This week I visited Barrio Santa Cruz, a historic Jewish neighborhood in Seville. This area originated in the medieval times when a wall was built to separate Jews from the rest of the city. In 1248, Seville was conquered by the Christians, who welcomed the Jewish population. However, as society developed further, the Christians became less reliant on the money and assistance of the Jews, leading to tense relations. In 1391, the Jewish community was attacked and many synagogues were converted to churches. The presence of these conflicts in Spain relates to our discussion in class about how anti-semitism has a long history and was widespread throughout Europe, instead of being isolated in a few communities. I learned a lot from the readings for this week because before, I only associated anti-semitism with the Nazis and World War II. On the contrary, anti-semitism stems from ancient times.
Barrio Santa Cruz is a beautiful part of Seville with winding, cobblestone streets, white houses, and countless shops and restaurants. I found many gardens and churches within this area, but I do not recall seeing a synagogue. This could be due to the previously stated fact that in the fourteenth century all of the synagogues were converted to churches; however, it is probable that synagogues have been constructed in this area since then. Since it's a large part of town, the synagogues could have been located on different streets than the ones that I walked down. Had I not known that it was a historical Jewish area before I arrived, I would have not figured it out from my visit.
When I read the article entitled "Europe's Anti-Semitism Comes Out of the Shadows," I was shocked that anti-semitism is still prevalent in modern day society and appalled that people in 2015 were yelling phrases such as "Death to the Jews." These sentiments stem from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; however, unlike the past, German and French government officials are condemning and fighting against anti-semitism.
Rachel, I find your post really interesting. When I visited Spain, I immediately noticed the people were welcoming and extremely nice. I don't know much Spanish history but I would have never guessed that they also had a deep history plagued with anti-Semetism. Paris has its own Jewish district and it sounds similar to the one in Seville. When I visit, the only thing that screams Judaism to me is the food and the yarmulkes. I haven't noticed any synagogues either at all in Paris; either I am missing them or they are really not there. I am surprised that there was even a wall to separate the Jews from everyone else, and even more shocking is that the Jewish population has continued to assimilate in that same area. I feel like there are higher populations in more central Europe, but are there many Jewish people in Spain?
ReplyDelete0.03% of the population in Spain is Jewish. Even though none of the people here that I have talked about religion with have been Jewish, that percentage still seems staggeringly low. However, it makes since historically speaking because during the Spanish Inquisition, Jews were either expelled from the country, executed, or forced to convert to Catholicism. More recently in Spain's history - during the dictatorship of Francisco Franco (1939-1975) - it was illegal to believe in a faith that wasn't Catholicism. Because of this, many people of other religions fled the country in fear of being sentenced to death for their beliefs.
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