Re: Sephardim from Holland

[Jack Love <jlove...>]

In article <199301121545(dot)AA22601 (at) well(dot)sf(dot)ca(dot)us> 
<jewish-music (at) israel(dot)nysernet(dot)org> writes:
>I am surprised to learn that the Jews from Holland are considered Sephardic.
>I always learned that Sephardim were orgignally from Spain and spread out
>over Northern Africa (I guess after the expulsion in 1492). Why are the Jews
>from Holland considered Sephardic. Did they go there from Spain?

Yes. After the expulsion of 1492. However, this is not to say
that Ashkenazi Jews did not also settle in the Netherlands during
various periods. The Jews who came to New York in the 1600s were
from the Dutch Sephardi population, and as I recall, most Jews
who settled in the Americas prior to the mid-1800s were Sephardi.

If memory serves, Anne Frank, aleiha shalom, was from an
Ashkenazi Dutch family--but I would appreciate a correction on
this matter if someone knows better.

>Although it in not politically correct to make these assertions...I also
>thought thatmost Sephardic Jews were darker skinned than most Ashkenaz Jews.
>How about the Jews from Holland. I guess my image of the little Dutch girl

Not necessarily. I think that Yemenite Jews are usually darker
skinned, but many other Sephardi Jews are no swarthier than
Ashkenazis.

>is not the same image of the little Jewish Dutch Girl :-). What's the scoop?
>WHere did the Jews of Holland come from? Are there Jewish communities who
>fell somewhere between Sephardic and Ashkenaz?

As your question indicates, it would be a mistake to characterize
the distinctions between Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jews in any rigid
way. There have cross-fertilizations in many periods, and the
distinctions can be measured differently in different eras.

--
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Jack F. Love    |       Opinions expressed are mine alone.
                |       (Unless you happen to agree.)

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