The Mezuzah in the Madonna's Foot: Marranos and Other Secret Jews: A Woman Discovers Her Hidden Identity Paperback – September 21, 2006

Excellent memoir and investigation of other Jews who lived in Spain. Simple, non-academic perspective full of emotion and understanding of the lives affected by the history of Spain and the Jews - from the 1492 expulsion and inquisition to post-WWII experiences, including how Franco's government, aligned with Hitler, but neutral in the war, dealt with Jews crossing its borders and dwelling within. It's a quick read with lots of info.

What an amazing surprise. Engaging well written sensitive to those the writer therapist interviewed. I found this book quite by accident and could not put it down. A window into life during a time in history when being Jewish in Europe was a death sentence. Yet through the kindness of Spsin who had thrown the Jewz out in the past killed or demanded conversion, now accepted Jewish Europeans when other countries refused. The journey over the Pyrenees for those the writer spoke with was inspiring. A writer in search of her own heritage found so much more and do will you. Only sorry she is no longer alive now that I have discovered her masterpiece.

Trudi Alexy's book, part memoir and part general history, documents the flight of those Jews who were lucky enough to escape Europe and find a sanctuary in Spain during the Holocaust. The Mezuzha in the Madonna's Foot catches hold of the irony of this situation, and explores its numerous ramifications.For of course, Jews were expelled from Spain in 1492, and while the rest of Europe, with some exceptions, failed to give them safe haven from the Nazis, Fascist Spain did. Ms. Alexy explores the reasons for this, and also provides compelling stories of people who escaped to Spain and lived out the war there, or used it as a spring board to travel to even safer locations.The prose in this work is usually uninspired, but that does not seem to be the thrust of Ms. Alexy's book. More than dazzle us with innovative use of the language, she sets to preserving an important, if often overlooked, part of the destruction of Europe's Jews.

This is one of the most interesting books I've read in a long time ... excellent. I've actually bought several copies since reading it to share with friends. Highly highly recommend this read--to anyone who is interested in Jewish history and the heritage of Spanish Jews.

This book is well researched and well written, but mostly it is a very important historical document. Trudi Alexy exposes hertofore unkonwn facts about Spain's role in saving Jews during the Holocaust and this needs to be made known to the world.

this was required for a book club. It was not what i expected. The information was interesting and answered many historical questions, but the author's style was not gripping. I will donate it as a reference book to a local religious institution.

I found this book very interesting and a fascinating read, as I did not know that Franco had turned a blind eye and allowed so many Jewish refugees to escape through Spain. The book was recommended to me years ago by my elderly mother who was an avid reader.

This book was recommended to me for some research I was doing. Although the era that the author writes about is later than what I needed for my research, I found the book so interesting that I finished it. An intriguing read of what it means to be a 'secret Jew.'