כרך...

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