Bnei anussim: a expereience of judaism in the outskirts of São Paulo

Author(s)

Carlos Andrade Rivas Gutierrez

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (FFLCH/SBD)
• Defense date: 2011-09-16

Examining board members

Jose Guilherme Cantor Magnani; Sandra Jacqueline Stoll; Marta Francisca Topel

• Advisor: Jose Guilherme Cantor Magnani

Abstract

The aim of this study is the analysis of a new agents entry at the judaic field and his relations inside this field and with the city. An ex-priest from Assemblies of God and others starts to identify himself as bnei anussim, in other words, descendents of jews who were forced to convert to christianity during the Inquisition. They try to be recognized by jewish authorities, but the attempt fails. After that, they created their own synagogue Beith Israel, at Sao Mateus neighborhood, a poor suburb area in Sao Paulo. There, they practice Orthodox Judaism, according to their own way of perception. The empiric universe consists in the anussims synagogue, jewish religious authorities, religious specialists of the religious field of Sao Mateus and habitants of the neighborhood. The methodology consisted in the analysis of the interaction between the agents and their discursive productions. Besides, the ethnographic research was used to gather qualitative data. The dynamic among the jewish practices and the neighborhoods logic is essential to comprehend the religious phenomenon, because these two factors are understood in terms of a dialectical relationship. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 09/02141-5 - Bnei anussim in São Mateus neighborhood: an experience of Judaism in a suburb from São Paulo
• Grantee: Carlos Andrade Rivas Gutierrez
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master