Was explorer Christopher Columbus Jewish? There is extraordinary evidence pointing to that conclusion.
On March 31, 1492 the Edict of Expulsion (also called the Alhambra Decree) Every Jew in Spain was forced to shoose between conversion to Christianity or leaving the country forever leaving their possessions behind. 150,000 Jews left Spain, many went to Portugal where they received a short welcome before being asked to convert, die or leave as in Spain.
On July 31, 1492 (7th of Av), the last Jew left Spain. Columbus sailed on August 3, 1492. He did insist that all of his crew be onboard August 2nd.
His historic voyage was financed by wealthy and influential Jews-many themselves converts-rather than a magnanimous King and Queen of Spain.
Columbus’s voyage was not financed by Isabella selling her jewels as is often stated. The major financiers were two court officials – both Jewish conversos – Louis de Santangel, chancellor of the royal household, and Gabriel Sanchez, treasurer of Aragon.
The Jews in Spain became the target of pogroms and religious per-secution. Many were forced to renounce Judaism and embrace Catholicism. These were known as Conversos, or converts.
In response to a petition to Rome to introduce the Inquisition and find a final solution to their Jewish Problem, in 1487 Spain obtained a Papal Bull. The introduction of the Inquisition was motivated by the greed of King Ferdinand attempting to seize all the power and wealth in Spain. It was an instrument of avarice and political absolutism. Four years later tens of thousands of Jews, Marranos, and even Conversos were suffering under the Spanish Inquisition. According to the Christians of the day, Jews were considered “Infidels” (Sound familiar?)
As Spain and Portugal was killing and expelling the Jewish people, Turkey had accepted the Chosen people of G-d and was rewarded. Spain and Portugal’s economies declined, while the Ottoman Empire became one of the greatest powers in the world. The next two sultans, Selim I and Suleiman I, expanded the empire as far as Vienna, Austria.
God had given Abraham and his descendants a special blessing:
“I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you, and through you, will be blessed all the families of the earth.” (Genesis 12:3)
Christopher Columbus may or may not have been a Jew, but he paved the way for a country that would be accepting of the Jewish people, and keeping with G-d’s blessing, has been a nation abundant in liberty, wealth, and opportunity for all people.
Several sites explain the evidence and possibilites. Check them out! Just do a google search <Christopher Columbus jewish>
Happy Columbus day all!
The Rogue Jew 
It is an insult to use the word “Marranos”, to refer to Sephardic Jews. The terms plains and simple means pig. Despite the term continues to be used to describe Sephardic Jews.
A. McCarthy
Marranos they say ! It is not worth to be upset over it. This is how we part of the Sephardic Jews we been known. I am of a Marrano decent born in Colombia, South America, and if we ask me I am very proud of it. The one thing that agravates me is the little or no attention put in this subject. Must of synagogues I have been, people ask me where I am from, and as soon as I respond. They say ! We did not know that there were Jews in Colombia, or many of them do not even know what a Marrano Jew is. Many Jewish Leaders do not like to talk abut this, or at least teach to all it’s members about us; nor they have try to reach-out for us, and bring us back from the darkness of the pass. The reason is because must of us have lost our ways; we are not here not there. I have relatives of Marrano back-ground that when someone in the family dies; they still cover the mirrors, the clocks, the man grow beards, and they tear the left packet of their garments, and till today; they still light the candles before Sabbath. I have never been bar-mitzvah, nor circumcize, and this is one of my mayor concerns as a Jew. In my family no body asked me what i wanted to be regarding my faith; since to be a Jew in many parts of the world is been an out-cast, been a Jew carries a lots of weight, but not for me because I am very proud of my heritage, and so many in my family. Till today we still are Marrano Jews, but no many care about us; the subject it’s a borden for many. Thank you for reading this comment, but share-it, and learn a bit about us.
I live in El Salvador, many in Latin America are rediscovering their Jewish roots or converting to Judaism, this does not include the Messianic Jews who use Mogen David and Menorah
Many are not made to feel welcome at the traditional (Conservative) synagouge, so they have their own Shabbas with their own Rabbi.
I am a non observant ‘reform’ Jew from the US. My mother and I lived for years as ‘closet Jews’ in the 1950’s south of the US.
If you feel you are Jewish, and observe, then who is to take that gift away from you? Only G-d is able to judge. Buena suerte.
Several years ago I worked and traveled with an Israeli, who passed away in Nicaragua of parasites, who taught Bibical and Modern Hebrew to these new communities, no doubt there are many in Colombia now.
I am more worried about our crazy friend over in Venezuela and his mushugganah ally in Iran than who is or is not observant.
We have a lot of Hizbollah and supporters in this small country now. Many, I heard, get false papers from Venezuela to travel freely in Latin America preaching their poison….
Well…
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vjw/Portugal.html
Inquisition Period
While many of the New Christians accepted their religion, many chose to continue practicing Judaism behind closed doors, while publicly practicing Catholic rituals; they became known as Marranos or crypto-Jews. The Portugese majority still considered the “New Christians” Jews, despite their outward affiliation with Christianity. Claims against the Marranos were presented to the King, along with a list of crypto-Jews.
In 1506, 3,000 “New Christians” were massacred in Lisbon. Afterward, King Manuel executed 45 of the main culprits who had incited the mob.
Popular support for a Portugese Inquisition surfaced in 1531, when many Christians blamed the New Christians for the recent earthquake. Pope Clement VII authorized the Inquisition and the first auto-da-fe (trial) took place in Lisbon on September 20, 1540.
The right to seize and confiscate the property of the accused led to the arrest of every prominent “New Christian” family. Once arrested, death was only escaped if one admitted to Judaizing and implicated friends and family. Other sentences included public admission of the alleged sins, the obligatory wearing of a special penitential habit and burning at the stake. Urged by greed, eventually even genuine Christians were martyred.
Among those murdered were many famous Jews of the period, including Isaac de Castro Tartas, Antonio Serrao de Castro and Antonio Jose da Silva, who was later known as “The Jew.”
Attempting to evade the Inquisition, many Portugese Marrano families fled to Amsterdam, Salonika and other places across the Old and New worlds. In 1654, 23 Portugese Jews arrived in New Amsterdam (New York) and became the first Jewish settlers in the United States. The stream of refugees did not stop until the end of the Inquisition in the late 18th century. The last public auto-de-fe took place in 1765; however, the Inquisition was not formally disbanded until after the liberal revolt in 1821
I do not what you will think of this. Believe-it; that only now i do get to read you comment. I do guess that everything that we were taught by our grand- parents it’s so accurate “That everything happens for a reason” Thank you so much David for you comment, and sorry for replying so late, but this still hit me where i do need-it. Right in my Jewish heart. G-d Bless you, and you family David, and Thank you for you comment.
just wrote an Christopher Columbus essay and preached it tying August 2nd and August 3rd 1492 together