MADRID (EJP)--- The foreign ministers of Spain and Israel were amongst the more prominent guests at the official opening of the Casa Sefarad-Israel (Sepharad-Israel House) in Madrid last month.

Miguel Angel Moratinos, the Spanish minister of foreign affairs and cooperation, and Tzipi Livni, his Israeli counterpart, both gave heartfelt speeches at the launch of the new institution which was created last December, through an agreement between the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation, and the Madrid regional and municipal governments.

The purpose of the organisation is to study in depth the legacy of Sephardic culture as an integral and living part of general Spanish culture, to promote greater knowledge of Jewish culture and to stimulate the development of links of friendship and cooperation between the Spanish and Israeli peoples.

At the same time, this new institution hopes to become a meeting place for Spanish and international Jewish communities and organizations, which will enable them to spread not only the rich Sephardic historical legacy, but also political, social, economic and cultural information about present-day Jewish communities in Israel and Spain.

Deep connections

Casa Sefarad-Israel is the last of the official group of organizations created to reinforce the relationship between Spain and territories and peoples that have had a special historical connection with this country. The others are the Houses of America, Asia, Africa and the Arabic House.

The importance of the ceremony was highlighted by the fact that it was attended by representatives of the Spanish national and local governments, as well as distinguished members of Jewish communities from Spain, the United States, Mexico, Uruguay, France, Greece, Turkey and Morocco, among others.

Proud

Moratinos said that he felt especially proud to have been one of the promotors of the Casa Sefarad-Israel and that, aside from studying Sephardic heritage, including Ladino, it will help to open new horizons in Spanish-Israeli relations.

He also mentioned that the earliest evidence of Jewish presence on the Iberian peninsula is a stone tablet from the second century of the Common Era, which was found in Almería, in the southeast of Spain, so Jewish history here goes back a lot longer than most people realize.

Livni, after remembering the expulsion of the Jews from Spain, and the Holocaust, said that she hopes that the suffering of the past will serve to bring something positive for the future, and that Spain and Israel will be able to close the gaps created by their differences, and make an effort to strengthen their relations.

“Spain and the Jewish people share a long history and common legacy, even with its ups and downs” she said. Remembering Maimonides, who was born in Cordoba, she said, “Never has one man contributed so much to his people and to all of humanity.” She also emphasized that both countries share the common values of democracy, freedom and peace, and that both suffer from terrorism that has attacked their peoples without pity.