Are Sephardic Jews from Spain ?

B"H

Just recently,  I wrote about Sephardic Judaism and one reader asked if Sephardic Jews are not those Jews whose origin are in Spain. Jews whose ancestors suffered from the Spanish Expulsion taking place in 1492.

Today's Israelis also call Kurdish, Iraqi or Iranian Jews SEPHARADIM and not only those coming from northern African countries. 

Yesterday I spoke to a Syrian Jew who made Aliyah to Israel in the late 70ies. He told me that he is a Sephardi Jew, as well, as his ancestors were among those being expelled from Spain. Most Kurdish, Iranian or Iraqi Jews actually came from Spain and in 1492, not everyone went to northern Africa but also to other Arab countries. This is why today most Israelis refer to all of them as Sepharadim.