Assimilation of Sephardic Jews Into European and Ottoman Cultures Research Paper

Assimilation of Sephardic Jews Into European and Ottoman Cultures - Research Paper Example However, the question here is whether or not they were better received, more welcomed, and assimilated into the Ottoman Empire as immigrants as a welcomed people while being turned away from other European nations because of their non-Christian beliefs and their refusal to convert to Christianity. The books and journal articles relied upon in this paper helps piece together the information needed to begin to answer the questions posed. Those works are by Avigdor Levy, The Sephardim in the Ottoman Empire (1992),1 Bernard Lews’ The Jews of Islam (1984),2 Henry Kamen’s journal article titled The Mediterranean and the Expulsion of Spanish Jews in 1492, appearing in the Oxford University Press publication Past and Present (1988),3 Benjamin Ravid, in his article titled The Legal Studies of the Jewish Merchants of Venice, 1541-1638, appearing in the Economic History Association’s publication The Journal of Economic History (1975),4 Diane Owen Hughes, whose research on the subject can be found in the collection titled Medieval Renaissance Texts and Studies: Persons in Groups, Social Behavior as Identity Formation in Medieval and Renaissance Euro;5 there emerges much in support of the notion that while a significant number of Jews whose lives were interrupted by ex pulsion from Spain in 1492, successfully resettled into other European states, they were not welcomed into those European states as readily and openly as they were received into the Ottoman Empire by Sultan Bayezid II (1481-1512) Reliable information derived from studies that can be considered valid in support of the locales into which the displaced Jews were received and resettled, derives from records stemming from the practice of Jewish traditions like Passover, the need for and preparation of Kosher foods, and written works that suffice to make the connection between the descendants of the immigrants within the societies to which they immigrated. In each of these cases, there is sufficient evidence to suggest the existence of a Jewish community.