The Tragic History of Mass Expulsions and Exoduses of Jews in the Diaspora

You may have heard about the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492, at the hands of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. Unfortunately, that traumatic event in Jewish history barely scratches the surface of the expulsions experienced by the Jews. The first link below will take you to a list of more than 50 such events -— including one in the United States. Some of the listed cases extended throughout a century, meaning a number of expulsions took place during that time frame. Often, expulsion was a way for European rulers to enrich themselves by confiscating Jewish property.
 
Quote: “Finding a new home was not easy, and many Jews died from the rigors of the journey. Some ships were overloaded and sank; others caught fire on the high seas. Unscrupulous captains threw Jews overboard or robbed them of all their possessions. Jews were sold to pirates as slaves or dropped on uninhabited islands off the coast of Africa to attempt to survive.
 
“A number of Jews returned to Spain, where they were baptized immediately upon landing, and then closely watched by the Inquisition. Travelers on land were killed by robbers, attacked by wild animals, or wandered about until they died of hunger, disease, or exposure.” — Chabad.org on the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492
 
Sources: Wikipedia, Chabad.org
 
Learn more about the many times Diaspora Jews were expelled from where they lived. >>
 
Watch “What caused the Expulsion of Jews from England in 1290? [32:00]. >>
 
Watch “Expulsion of the Jews from Spain Documentary” [35:03]. >>
 
Photo: fcit.usf.edu
 
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