[Gocamino] Matajudios????

[Rebekah Scott]

Dear Glenn

Fact O Life, Fact O History. There are at least two villages of Matajudios in Castilla y Leon, right along with the Matamoros and Mataratas, Matapuercos, and even Mataperros... I guess if you were killing someone or something at the time, you just named the town or district after it! It´s not pretty, but it´s truthful. At least they haven´t renamed everthing Maple Tree Village or Fox Run Estates! 

Reb. 


Rebekah Scott 
www.moratinoslife.blogspot.com

"Confront the dark parts of yourself. … Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing."   -- August Wilson


--- On Wed, 5/6/09, Glenn Jilek <guha2005 at hotmail.com> wrote:

> From: Glenn Jilek <guha2005 at hotmail.com>
> Subject: [Gocamino] Matajudios????
> To: "Ultreya" <ultreya at yahoogroups.com>, gocamino at oakapple.net
> Date: Wednesday, May 6, 2009, 6:45 PM
> 
> This is my 3rd time I passed through Castrojeriz.  The
> first time, I knew only enough Spanish to be a bit
> courteous, and to get essentials.  The second time I
> noticed a strange sign but it was in the middle of a thunder
> lightning rain storm and I really was concerned with getting
> shelter.  This time I paid special attention to the
> sign as you approached that steep ascent.  It said
> Castillo de Matajudios.  At the top of the plateau was
> a sign designating an ecological area called
> Matajudios.  What is the story behind this? 
> Matajudios means Jew Killer does is not?  Was this
> during the period of Isabels ethnic cleansing, when Jews had
> to leave or die?  Before I went to college, ages ago, I
> always associated Queen Isabel with Columbus and the
> "discovery" of the new world.  Then I found out she
> really was a major player in one of the first pogroms.
> 
>  
> 
> It is just shocking to see a sign like that in modern
> times.  I hope that I am wrong in my translation. 
> Can  anyone clarify this for me.
> 
>  
> 
> Glenn
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