The Secret Sabbath

Co-presented by Gratz College and Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History

Directed by Daniel Goldberg Lerner
Documentary Feature | USA | 2023 | 90 min | English, Hebrew, Portuguese, and Spanish with English subtitles

PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
This fascinating film explores the journeys undertaken by diverse Jewish people in Mexico and America to uncover long-hidden family secrets passed down through generations. As they delve deeper, they discover a compelling fusion of their Hispanic and Jewish cultural heritage, a less explored and often marginalized facet of their identities. Rejecting strict identity categories, they embrace who they are instead, drawing inspiration from the life and experiences of Luis de Carvajal the Younger, a historical figure who met a tragic end in 16th-century Inquisitorial Mexico. He was condemned to be burned at the stake due to his commitment to adhering to the Law of Moses, exemplifying the profound struggles faced by those who dared to challenge societal norms and religious authorities during that era.