Spanish citizenship to descendants of deportees

History: the ministerial committee for legislation of the Spanish government approved a bill that allows the descendants of deportees Spanish citizenship without giving up citizenship of the country in which they live.

The bill still requires the approval of the Spanish legislature, and it will allow hundreds of thousands of descendants of Jews expelled to receive Spanish citizenship.

Spain's Justice Minister Alberto Ruiz - Galredon, said: "The law we passed today has a deep historical significance, not only because it relates to events from the past that we are not proud of - like the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492 - but because it reflects the reality that Spain is open to a diversified society."

522 years ago, King Fernando the Second and Queen Isabella I signed a decree ordering the expulsion of Jews from Spain. A high percentage of Jews converted to Christianity, but about 150 thousand refused and left Spain. In 1968, the Spanish government announced the cancellation of the deportation order.

Under the bill, those who will issue certificates of eligibility for application will be those who can prove they are descendants of Sephardic Jews and pursuant to a certificate from the Secretariat of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain, a document from a Jewish community Rabbi in Spain or similar approval from the land of origin of the applicant.

One can also apply for Spanish citizenship based on a surname which is recognized as Spanish, Spanish or Ladino control and belonging to the official list of names of the Spanish government containing Jewish families who were expelled from Spain.

There are 5220 names on the list, including: Toledano, Atar, Peretz, Ohana, Casorela, Abarbanel, Navon, Pinto, Safra and more.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!