THE NAME SEPHARD
WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?

The Jews of the oldest temples, used the word "Sepharad" to indicate Iberia/Spain.

For the first time in the Bible, in the book Obadiah, the same as "Tarshish" (tartessos) and "Sarphat" (France).

The oldest Syrian translation of the Bible (Pesito) translates "Sepharad" as Spain (in those times Portugal and Spain were one country).

In biblical times "Sepharad" was the indication for the Jews of the Western Overseas countries, colonized by the Phoenicians. Jonathan said in "Targum," that many refugees from Jerusalem were living in the towns of Iberia.
The biblical Jewish literature also identifies "Sepharad" with Portugal and Spain. That is why "Sepharad" means: a Jewish person born in Spain and Portugal.

E-mail: Rufina Bernardetti Silva Mausenbaum