Sephardim

Sephardim, or Sephardic Jews, are a Jewish ethnoreligious group whose ancestors originated in the Iberian Peninsula (modern Spain and Portugal). The name derives from Sepharad, a Biblical locale commonly identified with Iberia. After the expulsions of Jews from Spain in 1492 and Portugal in 1497, Sephardic communities dispersed widely across the Mediterranean and beyond, establishing centers in the Ottoman Empire, North Africa, the Balkans, Italy, and the Americas. They developed distinctive religious customs, languages, and cultural practices while remaining part of the broader Jewish tradition.

Linguistically, many Sephardic communities spoke Ladino, a Judeo-Spanish language written in Hebrew characters, used in daily life, literature, and song for centuries; Hebrew remained central to religious life and study. Sephardic liturgy and rabbinic practice differ from Ashkenazi patterns; in halakha, the Sephardic tradition is largely based on the Shulchan Aruch by Joseph Caro, with customary practices codified by authorities across the Ottoman, North African, and Balkan worlds. Sephardic melodies, liturgical poetry (piyyutim), and ritual customs for holidays and life-cycle events further distinguish Sephardic practice from Ashkenazi.

In the modern era, Sephardim constitute a major strand of Jewish life in Israel and in many countries around the Mediterranean and in the Americas. The term is used in various ways; in some contexts it designates Iberian-derived traditions, while in others it is used more broadly to include certain Mizrahi communities. Today, Ladino-speaking communities persist in various places, though the language has declined; there are ongoing revival and preservation efforts in culture, literature, and education.