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Iscovering
olumbus
Spain was expelling Jews
as the New World opened up.
SUSAN TAWIL
Special to the Jewish News
IV
hat better way to observe Columbus Day
than attend a lecture on Spanish-Jewish his-
tory and the events leading up to Columbus'
discovery of America?
More than 150 people did just that at a lunch-and-learn
with Rabbi Berel Wein Oct. 14 at the Max M. Fisher
Federation Building in Bloomfield Township. The event
was sponsored by Ohr Somayach Detroit, the adult Jewish
education organization.
A former lawyer, Rabbi Wein speaks with a dry sense of
humor. A popular lecturer, his tapes number in the hun-
dreds. He is the author of numerous books, a weekly
columnist for the Jerusalem Post and publishes The Wein
Press, his monthly newsletter.
Rabbi Wein served as executive vice president of the
Orthodox Union and as rabbinic administrator of its
kashrut (kosher certification) division. He held pulpit posi-
tions in Florida and New York, and headed Yeshiva Shaarei
Torah in Suffern, N.Y., until his aliyah to Israel in 1997.
Rabbi Wein's overview of the history of Spanish Jewry
began with the immigration of Jews to Spain in the 7th
century, together with the ruling Muslims (Mohammed
came to power in 620 C.E.). Under the Islamic law of
dimi, Jews were accorded second-class citizenship, but left
alone. In this milieu, the Jews flourished for 500 years,
attaining success in culture, business and politics.
But, as Rabbi Wein asserted: "Change is the only con-
stant in history."
Islamic fundamentalism arose and with it the belief (still
in effect in many Arab countries, the rabbi noted) that
contact with "the infidel" (any non-Muslim) corrupted.
Jews were forced to convert to Islam or flee.
In 1096, the re-conquest of Spain by Christians resulted
in 300 years of persecution and forced conversion under
the Crusades. The Spanish Inquisition began in 1391 with
a terrible pogrom that killed 50,000 Jews and forced
100,000 to convert.
Surprisingly, Rabbi Wein said, the infamous Chief
Inquisitor, Torquemada, had a Jewish grandfather. His
nefarious plan to make Spain free of Jews resulted in
Queen Isabella ordering the Great Expulsion at the end of
August 1492 (coinciding with Tisha b'Av). Some 250,000
Jews forcibly converted, and 250,000 fled Spain — at the
very time Columbus set sail.
There is only speculation as to whether or not
Columbus was Jewish. Rabbi Wein said there is evidence
that the explorer's great-grandfather and great-grandmother
were Jews and that "Columb" was then a common Jewish
name.
The ship's journal recorded that there were Jews among
the crew, as well as some converses (forced converts).
After the lecture, historian Irwin Cohen of Oak Park
related that the ship's log indicated that the first to debark
and set foot in the newly discovered America was the ship's
Jewish doctor.
'After 900 years of Spanish Jewish settlement, the Lord
saw fit to open a new haven for Jews in America," said
Rabbi Wein.
"So, Oct. 12 is really a Jewish holiday," he concluded. ❑
Rabbi Wein's tapes, books, and articles are available
on his Web site: vvwvvsabbiwein.com
laaat,MMKA.
1215
1.
2002
61