Judaism in Mexico (1825-present)

[@SamAronow]

Would you believe this was the most arduous production in the history of this channel? Some additional notes and corrections: 1. Mexico City is better than New York, but not as good as Chicago. You should go. The food is amazing. It's also much cleaner and better-smelling than most other North American cities. 2. While there are currently no serving Jewish governors, senators, or deputies, there have been in the past. I mentioned Lombardo, but he also had a brother who served as a deputy and there have been more recent ones as well who are still alive. 3. While the PNR _replaced_ the Laborist Party, it wasn't simply a _reorganization_ of it, as the Laborists still existed for a while, just without any of their leading figures remaining. Kinda like UKIP. 4. While I generally lean more towards MORENA than the other parties and most Mexican Jews don’t, I view the lack of Jewish solidarity in Mexican politics as a sign of a healthy and tolerant society, even as I see PAN undermining that by constantly testing the taboo against religion in politics.

[@AztlanHistorian]

Mexico is a place which understanding is still marred by a plethora of useless, and frankly stupid, stereotypes. Hopefully as time goes by, people will start trying to actually know this country, because Cancún and American TV series will teach you zilch about the land of Hidalgo, Zapata, Rivera, Sheinbaum, Del Toro and X. Navarrete. ¡Saludos a todos!

[@jaimeromano9104]

1. Yes Mexico City is underrated and it is indeed one of the greatest cities in the world. 2. Two of the most recognizable Jews in Mexican politics are Salomón Chertorivski, who ran for office in Mexico City this June, and his uncle José Woldemberg, the first president of the Mexican electoral authority. 4. Morena is nothing of what it sounds like, it's really nothing more than a dictator (AMLO) and a bunch of enablers around him. I hope that time will prove me wrong. Claudia herself was never involved within the Jewish community, she renegates of Judaism despite being a jew, she's a character more similar to Bernie Sanders or Noam Chomsky. Two issues that I think you missed is that the Jewish community in Mexico has one lowest assimilation rates of the world and that its organizations, while very cohesive are still separated by origin. Anyway, thanks for this video. It was a very nice surprise.

[@jaimeromano9104]

Also funny enough, Emilio Azvarraga Vidaurreta was one of Mexico's top antisemites in the 1930's his great grandson (which bears the same name) was born to a Jewish mother, which makes him a jew.

[@SamAronow]

@@jaimeromano9104Don’t you dare compare Bernie Sanders to Noam Chomsky.

[@MrBerto800]

Can you do an episode on the history of “Judaism in Nicaragua?” Pleaseeee ❤

[@patrickrex6230]

I live in Mexico City. I had to do some research to find out Claudia’s Jewish heritage. But that’s not that unusual. Mexican politicians never speak of their religious beliefs. It’s a tradition that comes from the Mexican revolution. It’s kinda the opposite of the way politicians act in the USA.

[@thegingerbreadman5149]

Exactly, culture shock when American media started to refer to Sheinbaum as a Jewish president, when no one publicly besides Fox talked about her heritage. I met Sheinbaum personally around 2006 when my grandma took me to a speech in the Zócalo when I was like 12 and she said hi to her and spoke a bit. To us she was a Mexican first and part of the movement second, and her roots are just a given. Like how my grandpa came exiled from Spain and we never considered ourselves Spanish. We are Mexicans.

[@Elix10]

​@@thegingerbreadman5149los mexicanos nacen donde les da la gana

[@c.m.b.7567]

its also because judaism is more of a culture/ethnic group than it is a religion

[@adriangarcia7890]

That’s true, I mean, is not relevant which religion has anyone. By law mexican government It’s a secular state.

[@whatsaaappthesequel]

ew mexico city, worst city in mexico

[@SomasAcademy]

Y'know, only upon seeing Sam in a train in Mexico did I recognize the strong Mexican uncle aesthetic the stache lends him.

[@SamAronow]

The only mustaches I saw in Mexico City belonged to Americans. As with the Italians and French, our facial hair stereotypes are stuck in the Interwar period.

[@communistcuphead2901]

They've gone a bit out of fashion, but a decade or so ago most men had the same stache you have right now​@SamAronow

[@joebloggs1356]

Grow a mo in Nov, donate to male cancer charities.

[@Headhunter_212]

Tio Samuel merch ? I’m in.

[@SomasAcademy]

@@SamAronow I was referencing the image of a mustachioed older man (i.e. an uncle) which I have seen a number of Mexicans joking about online (something which brown people of all sorts bond over, we Indians have the same stereotypical image of an uncle, and I've heard Arabs, Turks, and Iranians say the same), not a generic stereotype of Mexican facial hair lol

[@leosanalva8046]

As a mexican Seeing some Americans on Twitter saying Claudia isn't a real Jew because she thanked Jesus (her husband) is one of the funniest things I've seen in a while😭😭😭

[@miguelusaf13]

😂 fr fr

[@uw0h...580]

no leen bien

[@Ashy_Slashy3]

Lmfao

[@hilaryhongkong]

and they say Jewish people are the smartest in the world...Her tweet literally reads "I want to thank Jesus, my husband, for being with me"

[@avemaria3673]

​@@Daniel-jv2tjcome on , are you teasing us again? 😂

[@QuarianGhost]

In Mexico not even a big media TV channel or newspaper talked about she being Jewish, she is even atheist lmao

[@PrincessConsueloBana]

Yeah here in México we don't make a big deal about races and heritage like in the US

[@TINMAN-jm9sw]

She thanked Jesus her husband, and some idiots thought it was to the Christ 😅

[@RenzoTx]

🤣 🤣🤣

[@aviad950]

I remember reading about Sheinbaum thanking her husband and thinking "did people genuinely forget how commas work?". Thank you, Sam, for being one of the few that actually try (and succeed) to make people smarter through the internet. About Emmanuel Lubezki, I feel that his Mexican identity is being emphasized by the media, mostly due to his collaborations with Alfonso Cuaron and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. It's not that Lubezki himself peomotes a specific racial or national identity. He just happens to be very good at his job in an industry that's obssesed with that kind of things. He also often works with Terrence Malick, but Malick is famously camera shy and a very private person, so it's easier to refer to Lubezki as part of some Mexican invasion.

[@SamAronow]

That's true., but in most cases I think people get confused by the lack of Spanish surnames.

[@amandahealey2216]

​@@SamAronow Or don't know that there are people named Jesus. I may or may not be speaking from experience

[@SamAronow]

@@amandahealey2216Well I grew up on the joke that Jesus was Mexican because his name was Jesús, but apparently not everyone did.

[@blueshirt26]

Sam, you're looking more and more like that Zoroastrian Persian guy who was born in Zanzibar and became a big hit across the globe in the 70s and 80s.

[@daleblue22]

Lol!!!! You're so spot on!!!!!

[@CrackinJacks138]

Name??

[@squeaky206]

​@@CrackinJacks138His last name is named for a planet.

[@antoineduri1340]

lmaoo so true

[@ClassyCourtesan]

Agreed

[@antoniotello3711]

It’s not like the US where your Jewish, or Christian or Italian and then American and everyone is divided, here everyone is Mexican

[@Game_Hero]

be proud of that, Mexicans, and make sure people who treats other Mexicans as anything other than Mexicans don't get what they want.

[@LouisGandara]

No en Polanco carnal

[@tonkatruck677]

Tell that to the indigenous people. They might have a different opinion.

[@andrespasher194]

yeah we're friendly I guess but to be fair it's a completely made up identity that means nothing, just a mix of all the groups that were fucked over and exterminated, "Mexican" is a lie invented by politicians to "unite" a territory full of broken cultures whose descendants were forced to forget about, idk

[@AztlanHistorian]

Mexican Jewish history is just one of many lost aspects of this country's evolution. Not lost in the sense of being fully forgotten, but in the sense of being often overlooked, at home and abroad. Hopefully this will give us here on KZbin the chance to eventually explore those other aspects. Greetings from Mexico!

[@Vizr.]

Yeah go look into the "lost history" of who pushed and funded Las Guerras Christerras. After Bolshevik Juus used the lemmings for the seperation of Church and State. That led to pogroms and massacres.( Supported by the American admin of the time with the help of certain Bankers. The same people behind communist "revolutions" behind Russia, Ukraine and Europe.) As they became judges, lawyers and heads of corporations and state. Anything that will paint them in a bad light is always hidden.

[@politicalcommentator2010]

Sam, you didn't have to flex your fluent español this hard LOL

[@communistcuphead2901]

Man when I heard him speak Spanish I was flabbergasted, and people do understand him so that's great, most gringos usually don't try to learn the language so seeing this warms my heart

[@SamAronow]

@@communistcuphead2901I’ve been fluent most of my life. It’s my second language and Hebrew is my third.

[@BS-vx8dg]

@@SamAronow Sam, where is the best place to get a bio on you? I had no idea Spanish was your second language.

[@SamAronow]

@@BS-vx8dgNowhere. I’m a private citizen.

[@BS-vx8dg]

@@SamAronow And are thus doing an excellent job of proving one who really wants to can have both a private life and a public presence. You are one of KZbin's purest gems, thanks for your content.

[@KonradAdenauerJr]

You're right in calling out those American journalists who don't get the secularism inherent in Mexican politics.

[@robloxfanboy86]

I am half mexican Jew so this video was a suprise to be sure, but a welcome one Also, bro teased the Bela Kun video and thought we wouldn't notice, cant wait for that one!

[@mroth-m4b]

As a descendent of Hungarian Jews who were in Hungary at that time, so I am also really excited.

[@nathanielzarny1176]

I just paused to look if that came out yet lol, glad someone else noticed it

[@avishaiedenburg1102]

I sincerely hope this is a case of "yay, Hungarian Jewish history", and not "yay, Béla Kun".

[@urbonx]

Jews are not a race...neither mexicans...so stop the gringo koolaid.

[@gabeux9800]

Despite the Mexican population being far more religiously active than Americans, I believe they really don't care that much about the other's cultural/religious heritage as Americans do. Good for them.

[@juhaniaho6698]

¡¿Nuevo vídeo de Sam Aronow?! ¡Si!

[@billybobjohnadamjoe]

The “you made me do this section” had me laughing inside. The international media should’ve known better than to force you to Mexico City 😂

[@sk8ter975]

Forced our boy’s hand dammit😂

[@DaVinciCosmeticsUSA]

Mexico is beautiful and open country more than my country USA (live it know it ). I have been blessed to live in Mexico where I went to learn my spanish fluently and graduate to get prepatory shool , amazing history till now I learning on my free time. Mexican people are friendly people with amazing food and each state have differents plates menu ( I have visit 4 states can wait to visit the rest 28.

[@19ars92]

You forgot to mention the first Mexican president “el innombrable” Carlos Salinas de Gortari Sephardic ancestry, and the most hated president ever in Mexico. Mexico has had First African Mexican president First indigenous mexican president First Jewish president First female president in all North America. I bet you the majority of Jewish Mexicans voted against Sheimbaum because the majority of Jewish are middle to upper class and they consume a lot of mass corporate media, which totally hate Morena’s party, specially its leader and founder Lopez Obrador, the reason of sheimbaum acceptance its because of AMLO’s acceptance by the majority of Mexicans, it’s only overly obsessed American media the ones that I’ve heard mentioning her heritage before any of her actual academic achievements.

[@nojrants]

Very interesting video! To add to what you were saying about Jewish filmmakers who visited Mexico from abroad, another example is leading Soviet director Sergei Eisenstein. He spent a couple years in Mexico in the 1930s, mingling with some of the people you mentioned like Diego Rivera, and was the subject of several documentaries released in the United States at the time. He was in Mexico to produce an epic on Mexican history, which was to be called ¡Que viva México!, but it ended up falling apart after years of production. The film's cancellation was one of many during Eisenstein's decade-long nadir between October and Alexander Nevsky, where his career (and maybe his life) lay on a knife's edge.

[@lapotencia25]

I find that most Jews are unaware of the existence of Latin American Jews. The reality is we are better assimilated into Latin America (a society that doesn't obsess over race/ethnicity) than Anglo America. Hence, Jewish presidents of México and Perú (and Panamá has had 3!) but not US/Canada. My Ecuadorian family are friends with the former President Guillermo Lasso

[@israelilocal]

I had the pleasure of studying and serving with LatAM Jews here in Israel and they were generally wonderful people I have met 2 Chilean Jews a Mexican Jew and a Brazillian Jew all were really nice people

[@lapotencia25]

@@israelilocal I've only been in Israel for a couple weeks last year. I met a few Latin Americans (mostly Argentine) and it was always such a good surprise. Especially because I don't speak Hebrew well. It is nice to have someone to speak Spanish to

[@Viewer163]

As I know the most sociaties in Latin America are simply based on race. The advantage of Jews that they are "white" in those countries.

[@marina.chayka]

A lot of people are shocked when I say I'm from Brazil! And then they get even more shocked that I'm ashkenazi! People just assume there aren't many of us and we're all sefaradim

[@lapotencia25]

@@marina.chayka well many of us are sephardim or follow sephardi customs, but yes, they think we are all descended from generations of crypto-Jews!

[@davedark27]

I never even thought you'd ever make a Mexico video, been a fan for more than 2 years now; binging your videos calms me down through rough times. Thank you for your amazing content, greetings from Veracruz, Mexico. After watching edit; As a Mexican history buff I loved learning a couple of things about mexican history, learning that the post revolutionary nationalist movement (la raza) had some antisemitic agenda was new to me but still completely unsurprising.

[@guillemedina7908]

Great video! You forgot to mention that Frida Kahlo claimed her German father was Jewish, even though he wasn't. Also, the word "raza" does not have a tilde on it.

[@user-sh3cf7kd6e]

13:37 Umm... Sam, is that a video about the Hungarian revolution you didn't upload?

[@Jaynat_SF]

not *yet*

[@tecpaocelotl]

Also, Mexico’s and North America first woman and Jewish leader.

[@ShadowbanTheHedgehog]

As a basic northern Mexican, I did a DNA test got back slim percentages of North African and Ashkenazi results. Seems to be the norm.

[@lux2132]

Might be because of Spanish ancestry

[@communistcuphead2901]

Yeah, I'm Bolivian and did one of those tests last year and got some NA and Ashkenazi DNA in there as well

[@ShadowbanTheHedgehog]

@@lux2132 No doubt 75% Iberian 😂😂😂

[@jacob_and_william]

But that's also what he said in the video; having 3% Jewish DNA is certainly something cool you can talk about but it doesn't make you Jewish (not that you claimed to be but the DNA results sometimes lead to philosemitism)

[@ShadowbanTheHedgehog]

@@jacob_and_william 3% African too, I didn’t wake up the next day thinking I’m black. I’m mestizo bro.. a mix. I love it

[@SergioMendiolaHaro]

9:17 The Carvajal family was in fact Jewish, so much that Luis the younger, the New Leon's gorvernor' nephew, wrote meanwhile in jail a book called Beshem Adonay Zebaot, he also wrote a Vidduy and himns for Sukkot and Shavuot. He is in fact the first Jewish author in the Americas.

[@miguelangelespinosasuarez5475]

Eres mexicano????

[@SergioMendiolaHaro]

@miguelangelespinosasuarez5475 Sí.

[@johan_HaLevy]

Siempre e visto que los judíos askenasi de estados unidos tienen a pensar que solo en Estados Unidos hay judíos y tienden a ignorar a los demás,nosotros que tenemos ancestros de ellos(Carvajal,entre muchos otros)que se sabe que eran judíos o criptio,pero como te comento,tienden a creer que solo ellos son,les hace falta investigar bien,por que noto que la info es muy superficial.

[@RosalesFamily-w1y]

I didn’t know I was Jewish until my grandma died in the early 2000 she told all of us and her death bed. We knew that she will always tell us that she came from a very far place, and we didn’t know. She spoke another language because she will always tell us. The Spanish was not her first language.

[@cv990a4]

A concentrated info-bomb on Mexican Jewish history, worthwhile. And, as usual, along the way he fleshes out for me a lot of general history that I didn't know or that I had just a vague inkling of before. Thank you, Sam, another half hour well spent.

[@tercuskuhnsis8854]

GOATED video. Mexican fan here. You nailed this video man, and you have a spot on understanding of mexican history and nationalism. Yesterday I watched Megalopolis and I thought that my day was irremediably ruined, but then I arrived home and this was in my youtube feed waiting for me. Bruh, was one of the "we are so back" moments of my life fr. Thanks for saving the weekend. Btw I'm working on my degree thesis about a comparative study between the kibbutz and the ejido mexicano in the context of state building. Your videos has been very useful to understanding the background in the creation of the kibbutz movement. Thanks a lot for that too Saludos -Tercus

[@SamAronow]

I found _Megalopolis_ altogether mediocre.

[@julianaguirre7249]

Great video! I have been following your work for months and it has helped me a lot to begin to delve into general Jewish history and modern political thought, and to approach historical topics already known from another approach. I appreciate that another reason for your video is to disarm prejudices and commonplaces about politics and societies of Latin American countries. As an Argentinean, I am surprised to see how easily North American scholars and journalists still repeat stereotypes about Latin American countries without questioning them. And examples of this abound when dealing with issues of identity, “race” and ethnicity, applying North American identity dynamics to our countries. I saw that Raanan Rein is among your sources, he has great works to introduce you to the history of the Argentine Jewish and Arab communities. I hope someday you can make a video like this one dedicated to Argentina, and maybe one won't be enough.

[@user-sh3cf7kd6e]

31:07 You missed a golden opportunity to mention that Superman is Jewish

[@JP-sb6ll]

There is an underground cave in the state of *Chihuahua* that contains giant crystals. Kind of like the one's portrayed in the *Superman* comics/movies, inside the *fortress of solitude* . 😂

[@omarvi280]

The creator was, but Superman himself doesnt have a specific religion, but I guess he would be baptist/evangelical Christian anyway as he was raised in rural Kansas.

[@user-sh3cf7kd6e]

@@omarvi280 His name is an Hebrew name And some authors speculated one of the inspiration for the character was the story about Moses. The N@ zis also claimed that Supermen is Jewish (on the other hand, you know, many things were "Jewish" in their eyes).

[@israelilocal]

133 days of Bela kun coming next? great video I am glad that you started with explaining the situation with the supposed Crypto-Jews and went on to talk about normative Jewish history

[@luisd7706]

Now I understand why my 2nd great-granddad was baptized into Catholicism as an Adult in 1849 He was from Switzerland one of the 11 original Swiss entering the country in Mexico. His records show they were protestant and he converted to Catholicism and 12 his offspring.

[@ItsKenshiz14]

Hey sam, will you ever talk about the the Holocaust in Romania during the second world war? As a Moldovan its something i think is very under discussed, and it's absolutely horrifying because of the fact that the Romanian government took a lot of it in their "own hand's".

[@MarioReyesSAP]

Thank you, great documented narrative, I enjoyed your video.

[@salamecas5293]

Wolf Ruvinskis was not born in Argentina he came from eastern europe and decided to stay in Mexico until his death

[@jackharold8379]

Lmao at the LAPD being listed as a Nazi organisation

[@SamAronow]

We will get to that. *We will all get to that.*

[@izzystar5904]

bruh ☠️

[@GreenCanvasInteriorscape]

I haven't got to that point yet and have no duck in the pond, but saw a video about either Fontana or tarzana officers having swastika tattoos and malignant racism infecting their arrest rates and public statements attesting to it. Possibly rolling Stone magazine featured Nazi officers in the LA area a decade ago, the stone is a leftist rag and I acknowledge that but there is truth to be garnered and I await the LAPD Nazi reveal by the esteemed historian Sam we are both watching

[@OrdoAbChao-kg5rf]

​@@SamAronow Ahhahaha!!! there's no such thing as aNtiSeMo0tiSm. The Torah tells us who jüden WANT us to believe you are... BUT THE TALMUD (once only orally passed on) REVEALS WHO YOU REALLY ARE AND YOUR INTENTIONS AS ENEMIES OF HUMANITY ("oy-est of veys! The goyim KN0o0oOW!")

[@ericktellez7632]

In very simple terms, while the population in Mexico are indeed more religious than the American one, the government and separation of church and state in Mexico is far more delineated than the American one, even the actual catholic former Mexican presidents never made any public shows of their religion during office, it’s a remnant of the Mexican civil war and the constitution that would come out of it. It’s to the point that while running for any type of office in Mexico, religions is not a campaign point that is usually if ever promoted by the candidates.

[@SamAronow]

You're correct, and it's precisely _because_ the US was never dominated by a single denomination of Christianity that the separation of church and state is far more passive in nature.

[@ekmalsukarno2302]

Sam Aronow, if you ever make a video on Judaism in Chile, I hope you mention both Don Francisco and Alejandro Jodorowsky. Likewise, if you ever make a video on Judaism in Argentina, I hope you mention Maurice de Hirsch, the various Jewish settlements established in Argentina, as well as Jacobo Timermann.

[@Sergio-ns4dx]

Es mejor que no mencione a Timerman que consiguió su libertad Gracias a Israel y después le dio la espalda , traidor

[@D.L.Hunter.Palmer]

You are really becoming a fantastic artist of the spoken word. Your bit on Santa Ana made me laugh out loud. I love your videos and have recommended them to all my Jewish and many non-Jewish friends

[@Viewer163]

It is understandble why Ladino speaking Sephardic jews immigrated to Mexico.

[@thekingofmoney2000]

Unlike the USA, Mexicans don't fixate on race and religion. Birth and upbringing in Mexico define you as Mexican, regardless of ancestry. Identity politics has little significance in Mexico and most Latin American countries.

[@angelcabeza6464]

As someone from Gunajuato yes we do the discrimination you face just for being tooo brown or too white in Mexico has neve gone away

[@BS-vx8dg]

When I saw the thumbnail I was *immediately* embarrassed that I had noticed only that Mexico's new President was a woman, but had not noticed that she is Jewish. But at about 0:55, when I saw the tweets denying her Jewishness (and the reasons thereof) I was relieved that my ignorance-based embarrassment was several orders of magnitude less than some "experts". I am really looking forward to the rest of this video.

[@krim7]

You should think about making a travel vlog channel. You are really good at capturing the vibes of the places you visit.

[@jasonwelle]

Always a good day when Sam's got a new video out!

[@danieldelrancho5749]

I was born in a very small rancho in Mexico, in a very Spanish/indigenous catholic family in fact my grandfather was killed during the cristero war. I was always told to dislike Judíos/Jewish and Protestants even though there’s was no ethnic/ religious diversity groups in central rural México.

[@MaryamMaqdisi]

Very fascinating, thank you for this, I often get frustrated by how Latin America in general is portrayed by the media, it's very alienating and condescending.

[@AztlanHistorian]

I wholeheartedly agree

[@communistcuphead2901]

Viva Latinoamerica carajo

[@SamAronow]

Yeah, Mexico City felt significantly less “foreign” to me than, say, London.

[@danmur2797]

The irony was that the viceroyalty of New Spain was in its history a wealthier, and military stronger state than the British North American colonies prior to independence. Its only post independence that the fortunes became reversed.

[@sherrimusic9172]

So I've always wondered this. Why is latam portrayed in such a crap way? Is it to assert our supposed superiority or something? For political reasons? It's infuriating.

[@AncientAmericas]

Loved this episode!

[@sergeigen1]

Yooo , i love ur channel

[@spore1176]

I am currently a Jewish community lay leader in a us military base in Japan and happen to have helped out a couple Mexican Jewish Airmen. I sent them this video and I appreciate everything you do.

[@SamAronow]

At the parade I noticed that the engineers, artillery, medical officers, and pilots came in immediate succession. The Aztlan Historian said that’s not a stereotype in Mexico, but now you come at me with this?

[@spore1176]

@@SamAronow to quote a great man “they hate us cause they ain’t us”🫡

[@GreenCanvasInteriorscape]

Are you aware of an origin besides the coolest dictator movie for that quote? It seems so obvious that a Jewish comedian might have come up with it yet it's only attributed to that seemingly funny film based on my brief search

[@jjeherrera]

Then, of course you missed the influence of the Mexican Jewish community in academia, which is from where Sheinbaum comes from.

[@therongjr]

I have alerts on for your channel, and somehow I didn't see this until almost 24 hours later!

[@OMC1109]

Mexico, along with France, are the most secular countries in the world, politically speaking. The Constitution prohibits public officials, starting with the president, from governing under any religious precept. Religious symbols are prohibited on clothing and in public spaces, even in official speeches. The ethnic and religious origin of whoever presides over the country does not matter as long as it does not mix with the interests of Mexicans as a whole. We have had indigenous presidents, with diverse ancestry, and now from the Jewish community, which does not mean any particular triumph for any group. There is no "Jewish" presidency, if Sheinbaum wanted it she would be deposed.

[@SamAronow]

Italy as well.

[@coletonjohnson2252]

Jewish guy engaged to a Mexican dude from puebla immediately send this to him

[@macaronisex]

GAY 🙌

[@xrpkidotec520]

Yeah, we are Sephardic jews. We come from the kingdom of Judea. We are not like ashkeNAZI jews. Our ashkenazi jews are suffering from zionist butchering their identity to becoming an English colonization state through Israel. Sephardic jewry doesn't support the current state of Israel. We don't believe in murder or conquest. The jews do not need a nation. We've survived and will continue to survive without one. Jewry is a mindset of values and morals.

[@ericktellez7632]

@@macaronisexand proud

[@oilmoney2007]

yahud 🤢

[@junominame2490]

🤢🤢

[@ElvingsMusings]

There's this wonderful film, 'El santo officio' by Arturo Ripstein that deals a lot with Jewish history in Mexico. The director, Ripstein, is one of Mexica's greatest film-makers and he's Jewish himself, an apprentice of Spanish exile to Mexico, Luis Bunuel who later collaborated with the likes of Gabriel Garcia-Marquez. Also the Salkinds produced Orson Welles' The Trial, which adapts Franz Kafka's novel.

[@miriamzajfman4305]

Happy to find this podcast ! I do know some people who moved to Mexico , one of them is my daughter . Greetings from Montreal 💌

[@SamAronow]

I pray for your protection from the bane of my nightmares Bonhomme Carnaval.

[@Paisley2U]

Well done and researched.

[@thedemongodvlogs7671]

As a tidbit, I am a little sad you didn't show much footage from some of Mexico City's synagogues. From what I've seen and heard, the Monte Sinai synagogue and centre have some very interesting architecture!!

[@dukeofmania6504]

I didn’t even know Mexico had a new president. Thank you for this video!

[@grant8243]

I always find the videos you put out to be great, and this one is no exception. However, I’m a bit confused about the sudden shift from your Israel/Palestine videos to content on Mexican Jews. I’m wondering if that series has ended, or if you’re just taking a break and planning to continue it later?

[@SamAronow]

I finished 1920s Palestine so I'm doing a special. Now I'll cover the 1920s in diaspora.

[@Personal-gj3mr]

@@SamAronowQuestion is that going to be how you do it in the future? One big chunk in Isreal/Palestine then do a Special then transition to what your doing in other parts of the Diaspora?

[@grant8243]

Interesting! I can’t wait to see what other videos you have in store for the future. Shabbat Shalom!

[@TheFlappening]

​@@Personal-gj3mr He tries not to reveal his schedule in case he has to change it. At best you can gleam a pattern from his past release schedules.

[@mariomacias7090]

Great video, thank you for taking the time to make it.

[@arlosmith2784]

Mexico differs from some Latin American countries because it has always had a strong Left and a history of anti Clericalism.

[@Classicguy66]

I agree

[@antoineduri1340]

Very interesting video, thanks ! Have you felt something has changed about the perception of Mexican jews in this place since the start of Israel-Hamas war ? In many countries the consequences are strong, but I wonder for Mexico

[@SamAronow]

The short answer is no. The long answer is yes, but not to the same extent as in the US or Canada, which tends to be overstated anyway. Foreign policy typically takes a backseat in the popular politics of _every_ country, but Mexico's neutral and the government's position since World War II has basically been that any conflict outside of the Americas is none of their business. As in Canada and a lot of European countries, there _is_ a subset of political junkie in Mexico who harbors ambitions to make their country much more diplomatically and militarily influential, but unlike in those countries, such people in Mexico are almost entirely on the political right.

[@shuliarenko]

Was there any mentions, did 3 linguistic communities in 1920-ies in Mexico established their own synagogues (separate ashkenazi and sephardi synagogues are common, but was there separate ladino-sephardi and arab-sephardi synagogues)?

[@emilios1995]

I'm part of the Mexican Jewish community. I'd like to clarify something: It is true that most Jews here tend to undermine Claudia's Jewish identity. Part of that is that most Jews are not sympathetic to Morena (I don't think 40% voted for her, where did you get that stat?), but it's also important to understand how the community itself relates to it's Judaism. Most Jews here live a lifestyle that looks secular and Conservative from the outside, but their synagogues are strictly orthodox. Quite a unique phenomenon really. Furthermore, even though "Secularism has been the norm for about a century" as you said, most Mexican Jews are pretty orthodox in their fundamental beliefs, and see them as extremely important, even though their life might, again, appear perfectly secular from the outside. They also see it as extremely important to attend their (again, Orthodox) synagogue at least during the High Holidays. More importantly, the overall Jewish community is extremely tight knit. Even across community lines. (There are about 4 main communities.) Family ties are also extremely important. You can also see this reflected in the fact that Mexico has one of the lowest "assimilation" rates. Given that, you can see how Claudia's identity as a Atheist, her complete lack of engagement with the Jewish community, her failure to practice any Jewish ritual, and her distant relationship with her Jewish heritage (by her own admission) all contribute to the kind of comments about her Jewishness you read in the articles you cited, and heard across the Jewish community. I'm not saying that all of this denies her her Jewish identity. On the contrary, she is a Jew even when viewed from the Orthodox lens since her mother is a Jew. But that's what explains the kind of comments about her that you read. And going back to the politic side of it, as I mentioned, most Jews didn't want her party to win. They're convinced that she's going to do a bad job, and when she does, that it will awake antisemitic sentiment among the Mexican people. As to why Jews are not involved in policy, I think your explanation is right. But another factor might be that the political class here is seen as extremely corrupt. I think that Jews here don't want any of their own being part of that and fuel any dormant antisemitic feeling whenever any scandal arises. There was a jewish candidate for Mexico City's mayorship (Chertorivsky) and the community was pretty quiet about him and disengaged from his campaign, even though he is not from Morena.

[@ShalomMF]

Content and presentation is great.

[@tartankiltington]

Not bad, but refering to New Spain as a colony insted of a viceroyalty and Santa Ana as a dictator insted of a president is a very tricky way to insert predetermined narratives

[@ahertz]

Another consideration is that: mestizos by being the product of colonization recognize the power, danger and damage of the church over the native and novo Hispanic population in the last 300 years, that’s why we keep it separate from the government. No one should have that much power and religion is too sacred to be mixed with mundane life, Mexicans are very tolerant towards other religions except lately with the far right ideology slowly permeating conservatives.

[@luismanuelpotencianonorato9672]

Bueno en España pasa igual con la Iglesia Católica y los otros países católicos a excepción de Costa Rica, además los que hicieron esas leyes se inspiraron en la Revolución francesa auque con el tiempo se volvió extremo como en la Unión Soviética que perseguieron a los católicos ya sabes la guerra cristera y la persecución a los católicos en Tabasco. Muchos católicos son mestizos, indígenas, blancos, etc.

[@luismanuelpotencianonorato9672]

De hecho en la primera constitución mexicana basada en la Española hicieron el catolicismo religión oficial y no se toleraba otra y hasta el padre Morelos en la Constitución de Apatzingán.

[@luismanuelpotencianonorato9672]

Hasta mucha gente se estan alejando de la Iglesia Católica y se estan volviendo protestantes o no creyente y es un fenómeno global. Ya que hoy en día nadie los obliga a ser católico como antes aún así hay casi 1400 millones de fieles católico en el mundo.

[@OnePlayer480]

That used to be the case... 200 years ago. Now everyone separates religion from the government because it would just make work more stubborn. No other reason. And it still intertwines with work during holidays and everyday life in a minor amount. At one point, religion stopped being a major issue, and the real issue became the people being incapable of fixing their own shortcomings on a national scale. People don't think that religion is the problem, they think that people run to religion to avoid their problems. And because there's too many problems all the time, nearly everyone is religious to some degree. And the ones which don't really find religion, instead believe in themselves... So... Still, using faith.

[@stevedavenport1202]

Mexico's Jewish community is vanishingly small

[@fafolaw]

0.05% of the Mexican population to be exact.

[@calicons3]

I thought Mexicans were from the tribe of Issachar?

[@HectorGonzalez-fv3fb]

Wow Sam, this video was amazing and very informative. I’m from Nuevo Leon and although I thought I knew more than most about our jewish history (I lived in CDMX and was around a lot of jewish friends and teachers) I have now realized I knew next to nothing. Here in Nuevo Leon there was a way to “regain” spanish citizenship by proving that you descended from exiled jews or conversos. There were thousands of people who were able to gain Spanish citizenship because a lot of northern mexico was founded by jewish people. My girlfriend is descended from the founder of Monterrey and Saltillo (according to family legend).

[@qualqui]

Thanks Sam, as a roman catholic mestizo, you help me understand much better, the progression of my country from colonial times on through to these modern times, interesting to know about the Jewish mexicans that live here and they along with other immigrants helped shape the country into what Porfirio Díaz originally intended, a modern nation founded on republican values and not the feudal country that classified it's people to how they looked and what religion they should have.

[@luismanuelpotencianonorato9672]

Diaz no hizo las cosas coml debe ser acuerdate de la desigualdad, la explotación, las odiadas tiendas de raya.

[@danmur2797]

In the early 1900s many Jews came from eastern Europe as well as the Balkans. The best known national anchorman in Mexico in the 1980s was Jewish Polish-Mexican Jacobo Zabludovsky. Likewise on one side of Claudia Sheinbaum her ancestry comes from Lithuania (something which apparently made news in Lithuania). Some have said Frida Khalo's father (a German immigrant) was of Jewish ancestry, but not sure about that thread (have not done a deep dive), its just something that's been mentioned. There's been a few other examples.

[@danmur2797]

@SamAronow Yes from Bulgaria and the other Lithuania.

[@SamAronow]

Sorry, I misread your original comment.

[@AyariAymen-q9f]

That Salamanca cosplay suited sam so good lol

[@tedhubertcrusio372]

Sheinbaum: "I thank Jesus for my electoral victory" Weiss and Richman: *triggered* Sheinbaum: "My husband, Jesús is my campaign manager" Weiss and Richman: *surprised Pikachu face*

[@jansenart0]

This is literally the first time I've ever heard about the president of Mexico.

[@HectorGonzalez-fv3fb]

Thank you for making this video Sam! I learned so much of my country!

[@daveluna7931]

Thanks so much for this episode I am Jewish American/ but my family is from Mexico 🇲🇽 so thank you 🙏

[@MarcosElMalo2]

11:32 “Sí pero no” está bien mexicano. 😂 Edit: Outstanding video, Sam. Thank you so much for making it and posting it.

[@vertdragoon]

Excellent sound editing. Very informative.

[@diegobremer3347]

great video man. well informed and factual. great Spanish too.

[@bensrandomshows1482]

It's the Mexican-Jewish Cultural Feee-estival! Oi-Lay!

[@djalmalopez2345]

Sam, tu español is top tier my guy!! Keep up the good work! Your friend from NJ!

[@leboulas]

I have jewish ancestry plus european and native american ancentrey yet i just feel i am mexican, México city is diverse my dear americans

[@shinyyonovit6635]

Same as you: Born Mexican, with American- Mexican Native ,Jewish, and European ancestry.

[@rayek6353]

The thing is that Mexico alongside most Latin American countries don't give a flying rat ass about someone's ethnicity. We are mestizo countries so it's like otra raya para el tigre.

[@EFO841]

your comment at around 32:00 is SO true. as a mexican-american, when visiting my grandparents in mexico, it always surprised me how similar the US and Mexico actually are! so much of US "western" culture is shared with mexico!

[@leonake4194]

As a Northern mexican Its pretty strange how ridiculous the exotization of México can be in the US; When I was younger watching American media I didnt even knew we were supposed to be culturally different, I obvioulsly understood the US and México are different countries, but I didnt knew i was watching something that was supposed to be another culture

[@lucywisinski8732]

I was born in Monterrey México. I recently had an ancestry test and I have 6% Jew ancestry. I am not surprised because my city was founded by sefardí Jews.

[@FerSpada]

🤣 is not only that, Spaniards where controlled by Arabs for 800 years so they had ADN from the region too, Jews lie ABOUTH their heritage had middle eastern ADM don't make you a Jew

[@jpbarragan9069]

As a Mexican that this video opened with the cdmx's metro is really funny

[@FemiNelson-sb1em]

I REALLY appreciate this history of Mexico. Gracias. Paz be with us all 🙏. "Sra Isa"

[@germanus7302]

Honestly, what i found most impressive is the map. The Yaqui wars and their independence is an important part of regional history in Mexico, but is often ignored by Mexico as a whole, and the fact that you kept showing it as outside the central governments control is truly impressive! It might not have been an intentional detail but a nice one nevertheless.

[@luismanuelpotencianonorato9672]

En la escuela si vimos la guerra yaqui y la guerra de casta en Yucatán y como los yaquis era deportados a Yucatán a trabajas en las haciendas henequeneras como siervos junto con los mayas durante la dictadura de Díaz.

[@Warrior_By_birth]

I believe Mexico doesn’t exalt their Religion because of their separation of Church and State by Benito Juarez. They do take that separation to their core… even though Hidalgo used the flag of the Virgen of Guadalupe to make the mostly native population join him and the criollos into battle against Spain.

[@gilbertotoledo1421]

Great video! However Claudia may be the first Jewish president, but the first mexican president of Jewish descent was actually Plutarco Elías Calles, though he was an atheist and not a practicing Jew.

[@luismanuelpotencianonorato9672]

Y persiguió a los católicos, guerra cristera.

[@Chris-io4iz]

Thank you so much for this video, Sam. It was fascinating.

[@sortingoutmyclothes8131]

LOL, I know we may not like to share the spotlight, but it would be great if, at some point in the future, you'd be willing to share the spotlight with us and make a video about the Jewish History of Argentina.

[@SamAronow]

I know enough to hope it’s not motivated by the same kind of news as this one.

[@sortingoutmyclothes8131]

@@SamAronow You mean Milei converting to Judaism? No, I'd actually forgotten, I really try not to think of him when I can.🥲

[@SamAronow]

It actually looks like Jamaica will probably elect a Jewish PM next year, but I doubt we'll see the same kind of clueless discourse around it here.

[@flamingflamingo4021]

What's the red string you're wearing on your right hand? does it have any religious significance?

[@ffsfreddie]

I can’t speak for why he wears it but red string bracelets are a way to ward of the evil eye in Judaism

[@ezrafriesner8370]

It may just be purely decorative or because it looks cool, but many Jews do wear them in respect of Kabbalist teachings about avoiding misfortune. An example is warding off the evil eye as the previous reply notes.

[@Alan713ch]

Me, a mexican who grew up watching 24hrs: Zabludovsky es judio? Me, reading his last name: Oh I am an idiot (Also, Mexico City beats Chicago on the weather alone. It could do with better public transit tho)

[@luismanuelpotencianonorato9672]

Hoy amaneció soleado.

[@franciscovelasco5422]

¡Gracias por el video Sam!

[@TheAndrewSchneider]

This video was very comprehensive and superb! Well done! I actually just watched a film at the Houston Polish Film Festival called “The Deluge: Postscriptum” which was talking about the production of the Polish film of that name featuring interviews with director Jerzy Hoffman. Including a lengthy discussion of how the Polish People’s Republic’s antisemitic campaign in 1968 you mentioned in the Scandinavia video led to a huge upheaval in the Polish film industry which had ramifications for the production of the most expensive film in Poland. I recommend it highly!

[@arielle2745]

💓💖💕👏 Great video!

[@fafolaw]

As a Mexican Jew I really liked this video, thanks for covering my community.

[@patrickkelmer6290]

Erev Shabbat just got better.

[@fourthdeconstruction]

True, as a Mexican and despite of millions of Mexicans who deny this, Mexico is the most western country of all Spanish speaking world and very pro North American in many ways.

[@agme8045]

Mexico more western than Spain, Chile, Argentina and Uruguay? 😂

[@fourthdeconstruction]

@@agme8045 far more than those countries you mentioned

[@Manus7100]

Mostly because we are under the BIGGEST western nation/power

[@BRIII7323]

@@agme8045 He said pro North American