(Jewish Group)Spanish Jews in spotlight of 'Heirs to the Land,' a Netflix series set pre-Inquisition

[Behind the Aegis]

Spanish Jews take the spotlight in ‘Heirs to the Land,’ a Netflix series set pre-Inquisition

The series “Heirs to the Land” that dropped on Netflix last month looks, at first glance, like just another installment in the fast-growing genre of Spanish period dramas.

In some ways it is, featuring the familiar mix of romance, violence and a liberal dramatization of key historical events in medieval Spain that have made international hits out of several recent Spanish productions such as “Isabel” and “El Cid.”

But “Heirs to the Land” also takes a deep dive into what it meant to live as a Jew in Spain at the time, when the strictly Catholic country began its descent into organized persecution of minorities that culminated with the Inquisition.

The series reflects a growing appetite in Spain for exploring local history in general, especially its oft-overlooked Jewish chapters.

“There’s a growing realization in Spain that Sephardic history isn’t about ‘them’ but about ‘us,’” said David Hatchwell Altaras, a former president of the Jewish Community of Madrid and one of the co-founders of the city’s planned Jewish museum.

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We are halfway through the series. It is actually really good. It is in Castilian Spanish. Some parts can be a bit slow, and if you aren't familiar with Spanish history it can be a bit confusing (thankfully, years of Spanish and Spanish history finally gets used!).