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Over 170,000 Jews were expelled from Spain in 1492 and wandered through the Mediterranean world looking for a hospitable refuge. The largest number settled in various parts of the Ottoman Empire. The sultans allowed the newcomers to worship as they pleased, use their own language, and maintain their own schools. Ladino was the language of these exiles. In present day Ladino one may find Turkish, Italian, French, Greek and Slavic words together with many of the same Hebrew words for religious ideas and customs that are current in Yiddish. In this collection you will find ancient ballads that preserve the folk culture of 15th century Spain while at the same time expressing the influence of slowly gathering layers of Hebraic tradition and foreign elements. They are sung by Raphael Yair Elnadav, a well-known singer of Sephardic songs.