Spain Offers Citizenship to Its Jewish Descendants; Expelled Its Jews During 15th Century Inquisition

In what can be described as an invitation by a nation that is very unusual -- perhaps even unprecedented -- Spain has offered immediate citizenship to descendants of Jews who were forced out of the country during the Spanish Inquisition in the 15th century, The World website reports today (February 12, 2013).

Spain's Justice Minister, Alberto Ruizo-Gallardon, recently told an audience at a Jewish center in Madrid,  "The measure we're announcing will let anyone who can prove their Sephardic origins obtain Spanish nationality."

In 1492 the Spanish Catholic monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabela, expelled the Jews from what is now modern-day Spain. Jews who stayed were forced to convert to Catholicism. Some 200,000 Jews chose to leave. More than five centuries later, very few have come back.

Enticing Jews to come back might be in order to give a boost to Spain's shrinking economy. It is also believed that Spain made the offer at this time to appease Israel, in view of the fact that Madrid supported last year's successful Palestinian bid for a seat at the United Nations.