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
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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
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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
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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
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Research on Jews in Brazil
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
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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
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Research on Jews in Brazil
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.
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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.
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