Anusim

Anusim (Hebrew, forced ones) is a term describing persons unwillingly converted from Judaism to another religion. Instances of forced conversion occur throughout Christian history which include the baptism of the Jewish community of Clermont-Ferrand in 570 AD, the compulsory conversions throughout the Rhineland in the tenth century, and the Conversos or Marranos of Spain. When such events occurred, the Jewish converts tried retaining their heritage by attempting in secret to teach the children their ancestral beliefs and practices. Forced conversion also occurred in Islamic countries, where there were similar attempts to retain Jewish identity.