Preface this comment saying I'm in no way an expert on Jewish history. I can comment on Duchess's comment regarding the Jews expelled from Spain by Ferdinand and Isabella (yes it was that Fredinand and Isabella) directly after the reconquista. Those, Jews migrated to many lands Holland (for example, the philosopher Spinoza was a descendent of thos immigrants), Italy and many parts of North Africa and the Middle East, when they immigrated Middle Eastern areas they integrated into the existing Jewish communities and perserved some part of their linguistic tradition (Ladino, a language that bears a similar relationship to Castilliano as Yiddish bears to German). Their traditions became part of the heritage called today Sephardic.
Maybe since Ms. Russell is a convert to Judaism, that'll be her next book, regarding the Jews expelled from Spain, since she's already written a book about Italian Jews during WWII. taraswizard
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Chicago area
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