Spanish Government’s Interest in Sephardic Jews in Roumania: Appoints Spanish University Professor T

The Spanish Ambassador in Bucharest, don Miguel Angel de Maguiro, was present at the opening of the new school of the Federation of Sep###rdic Jewish Communities in Roumania this week, when it was announced that the Spanish Government, in accordance with its decision to help to maintain the cultural links between Spain and the Sephardic Jews in the various countries, had appointed Professor Indalecio Gil Reglero to be in charge of the Spanish courses at the school.

The President of the Bucharest Sephardic Community, Advocate J. Cohen, said that the Sephardic Jews of Roumania, although they had for centuries been completely incorporated in Roumanian life, still retained their Spanish traditions. The Spanish Jews had played an important part in shaping Spanish culture, he went on, and Sephardic Jews would always be proud of the Jewish contributions to that culture. The Spanish courses in their school would also help to keep firm the ties of friendship between the two Latin countries, Spain and Roumania.

The Ambassador said that he was happy to hear these expressions of friendship for the new Spain, which was anxious to maintain cultural and spiritual contact with the Sephardic Jews all over the world.

Professor Gil Reglero then outlined the nature of the Spanich courses which he would take at the school, and the Chief Rabbi of the Roumanian Sephardic Community, Rabbi Sebetai Djaen, followed with an address on the great Spanish Jewish post, Jehudah Halevi.

The Spanish Minister of Education, don Fernando de los Rios, speaking in Madrid in March, announced that the Government intended to send out a mission to the Spanish Jews in all the countries of the world. This mission would start work during April. It would go out to the Orient, to Sofia, Bucharest, Constantinople, Salonica, and other places where there are large settlements of Spanish Jews, Sephardim, who still speak Spanish, and are still moved by deep emotion whenever there is any mention of Spain and of Spanish culture. In some of these towns, there are as many as 30,000 Spanish Jews, he said, and we have set outselves an Imperialist aim, an Imperialist aim which cannot, however, be subjected to the same criticism as the old military Imperialism. Our road does not lead through foreign lands, and over dead bodies. Our aim is to win back for Spanish culture those who have never really cease to breathe the atmosphere of Spanish culture.

This mission will be an educational mission sent out by the Spanish Republic to the Spagnol Jews of the world to foster among them the Spanish language and traditions which link them to Spanish culture.

Rabbi Djaen visited Spain last August and was received by the President of the Republic, Don Alcala Zamora the Minister of Education, Don Fernando de los Rios, and other members of the Government, and discussed with them the question of maintaining cultural contact between Seph### Jewry and Spain.