Long Journey: Hidden Jews of the Southwest

Airs Sunday, Mar. 21 at 4:30 p.m.
Their four hundred-year journey started with expulsion from Spain, continuing through Mexico with persecution by the Inquisition, finally settling in the American Southwest. The physical journeys of secret Jews – Conversos or Crypto-Jews – ended in colonial times, but their inner journeys continue to this day. This story of self-awareness celebrates of the richness and diversity of Jewish and Latino cultures today.

This one-hour documentary by award-winning director Isaac Artenstein and produced by Paula Amar Schwartz, brings to life the fascinating stories of contemporary of individuals whose secret was their hidden Jewish roots while living an outwardly Catholic life.

Learn about stories of forced expulsion, with journeys to Mexico, Southern Texas and Northern New Mexico; the reawakening of long-obscured Spanish-Jewish traditions, the resilience of faith and culture, and the eventual triumph of acceptance and respect over tyranny and intolerance. These unique stories are set against magnificent natural and cultural landscapes, accompanied by an original score by acclaimed composer Mark Adler.

“‘A Long Journey’ is a story about self-awareness and reaffirmation, and a celebration of the richness and diversity of Jewish and Latino cultures in the American Southwest that I believe all audiences will find engaging,” said director Isaac Artenstein. “The Western frontier, is after all, one of the most influential myths in American culture.”