![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
While we were in Toledo we visited the Museo Sefardí. The Sefardí were the Jews who lived in
Spain. I don't know if there are still Sefardí in Spain or not. In 1492, all Jews and Muslims in
Spain were asked to convert or leave the country. The Gypsies went into hiding. If you meet
someone with a very Christian sounding Spanish last name it is entirely possible that their
ancestors were either Jewish or Muslim. Many people who converted to Catholicism changed
their last names so that they would sound more Christian. I believe that the word Sefardí comes
from the Hebrew word for Spain. I no longer remember where I read that.
This picture was taken in the part of the museum which is an old synagogue. Only the windows
can be seen because the room was too dark for the picture to come out properly. I like this
picture because it allows you to see the elaborate wooden frames covering the windows. They
are very different from the frames you typically see in the United States. Even the windows in
the chapel at the college I attended had very different designs although they were wood over
glass like you see here.
These photos may not be used on other web sites. For permission to use a photo except in a school project please write to me.