Anusim

Anusim (Hebrew: אֲנוּסִים, pronounced [anuˈsim]; singular male, Anús, Hebrew: אָנוּס‎ pronounced [aˈnus]; singular female, Anusáh, Hebrew: אָנוּסָה‎ pronounced [anuˈsa], meaning "Coerced [converted Jews]") is a legal category of Jews in halakha (Jewish law) who were forced to abandon Judaism against their will, typically while forcibly converted to another religion. The term "anusim" is most properly translated as the "coerced [ones]" or the "forced [ones]".

The religious legal terms anús/anusáh/anusim is applied to those Jews who were forced to abandon Judaism against their will. Depending on the specific Jewish responsa being followed by a Jewish community receiving Anusim, the category of Anusim can also be applied to the first, second, and up to third, fourth, and at most fifth generation descendants of the initial forced converts. In all cases, the categorization as Anusim is conditional on their continuing to do whatever was/is in their power to continue practicing Judaism under the forced conditions.