Who were the marranos? In Sephardi-Jewish history, marranos were Jews who converted to Christianity to avoid persecution, but continued to observe traditional Jewish life in hiding. The term was originally derogatory, mocking the marranos and their descendants. These days, descendants of Spanish Jews have the option to obtain Spanish and Portuguese citizenship. Cohen, Decker, Pex…

What does the expulsion from Spain have to do with eligibility of the descendants of expelled Jews to Portuguese citizenship? Who were the Jews expelled from Spain and Portugal, and why were they expelled? Where did their descendants settle, and could you be such a descendant? If your ancestors were indeed among the Sephardi Jews…

This article addresses Portuguese nationality and obtaining status based on the Sephardic Portuguese Law of Return with the help of a Portuguese nationality lawyer.  Thousands of other Sephardic descendants have successfully obtained Portuguese nationality due to this law, and this article helps explain the main steps involved, linking to other articles of interest as well.…

The Portuguese law of return is allowing numerous Jews and non-Jews with Sephardic ancestry to apply for naturalization.  This article will discuss a little about the process involved and link to numerous other articles that may be of interest to you. Applying for the Portuguese Law of Return Numerous Israelis have successfully applied for the…

This article addresses Sephardic family names, which are important in helping determine one’s Sephardic ancestry for Portuguese citizenship.  Thousands of people have successfully obtained Portuguese and Spanish citizenship due to the Sephardic Law.   Why Sephardic Family Names Are Important If you are interested in applying for Portuguese citizenship through the Sephardic Law, Sephardic family names…

Many descendants of Sephardic Jews have decided to apply for Portuguese citizenship over the past few years, and they’ve done so with much success.  This article addresses why you should apply for Portuguese citizenship now!  There are many reasons why people are taking advantage of this unique opportunity, and we discuss a few reasons below.…

This article discusses how to prove Sephardic ancestry in order to apply for Portuguese citizenship under the Sephardic Law.  Many people from Israel and other countries have successfully applied for citizenship through the Sephardic law, and this is how they do it.   Prove Sephardic Ancestry  Both Jewish and non-Jewish people who have Sephardic ancestry can…

State sponsored Giyur allows non-Jewish foreign citizens to convert into Judaism. The converts are also considered Jewish in terms of the Law of Return and therefore are eligible to immigrate to Israel. This form of immigration is open to non-Jewish citizens and residents of Israel (who are not Palestinians or East Jerusalem residents). However, those who…

Refusal of the right to migrate to Israel because of “public safety” concerns Aliyah to Israel with mental illness – what are the arguments for and against it? The law offices of Cohen, Decker, Pex, Brosh specialize in Aliyah and immigration to Israel. In recent years we’ve seen an increase in the number of clients…

A Continuous Power of Attorney is a legal document in Israel which enables an adult (someone who is 18 or older) to determine who should care for them in the future and how. This power of attorney applies in a future time wherein said person will be unable to take care of themselves. The Appointer…