On July 31st 1492, exactly 528 years ago today, the expulsion of Jews from Spain took place. Those who chose to stay in Spain were forced to convert. We treat this event as ancient history, but that is not so.

The expulsion of Jews from Spain was only one part of a long history of antisemitism in Catholic Spain. Antisemitic laws started to be implemented throughout Catholic Spain in the early 13th century and the Spanish Inquisition was established in 1478.

From July 31st 1492, the day that Jews were expelled from Spain, up until the 19th century there were no Jewish communities in Spain that openly practiced Judaism. However, there were Jews who practiced Judaism in secrecy.

If the Inquisition forces found out someone was practicing Judaism in secrecy, then that person would be executed. The Inquisition wasn’t disbanded in Spain until 1834, 186 years ago.

In the 19th century, Jews started to return to Spain and new Jewish communities were formed.

Despite there being Jewish communities in Spain durring the early 19th century, the Alhambra decree, the decree expelling Jews from Spain, wasn’t formally revoked until 1962. Yes, you read that correctly, the Alhambra decree was only formally revoked 52 years ago.

Now I would like to talk about Anusim, those forced to convert, who fled to the areas of the “Americas” that Spain colonized.

Many Jews who were forced to convert to Catholicism fled to areas of the “Americas” that Spain colonized hoping to escape persecution, but the Inquisition was in these areas of the “Americas”, as well.

Many Jews in the “Americas” continued to practice in secrecy. If those who practiced in secrecy were caught by Inquisition forces, then they would be executed. In some areas of of the “Americas” the inquisition didn’t end until many years after it ended in Spain.

Many of those who practiced in secrecy assimilated at one point or another, but not all did. It is estimated that around 60 million people in Latin America are descendants of Sephardic Anusim, those who were forced to convert.

The affects of the Spanish Inquisition and the expulsion of Jews from Spain are still being felt today and, sadly, there is no way to change that.

*Corection in the 6th tweet I mean to say 1968, not 1962.