Spanish Heritage in the Torah

One of the many places to which Jews from Israel were exiled was the Iberian Peninsula (modern-day Spain and Portugal). This area became known by the Hebrew word 'Sephard' meaning "far away". Likewise, the Jewish people scattered to this area became known as "Sephardic Jews".

During 1391 A.D. persecution against the Sephardic Jews broke out across the region. Jews were given a simple choice between conversion to Christianity or death. Thousands of Jews were killed. Jews who converted were called "New Christians" or "Conversos". To protect their lives, the Conversos quickly learned to assimilate into their host cultures. Many Conversos publicly kept Christian customs while privately attempting to maintain their Jewish heritage.

Today, millions of Latino people are awakening to their true identity and origins, not just Spanish or Sephardic, but Jews, exiled into foreign lands, yet now returning to their Hebrew roots and the Spanish Heritage in the Torah!