In 1492, when the law was passed that Jews living in Spain had to convert to Catholic Christianity or leave the country, leaving all their possessions behind, the Jews who left the country migrated to the Ottoman lands, taking only their traditions and mother tongue with them. In these lands, they used their language, called JudeoSpanish, JudeoEspanyol or Ladino, and published books and newspapers. The language has been passed down through word of mouth within the family, but today it faces a serious threat of extinction.

In this presentation, after a brief history of Ladino, the situation of Ladino in Turkey and in the world today was analyzed and future prospects were discussed.

Prepared and Presented by: Karen Gerson Şarhon