Ladino

Ladino, also known as Judeo-Spanish, is a Romance language that traces its roots to medieval Spain, where it evolved from Old Castilian Spanish spoken by Sephardic Jews.

Following the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492, Ladino traveled with them across the Ottoman Empire, North Africa, and parts of Europe, absorbing elements from languages like Turkish, Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, and French.

It preserved many archaic features of Spanish that modern Spanish has lost, such as certain phonetic and grammatical forms.

Traditionally written in Hebrew script, Ladino later adopted the Latin alphabet and developed a rich literary and musical tradition.

Though its use declined over the centuries, recent efforts in Israel, Spain, and the U.S. have sparked a revival, celebrating Ladino as a vital link to Sephardic heritage