Probing Question: Was Christopher Columbus Jewish?

By Solmaz Barazesh - Research/Penn State Five centuries after his death, Christopher Columbus remains a mysterious and controversial figure. Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece all claim the celebrated navigator and explorer as one of their own, yet there are few accurate records pertaining to Columbus' personal life and identity. Years of speculation suggest that most stories about him are probably based on legend. However, one theory seems particularly persistent. For many years, it has been rumored that Christopher Columbus was Jewish or of Jewish descent. Proponents of that theory point to a variety of known details about the famous explorer, particularly his choice to set sail for the New World on August 2, 1492, the exact date ordained for the expulsion of Jews from Spain. Can we conclude that Christopher Columbus was Jewish? "It's an interesting story, although most of the evidence is circumstantial," said Tobias Brinkmann , associate professor of Jewish studies and history at Penn State.