U.S. Latinos Celebrate Long-Hidden Jewish Roots

By Julie Sobel, NYU Livewire

They call themselves Jewbans, Mexi-Jews, Jewminicans or Kosher-Ricans. They can be found eating guacamole on matzo on Passover or drinking kosher tequila on Cinco de Mayo. Their ranks include Geraldo Rivera, Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Brett Rattner.

Latin American Jews number some 500,000, but traditionally flew under the radar, in part because of discrimination and even persecution woes in an overwhelmingly Catholic region.

But U.S.-based Latin Americans with Jewish roots are more pronouncedly celebrating their heritage of late. Though they lack a superstar spokesman like black Jew Funnaye Capers (aka “Obama’s Rabbi”), they are building a cohesive social, religious, and even fashion community.

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[Photo by joshbousel]

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