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| Kosher Taco Truck |
(Scroll down for video) A kosher truck selling tacos is trying to reach out to those long-lost Jews from the Spanish Inquisition era, according to a report by ABC in Texas.
An El Paso artist hopes to highlight the history of crypto-Jews in the Southwest of the United States through his kosher taco truck.
About six years ago, the artist, Peter Svarzbein, began photographing crypto-Jews, who are Hispanics or Latinos of Jewish descent. Thousands of Jews in Spain had to keep their faith in secret after the Spanish Inquisition.
Svarzbein wants to highlight the stories of Jewish families through his taco truck that is serving food at Congregation B'nai Zion and at Hope and Anchor on the weekends.
On Monday, the truck stood in downtown El Paso, on the corner of Mills and Mesa. Besides serving tacos, the stories of the crypto-Jews are projected onto the walls.
Many crypto-Jews did not discover their Jewish heritage until later generations.
"It was a family secret. I grew up on the south side, the Segundo Barrio, where we fear the unknown," John Garcia, a former crypto-Jew, who converted to Judaism after discovering his Jewish ancestry, said.
Garcia said he learned that his Jewish ancestors were burned at the stake near Monterrey, Mexico, practicing their faith.