Larry Domnitch is the author of The Impact of World War One on the Jewish People, Urim Publications. He lives in Efrat.
The Hanukkah of 1967 signaled change, the start of a new era for Spain in which it made amends for sins of the past. Currently, the significance and impact of that new era is in doubt.
Almost five hundred years after the expulsion of Jews from Spain, freedom finally arrived when on June 28, 1967, after much debate, law number 44 was passed in Spain’s Parliament granting religious freedom to all non Catholics to worship publicly. Spanish Jews, Protestants and Moslems were finally granted the right to worship as they wished.
Spanish Jewry had experienced a long history of anti-Semitism. The Visigoths in the seventh century forced conversions upon Jews and Islamic Almohade invaders in the 12th-century established a caliphate and also subjected the Jews to forced conversions. The Christian Reconquista (re-conquest) of Spain resulted in anti-Jewish massacres. In the pogroms of 1391, tens of thousands of Jews were massacred and many adopted Christianity in subsequent years under duress.
In 1478, Spain institutionalized the Inquisition in order to discover those Jews who were converted but were covertly observing their traditions. The mass expulsion of non-converted Spanish Jewry was enacted in 1492, and for the following centuries, living as a Jew in Spain was prohibited as the Inquisition was imposed until 1834.
It was only in 1967 that living and praying openly as Jews as a community was finally officially permitted.
Tolerance was in the air. Primary schools removed offensive reference to Jews. The Jewish community of Madrid was growing.
The Beth Yaakov Synagogue of Madrid officially opened in December of that year. A dedication ceremony marking its opening was held during Hanukkah, on December 16, 1968, attended by six-hundred local figures and Jewish dignitaries worldwide. That day, the Spanish Minister of Justice Antonio Oriol, had officially repealed the Alhambra Decree of expulsion of 1492.
Hanukkah in Madrid in 1969 was marked by an official dedication of a Synagogue and a rededication by Spain to freedom for all its inhabitants.
That Hanukkah event was a vindication that the might of tyrants does not extinguish the light of freedom.
While religious freedom was granted, Spain still did not recognize the State of Israel. To the contrary, in 1979, Spain had invited and hosted PLO leader Yasir Arafat. In response, member organizations of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations had even considered boycotting Spain, but by 1986, relations with Israel were finally officially established.
Recently, however, darkness has returned to Spain.
Spain has become an environment of increasing Israel hatred fueled by its Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and his leftist coalition allies. Sanchez has broken ties with the Jewish State as he peddles anti-Israel canards reminiscent of antisemitic libels of the past.
On May 14, Sanchez stood before parliament and accused Israel of being a “genocidal state” - an inflammatory and dangerous lie. Five days later he did not back down but called for Israel’s expulsion from the annual Eurovision song contest while again falsely pointing the accusing finger at Israel and declaring solidarity with “the people of Palestine who are experiencing the injustice of war and bombardment.”
On September 8, 2025, Spain announced a total arms embargo of the Jewish State. Sanchez, invoking Hamas propaganda stated, regarding the decision, “There is a difference between defending your country and bombing hospitals or starving innocent children.”
Sanchez called for Israel to be barred from international sports events after pro-Palestinians disrupted the finale of the Vuelta cycling race in Madrid, prompting a response by Israel’s Foreign Minister, Gidon Saar who accused the Prime Minister of being, “an antisemite and a liar,” as he asked, “did Israel invade Gaza on October 7th or did Hamas terror state invade Israel and commit the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust”?
Sanchez had the gall to issue the following reproach and admonition, “Spain as you know does not have nuclear bombs. Nor does it have the aircraft carriers or large oil reserves. We alone cannot stop the Israeli offensive, but that does not mean we will stop trying.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded, calling his words a “blatant genocidal threat to the world’s only Jewish state.” He continued citing Spain’s past persecution of the Jews, “Apparently, the Spanish Inquisition, the expulsion of the Jews from Spain and the systematic mass murder of Jews in the Holocaust is not enough for Sanchez.”
Members of Sanchez coalition have also expressed their animus towards the Jewish State. Labor Minister and 2nd Deputy Prime Minister, Yolanda Diaz who leads the leftist Sumar party publicly repeated the often heard chant from anti-Israel protesters, “from the river to the sea.” Despite her denials, its message is clear. Such statements are calls to dismember the Jewish State. They are not about policy disagreements.
Member of Parliament, Gabriel Rufian, made an outrageous statement equating Gaza with Auschwitz, saying that “the difference between Gaza and Auschwitz is the world still has time to stop what’s been happening in Gaza.”
Spain has seen a significant rise in anti-Semitic activity, which includes public taunts at soccer games against Israelis, massive and often raucous anti-Israel protests in the streets, anti-Israel graffiti on synagogues, and physical attacks upon Jews.
In May 2024, Spain formally recognized a Palestinian Arab state; a move consummate with its recent anti-Israel stands.
The Sanchez government has brought shame to Spain for forsaking truth for Hamas propaganda and leading Spain towards its dark antisemitic past.
One can only hope that dignity will someday be restored to Spain.
On Hanukkah 1968 Spain rose above its shameful past. Its present government has lost its way.