Write an essay of 4-5 double-spaced pages based on this scenario:
You are Ariel Abravanel, the descendant of Sephardi Jews who were expelled from Spain in 1492. Your maternal ancestor drowned at sea when a ship captain promised her and her family safe passage and then tossed them overboard along with other Sephardi Jews who were fleeing their homeland. Your paternal ancestor somehow survived this perilous voyage, made his way to the Ottoman Empire, remarried, and raised his family there. Your paternal ancestor and his new family thrived in the Ottoman Empire (modern-day Turkey) and eventually their children and grandchildren settled in Amsterdam, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, New York, Seattle, and Los Angeles, where you and your family now live. You learn that the Spanish government has a program for Sephardi Jews to apply for citizenship if they can trace their Spanish lineage back to the 15th century or earlier. You raise this issue with your spouse, who opposes applying for Spanish citizenship, and your two children. One argues that applying for citizenship is a good idea and the other is opposed to this.
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