8/29/08 - The Expulsion from Spain

1. According to the Italian Jew the last few days of Spanish Jewry were not as bad compared to the beginning when they were expelled from Spain or forced to convert to Christianity. The King of Naples was very accepting of the Jews and supplied them with as much food as he could unfortunately due to the large numbers of Jews many died from famine.

2. The main reason for the expulsion of the Jews was that they were encouraging the Marranos to persist in their Jewishness which would not allow them to become good Christians.

3. The leaders of the Jews were Rabbi Dan Abraham Seneor, leader of the Spanish congregations. Also, Rabbi Meur Melamed, who was the secretary to the King and Don Isaac Abravanel, who fled to Castile from the King of Portugal. In response to the order they converted to Christianity.

4. Don Abraham Seneor - converted to Christianity at the age of eighty
Don Isaac Abravanel - fled to Castile from the King of Portugal, and occupied an equally prominent position at the Spanish Royal Court until he was later expelled. Then he went to Naples and was highly esteemed by the King of Naples.

5. The refugees went to Portugal, North Africa (Fez, Tlemcen, Berber provinces), Sicily and Naples.

6. The refugees were treated very poorly everywhere they went except Naples where they were actually given food and not robbed of every cent they had on them.

7. The Jews of Northern Africa acted very charitable toward their fellow Jews. Fellow Jews in Naples supplied them with food as much as they could, and also tried to collect money to sustain them in Naples.