Interest in Israel as Spain Weighs Citizenship for Sephardic Jews

JERUSALEM — A Spanish initiative has set off a flurry of interest in Israel among Sephardic Jews who want to acquire Spanish citizenship.

Maya Weiss-Tamir, an Israeli lawyer who specializes in applications for citizenship in European countries, said she had received 700 to 800 email inquiries since last Friday, when the Spanish government approved a draft citizenship bill.

“It doesn’t stop; the response has been crazy,” Ms. Weiss-Tamir said in a telephone interview on Wednesday.

Under the draft bill, Spain is offering citizenship to any person — whether Jewish or not — whose Sephardic origins can be certified. The bill removes some onerous existing requirements that include the need for applicants to renounce their current citizenship. It still requires final approval from the Spanish Parliament....