Who Are the Sephardi Jews?
The Sephardim are Jews whose ancestors lived on the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) before the expulsion of 1492. After their exile, they dispersed throughout the Ottoman Empire, North Africa, the Netherlands, and the Americas, carrying with them their unique traditions, religious customs, and the Ladino language—a Romance language preserving medieval Spanish mixed with Hebrew, Arabic, Turkish, and Greek elements.
The term "Sephardi" comes from Sepharad, the Hebrew word for Spain. Today, Sephardi communities exist worldwide, with significant populations in Israel, Turkey, the Balkans, Morocco, and diaspora communities in Europe and the Americas. Ladino, also called Judeo-Spanish, is recognized by UNESCO as severely endangered.
The Golden Age and Expulsion
Medieval Iberia saw flourishing Jewish communities that produced major philosophers, poets, scientists, and religious scholars. Figures like Maimonides, Judah Halevi, and Abraham ibn Ezra made lasting contributions to Jewish and world culture. Jews served as physicians, diplomats, merchants, and translators, facilitating cultural exchange between Christian, Muslim, and Jewish worlds.
The Alhambra Decree of 1492, issued by Ferdinand and Isabella, gave Jews the choice of conversion, exile, or death. An estimated 200,000 Jews fled, while many others converted under duress, becoming conversos or "New Christians." Some maintained Jewish practice secretly for generations. The Ottoman Empire welcomed Sephardi refugees, with Sultan Bayezid II famously remarking that Ferdinand had impoverished Spain and enriched Turkey.
The Ladino Language
Ladino preserved the Spanish of the 15th century, evolving differently from modern Spanish as communities lived isolated from the Iberian Peninsula. Written in Hebrew characters until the 20th century, Ladino developed a rich literature including romances (ballads), religious texts, newspapers, and modern poetry.
Different communities developed distinct varieties: Judeo-Spanish in the Ottoman Balkans and Turkey, Haketia in Morocco, and other variants. The language absorbed vocabulary from surrounding cultures—Turkish, Greek, Arabic, French—while maintaining its Castilian core. Proverbs, songs, and stories passed through generations encode Sephardi wisdom and humor.
Distinctive Traditions
Sephardi religious practice differs from Ashkenazi (Central/Eastern European) Judaism in liturgy, pronunciation of Hebrew, legal rulings, and customs. Sephardi synagogues feature different architectural styles and musical traditions. The Sephardi liturgical tradition is considered closer to ancient practice by some scholars.
Sephardi cuisine reflects centuries of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influence: dishes like bourekas, pasteles, and sofrito; sweets like travados and marzipan; and symbolic foods for holidays. Customs like the Sephardi Passover Seder include unique foods and songs. Family names often preserve memories of Iberian origin towns.
The Twentieth Century
The Holocaust devastated Sephardi communities in the Balkans and Greece. The Nazis deported nearly the entire Jewish population of Thessaloniki—the "Jerusalem of the Balkans"—to Auschwitz. Communities that had existed for centuries were destroyed in months. Meanwhile, establishment of Israel drew Sephardim from across the Middle East and North Africa, though they often faced discrimination from the Ashkenazi establishment.
Today, Sephardi identity is experiencing revival. Spain and Portugal have offered citizenship to Sephardi descendants, prompting exploration of family histories. Ladino language courses, music festivals, and cultural organizations work to preserve and transmit the heritage. Younger generations increasingly embrace Sephardi identity as part of Jewish diversity.
References
- Gerber, J.S. (1992). "The Jews of Spain: A History of the Sephardic Experience"
- Benbassa, E. & Rodrigue, A. (2000). "Sephardi Jewry: A History of the Judeo-Spanish Community"
- Harris, T.K. (1994). "Death of a Language: The History of Judeo-Spanish"
- Zohar, Z. (2005). "Sephardic and Mizrahi Jewry"