Sponsored by Aish: In 1492, Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain signed a decree expelling all Jews who refused to convert to Christianity. Tomas de Torquemada served as “Grand Inquisitor,” charged with uncovering those who continued to practice Judaism in secret (called Conversos or Marranos — “pigs”). In the ensuing Inquisition, an estimated 32,000 Jews were...
Spain, NATO, and Israel
From Spain, NATO, and Israel: In recent years there has been a change for the better in Israel’s portrayal in the Spanish media. Now at least a few columnists expose Palestinian terrorism, attack anti-Semitism, and outline the problematic context in which Israel has to operate. Both the terror attacks in Madrid on 11 March 2004 that killed about two hundred, and the Israeli disengagement in...
Iberia Reconnects with Its Jewish History
From Iberia Reconnects with Its Jewish History: Now, more than five centuries after Spain violently expelled its Jews, the country is experiencing a revival of interest in Sephardic heritage. Unlike Berlin, Prague, and other European cities where a lost Jewish heritage has been a cultural steppingstone for years – and where old Jewish quarters, synagogues and cemeteries are almost mandatory...
Al-Qaeda Targets “Al-Andalus” (Spain)
From Al-Qaeda Targets “Al-Andalus” (Spain): Nearly 300 suspected Islamic militants have been arrested in Spain since March 11, 2004, after bombs ripped through four Madrid train stations, killing 191 people and injuring nearly 2,000. Roughly 80% of the militants are from the Maghreb, according to a study by Madrid’s Elcano Royal Institute. In February, Ayman al-Zawahri, the No...
Spain opens Sephardic cultural center
From the Jerusalem Post: Spain on Thursday inaugurated a culture institute, “Casa Sefarad Israel” honoring the Sephardic Jews and said it was settling a debt dating back to their expulsion during the Spanish Inquisition. “Today is a historic day for the Jewish communities, Israel and Spain. With this act we settle a very old debt with Sepharad,” said Spain’s Foreign...
Spain: the European Iran
Spain, the first domino, falls. From FrontPage: Ciempozuelos is a village near Madrid. Excluding punctual scandals – like the major’s recent resignation under charges of corruption – for the 12,768 inhabitants of Ciempozuelos, life is good – and progressive. The Socialist Party PSOE calls the shots, so it was no surprise when the town announced there was not going to be any commemoration of the...
Barcelona restoring Jewish quarter
Barcelona is restoring its old Jewish quarter, but the local Jewish community says it’s being shut out of the process. In the Middle Ages, Barcelona’s Jewish community of 4,000 people played an integral role in the city. Acting as a bridge to immigrants from throughout the Mediterranean, the local Jews spoke Greek, Hebrew, Spanish, Catalan, Latin and Arabic. But in 1391, anti-Jewish riots moved...