Juan Marcos Bejarano Gutierez, at The Blogs

Juan Marcos Bejarano Gutierez

Jun 21, 2026, 5:27 PM

Converso Identity and the American Experience

Bima in the Amsterdam Esnoga 1695 by Romeyn de Hooghe

Not a day goes by that I do not remember the wisdom of Rabbi Byron L. Sherwin, z"l. Years ago, he taught a class titled “What is Judaism?" at the Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership in Chicago....

Jun 1, 2026, 4:20 AM

The Challenge of Present-Day Returnees to Judaism

The challenge of present-day descendants of Conversos may not seem comparable to the those faced by Conversos in the 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. There is no Inquisition that can arrest people, interrogate them, torture them, or put...

Mar 17, 2026, 3:39 AM

The Importance of Terms in Jewish Identity

Over the last several posts, we have considered two principles questions or themes. The first was whether an individual can be Hispanic and Jewish. The second and third posts took us on a detour of sorts considering the matter...

Mar 16, 2026, 12:40 AM

The Insufficiency of the Halakhic Definition

In our previous post, we briefly discussed the halakhic definition of a Jew. In this post we continue our discussion by considering a controversial view. That is the idea that the halakhic definition of a Jew as the basis...

Mar 12, 2026, 4:52 AM

Is the Halakhic Definition of a Jew Sufficient?

We continue our discussion on Jewish identity by considering the importance of context. An illustration of the importance of context in interpreting an answer can be seen by asking a seemingly simple question: What is an atom? The response—and...

Mar 11, 2026, 6:14 AM

How Can You be Jewish and Hispanic?

Several years ago, I found myself in conversation with a college professor about the Muslim conquest of Spain in the medieval period. At one point I mentioned that I was a Sephardic Jew. He quickly responded by saying that...

About Me

Rabbi Dr. Juan Marcos Bejarano Gutierrez is a scholar and the rabbi of Congregation Zohar Yisrael, a traditional synagogue in the Grand Prairie, Texas. He holds a doctorate in Jewish Studies from the Spertus Institute and a Master of Arts in Judaic Studies from Siegal College. He also has a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Texas at Dallas. He received his rabbinic ordination from Yeshivat Mesilat Yesharim. His best-selling books include Secret Jews, and The Rise of the Inquisition.