Community Magazine August 2017

40 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE SARINA ROFFÉ SPAIN’S OFFER OF CITIZENSHIP TO DESCENDANTS OF SEPHARDIC JEWS TO EXPIRE IN 2018 I n 2015, both Spain and Portugal passed legislation that granted citizenship to descendants of Sephardic Jews expelled in 1492 and 1496. To understand just how grand a development this is, a short history lesson is required. Prior to 1492, about 300,000 Jews lived in Spain. When King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella issued their decree of expulsion, about 90,000 Spanish Jews ended up in Portugal. Their refuge there was short-lived. In 1496, King Manuel of Portugal forcibly converted the Jews populating areas like Lisbon, Porto, Braganza, and Belmonte. King Felipe VI of Spain during a ceremony to pay tribute to the Sephardic Jews expelled from Spain in 1492. More than 500 years later, both Spain and Portugal are trying to rectify the past by allowing the descendants of these Jews to apply for citizenship. “The new legislation corrects a moral wrong. The long centuries of anti-Semitism in Portugal and the expulsions decreed by King D. Manuel I in 1496 cannot be denied,” said Deborah Elijah, a member of the Board of Directors of the Jewish Community of Oporto (Portugal). The Spain legislation however, is valid only until October 1, 2018. Applicants in Portugal have no expiration date as of yet. A certificate from the Jewish community must be issued before being considering the application. Applicants do not need to be Jewish, but do need to prove they are descendants of Sephardic Jews. Why Apply? To date, most applicants are from Turkey and France, with a smaller number being from South America, Israel, and the United States. Turkish applicants are applying so as to prepare to leave the country due to the rise of anti-Semitism. American and Israeli applicants appear to be applying for business and personal reasons. Having dual citizenship and an EU passport enables one to do business freely in Europe and even live there. Residency in Europe enables applicants to use socialized medicine. Visas required of Americans traveling to some countries are not required of EU passport holders, who, by extension save on visa fees. Applying for Certification and Citizenship in Spain The process of applying for citizenship in Spain can be difficult. Indeed, the law in its current form ensures that very few of the estimated 3.5 million Sephardic Jews in the world today will ever become Spanish citizens. Given that the fees can exceed $5,600 per individual, only people with high purchasing power can apply.