Exams – Sephardic Heritage Certificate
Posted By admin on June 3, 2019
All applicants aged 18-70 who are citizens of non-Spanish speaking countries must pass two Spanish exams given at an Instituto Cervantes in Albuquerque, Seattle, Chicago, New York or Boston called the DELE A2 and CCSE.
Individuals from Spanish-speaking nations or those born in Puerto Rico only need to pass the CCSE.
Important Information for Dual Nationals living in non-Spanish speaking nations
If an individual holds two passports, one from a Spanish-speaking country and one from a non-Spanish speaking country, and was born in a Spanish speaking country, s/he can elect to only take the CCSE, but then must undergo two background checks, one from each nations federal police, as well as a local background check from the state or region where they currently reside if they have lived there for less than five years.
If an individual has lived in a non-Spanish speaking nation for over five years, s/he can undergo the background check of that nation only. Individuals who only hold passports from a non-Spanish speaking nation, but were born in Latin America should consult with an attorney.
Applicants with significant disabilities may receive an exemption with a doctors note that has been translated into Spanish and has an apostille affixed.
Here are thedatesof the Spanish language (DELE A2) and civics (CCES) exams that will be held at the Instituto Cervantes in 2019. We strongly recommend preparing for these exams and signing up as soon as possible, as space is limited for these exams.
Albuquerques Instituto Cervantes is particularly helpful. Here is its website: http://albuquerque.cervantes.es/en/default.shtm If you have questions or you need to pay the fee for the test in New Mexico, please contact Manuel Gonzales at505-724-4777or adx2abq@cervantes.es.
====================================================================
CCSE (Civics)EXAMS
ExamDate Last Day to Sign Up
May 30, 2019 May 9, 2019
June 27, 2019 June 6, 2019
July 25, 2019 July 4, 2019
DELE A2 SPANISH (language) EXAMS
ExamDate Last Day to Sign Up
July 12, 2019 May 16, 2019
Note: Results for the DELE A2 takes four months to attain. In order to receive results more quickly, please indicate on your registration form that you are taking the exam for the Sephardic citizenship program. Results for the CCSE take one month.
Many of you have asked for advice about preparing for the two exams required for Spanish citizenship. Here are some helpful hints, based on my own experience.
First Stop: Visit an Instituto Cervantes in Albuquerque, Seattle, Chicago, New York, Boston, or Miami
If you live near an Instituto Cervantes, please contact them first. The branch in Albuquerque is friendly and helpful. You can call them if you have trouble reaching another branch.
If you live far from an Instituto Cervantes, you may still want to contact your nearest Instituto Cervantes to ask for a placement test (to see how intensively you will need to prepare) and also for any recommendations they may have for instructors and classes in your city.
CCSE: Conocimientos constitucionales y socioculturales de Espana
This is the civics exam which expects a basic understanding of Spanish law, society, government, history, geography and culture. It is a brief multiple-choice exam with 25 questions. Applicants need to study a 100-page booklet with 300 potential questions.
The book is written in Spanish, and there is no English translation, though there is a lexicon of key words in a series of languages.
It is not a difficult exam, but one must read through all the material and questions carefully, and study the correct answers. It is a brief test, and almost everyone finishes within 30 minutes. Study the whole book carefully, and memorize the answers if you need to. The test is a very interesting windowinto Spain, and it will also help you with the reading comprehension section of the DELE.
Link on how to prepare for the CCSE:https://examenes.cervantes.es/es/ccse/preparar-prueba
Exam preparation booklet for the 2018 test:https://examenes.cervantes.es/sites/default/files/ccse_manual_2019.pdf
DELE A2: Un Diploma de Espanol
This is a far more serious exam, in that it expects an intermediate level of written and spoken Spanish. Applicants take a four-hour exam (with breaks between each of the four sections, be prepared to stay from 8:30 am to perhaps 2:00 pm) which measures the ability to read, listen, write and speak Spanish. This test truly seeks to measure your ability to use straightforward, feet on the ground Spanish. There are no trick questions.
It is a European exam, akin to the International Baccalaureate, and so if you have only taken US examinations, you need to be familiar with the format of the test. This is crucial. Do not go into the exam without preparation, even if your Spanish is strong. You canbuy preparation books for the DELE A2. Please take practice tests until you feel very comfortable with the format.
I took classes for six months at the Instituto Cervantes, and then hired one of their instructors to tutor me for the last two months. I took a lot of practice tests. That made a big difference for me.
Two sections are for understanding language: reading and listening, and two for transmitting information: writing and speaking. Figure out your individual strengths and weaknesses, and practice the weak areas as much as you can. Be prepared to listen to the Castilian Spanish accent, and prepare for the way that the oral exam is structured, so that you wont be surprised. For reading, the CCSE booklet is actually a very good start, and for writing, practice writing short essays, emails to friends, basic verb tenses and vocabulary.
Link on how to prepare for the DELE:https://examenes.cervantes.es/es/dele/preparar-prueba
More detail on each section of the test: https://examenes.cervantes.es/sites/default/files/guia_examen_dele_a2_0.pdf
I would buy the DELE A2 prep books (available on Amazon) published by either Edelsa and Difusion. Difusion has more general grammar and vocabulary help, but my teacher used Edelsa, and some of the oral questions were verbatim.
DELE Prep Classes via Skype
If you dont live in easy access of an Instituto Cervantes and your Spanish is not strong, you will need to attend classes or hire a tutor. There is a way to hire a tutor via Skype. This is a good option for people who live in rural areas with few Spanish teachers available. It is also good for folks who travel a lot and may not be able to attend classes in person every week.
According to Luis Portero, the reviews they post give a feeling for the methods.
Individual tutorials may be as low as $10 per hour.
Intensive Class in Spain
We received this recommendation from one of our applicants, Elizabeth A.
For anyone you know who is interested in power-learning Spanish, I had an amazing experience at my Spanish school and cannot recommend it highly enough. They have a special two week package that includes DELE A2 prep. For me it was 765 Euros for the two weeks, which included five hours per day: a grammar class, a conversation class, and a semi-private DELE class daily AND INCLUDES a private room in a student apartment which was beautiful! It also includes daily group activities which the students tend to take advantage of so there becomes a feeling of community and more opportunity to speak. I found the school to be amazing and would do it again in a heartbeat.
It is:
For other interested folks,I did not speak a word of Spanish as of November 2017. I then studied mostly on my own using Babel and Memrise and then this two weeks in Granada made all of the difference. I had met with a Seattle tutor maybe 6-7 times, but he wasnt a great match so it wasnt super helpful in the end. Escuela Delengua in Granda was everything.
Go here to see the original:
Exams - Sephardic Heritage Certificate
- Spains Apology: Muslims too Deserve Correction of Historical Wrongs [Last Updated On: April 1st, 2014] [Originally Added On: April 1st, 2014]
- Jewish Virtual Library Sephardim [Last Updated On: April 1st, 2014] [Originally Added On: April 1st, 2014]
- Music and the Sephardic oral tradition: a life spent documenting Jewish musical heritage - Video [Last Updated On: April 1st, 2014] [Originally Added On: April 1st, 2014]
- Beit Shemesh mayor condemns attack on woman for modesty [Last Updated On: April 3rd, 2014] [Originally Added On: April 3rd, 2014]
- Evan Kleiman revisits her Passover traditions [Last Updated On: April 3rd, 2014] [Originally Added On: April 3rd, 2014]
- Spain clarifies legislation offering citizenship [Last Updated On: April 3rd, 2014] [Originally Added On: April 3rd, 2014]
- Spanish Citizenship for Sephardic Jews: Exactly who will be eligible for a Spanish passport? - Video [Last Updated On: April 5th, 2014] [Originally Added On: April 5th, 2014]
- Sephardic Community Center presents The Wiz - Video [Last Updated On: April 6th, 2014] [Originally Added On: April 6th, 2014]
- Manischewitz's kitniyot brand: Why this Passover is different from all other Passovers [Last Updated On: April 9th, 2014] [Originally Added On: April 9th, 2014]
- NY rabbi: Ban Jewish groups that support BDS from Israel parade [Last Updated On: April 9th, 2014] [Originally Added On: April 9th, 2014]
- John Hagee speaks of the four blood moons and sephardic jews - Video [Last Updated On: April 9th, 2014] [Originally Added On: April 9th, 2014]
- Onetime Sephardic Towns See Euro Signs in Revival of Lost Jewish Heritage [Last Updated On: April 10th, 2014] [Originally Added On: April 10th, 2014]
- Cuisine of the Sephardic Jews - Wikipedia, the free ... [Last Updated On: April 14th, 2014] [Originally Added On: April 14th, 2014]
- Sephardic Genealogy [Last Updated On: April 14th, 2014] [Originally Added On: April 14th, 2014]
- LA Sephardic Music Festival Recap/Teaser - Video [Last Updated On: April 21st, 2014] [Originally Added On: April 21st, 2014]
- Jewish genetic testing offered [Last Updated On: April 23rd, 2014] [Originally Added On: April 23rd, 2014]
- Century 21: Expanding beyond its retail comfort zone [Last Updated On: April 29th, 2014] [Originally Added On: April 29th, 2014]
- Center for Active Design Names Excellence Award Recipients [Last Updated On: April 29th, 2014] [Originally Added On: April 29th, 2014]
- Religion briefs for May 3 [Last Updated On: May 3rd, 2014] [Originally Added On: May 3rd, 2014]
- Sr. Villa plays a Sephardic tune - Video [Last Updated On: May 3rd, 2014] [Originally Added On: May 3rd, 2014]
- Pride of Israel Synagogue in North York hosts Jewish Music Week concert [Last Updated On: May 7th, 2014] [Originally Added On: May 7th, 2014]
- Bakashot Makes Unlikely Comeback as Sephardic Jews Explore Traditions [Last Updated On: May 7th, 2014] [Originally Added On: May 7th, 2014]
- Cantor pushes China to open historic synagogue [Last Updated On: May 9th, 2014] [Originally Added On: May 9th, 2014]
- Nikita Khrushchev Denounces Israel to Egyptians [Last Updated On: May 9th, 2014] [Originally Added On: May 9th, 2014]
- Haftarah sefardi shel yom Tish (Sephardic music) - Video [Last Updated On: May 9th, 2014] [Originally Added On: May 9th, 2014]
- Reclaiming Spains Jews [Last Updated On: May 13th, 2014] [Originally Added On: May 13th, 2014]
- Caracas Jews find US home [Last Updated On: May 13th, 2014] [Originally Added On: May 13th, 2014]
- Venezuelan Jewish Families Transform Miami Suburbs [Last Updated On: May 13th, 2014] [Originally Added On: May 13th, 2014]
- Strength in unity [Last Updated On: May 14th, 2014] [Originally Added On: May 14th, 2014]
- La Jollas Best bets for events [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2014] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2014]
- Sephardic Judeo-Spanish Song - Video [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2014] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2014]
- Z01 Mishnah Masechet Berachot Chanted in Hebrew Sephardic Pronunciation - Video [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2014] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2014]
- "Morenica a m me llaman" ("Little dark girl"). Sephardic song - Video [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2014] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2014]
- 74% of French Jews Consider Leaving Country [Last Updated On: May 20th, 2014] [Originally Added On: May 20th, 2014]
- Sephardic celebration - Video [Last Updated On: May 20th, 2014] [Originally Added On: May 20th, 2014]
- Sephardic bar mitzvah - Video [Last Updated On: May 21st, 2014] [Originally Added On: May 21st, 2014]
- Bar mitzvah Sephardic - Video [Last Updated On: May 21st, 2014] [Originally Added On: May 21st, 2014]
- No neutrality between extremism and democracy: Kenney [Last Updated On: August 31st, 2014] [Originally Added On: August 31st, 2014]
- JAVI DRUMS 2 Improvisacion "Sephardic" - Video [Last Updated On: August 31st, 2014] [Originally Added On: August 31st, 2014]
- Sephardic Jews eye return to Spain - reporter - Video [Last Updated On: September 1st, 2014] [Originally Added On: September 1st, 2014]
- Safra: The sound of coexistence at Berkeleys Ashkenaz [Last Updated On: September 5th, 2014] [Originally Added On: September 5th, 2014]
- Sephardic Heritage in DC's Lag La'Omer BBQ - Video [Last Updated On: September 10th, 2014] [Originally Added On: September 10th, 2014]
- Commenting Guidelines [Last Updated On: September 11th, 2014] [Originally Added On: September 11th, 2014]
- What to do in Andalusia [Last Updated On: September 13th, 2014] [Originally Added On: September 13th, 2014]
- Spanish Cities Celebrate Jewish Womens Contributions to Their Heritage [Last Updated On: September 15th, 2014] [Originally Added On: September 15th, 2014]
- Eastside news: Stroum Center cultural arts lineup [Last Updated On: September 17th, 2014] [Originally Added On: September 17th, 2014]
- The Journey Of The Sephardic Jew Draft - Video [Last Updated On: September 19th, 2014] [Originally Added On: September 19th, 2014]
- Sephardic Spices - Video [Last Updated On: September 19th, 2014] [Originally Added On: September 19th, 2014]
- Sephardic Congregation Annual Banquet 8/10/2014 - Video 6 - Video [Last Updated On: September 21st, 2014] [Originally Added On: September 21st, 2014]
- Sephardic Congregation Annual Banquet 8/10/2014 - Video 4 - Video [Last Updated On: September 21st, 2014] [Originally Added On: September 21st, 2014]
- Sephardic Congregation Annual Banquet 8/10/2014 - Video 3 - Video [Last Updated On: September 21st, 2014] [Originally Added On: September 21st, 2014]
- Sephardic Congregation Annual Banquet 8/10/2014 - Video 2 - Video [Last Updated On: September 21st, 2014] [Originally Added On: September 21st, 2014]
- Sephardic Congregation Annual Banquet 8/10/2014 - Video 5 - Video [Last Updated On: September 22nd, 2014] [Originally Added On: September 22nd, 2014]
- Sephardic Congregation Annual Banquet 8/10/2014 - Video 1 - Video [Last Updated On: September 22nd, 2014] [Originally Added On: September 22nd, 2014]
- Rosh Hashana's Sacred Bread Offers Meaning In Many Shapes And Sizes [Last Updated On: September 24th, 2014] [Originally Added On: September 24th, 2014]
- Sephardic Women at Shalom Club in Plovdiv - Video [Last Updated On: September 24th, 2014] [Originally Added On: September 24th, 2014]
- How to Pronounce Machzorim - Video [Last Updated On: September 26th, 2014] [Originally Added On: September 26th, 2014]
- How to Pronounce Hakham - Video [Last Updated On: September 26th, 2014] [Originally Added On: September 26th, 2014]
- Sarah Gorby - La Sirena (Sephardic Song) - Video [Last Updated On: September 26th, 2014] [Originally Added On: September 26th, 2014]
- 20140921 Sephardic Music 2 - Video [Last Updated On: September 26th, 2014] [Originally Added On: September 26th, 2014]
- 20140921 Sephardic Music Chamber Music Day - Video [Last Updated On: September 28th, 2014] [Originally Added On: September 28th, 2014]
- Photos: This Week in Pictures: Top Photos from Around the Globe [Last Updated On: September 29th, 2014] [Originally Added On: September 29th, 2014]
- Volokh Conspiracy: Does race really matter to Justice Sotomayor? [Last Updated On: October 3rd, 2014] [Originally Added On: October 3rd, 2014]
- Teodora Enache-Aisha & Benny Rietveld Quintet | Sephardic Poem & Abraham's Bells - Video [Last Updated On: October 6th, 2014] [Originally Added On: October 6th, 2014]
- Black Guy Singing Sephardic Jewish Music - Video [Last Updated On: October 6th, 2014] [Originally Added On: October 6th, 2014]
- Patrick Modiano, French Sephardic Novelist, Wins Nobel for Literature [Last Updated On: October 9th, 2014] [Originally Added On: October 9th, 2014]
- Toledo Recalls Sephardic Past With Sukkot Festival [Last Updated On: October 9th, 2014] [Originally Added On: October 9th, 2014]
- Klezmer And Sephardic Tunes - 33 Traditional Pieces For Accordion - Merima Kljuco - Video [Last Updated On: October 9th, 2014] [Originally Added On: October 9th, 2014]
- Concierto de msica sefard de TAKSIM / Sephardic music concert of TAKSIM. - Video [Last Updated On: October 9th, 2014] [Originally Added On: October 9th, 2014]
- Concert celebrates the Sarajevo Haggadah, a symbol of survival [Last Updated On: October 10th, 2014] [Originally Added On: October 10th, 2014]
- Was Nicolas Sarkozy Hated by French Because He's Jewish? [Last Updated On: October 16th, 2014] [Originally Added On: October 16th, 2014]
- Growing strong: Maimonides Academy to open new building for grades three through eight [Last Updated On: October 22nd, 2014] [Originally Added On: October 22nd, 2014]
- Sephardic Moroccan Gitano Flamenco song - Video [Last Updated On: October 22nd, 2014] [Originally Added On: October 22nd, 2014]
- Purim Alexandria Egypt 1959 JEWS SEPHARDIC JEWISH - Video [Last Updated On: October 24th, 2014] [Originally Added On: October 24th, 2014]
- International Ladino Day 2013- Full Program - Video [Last Updated On: October 30th, 2014] [Originally Added On: October 30th, 2014]
- Sephardic medley (Safam version) performed by The Kadima Band at Wellesley College - Video [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2014] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2014]
- ADIO QUERIDA - new version! by Anna Riveiro & Marcin Olak & Micha Pindakiewicz; Sephardic song - Video [Last Updated On: November 3rd, 2014] [Originally Added On: November 3rd, 2014]
- Israelis Turn Frustrated with Netanyahu [Last Updated On: November 4th, 2014] [Originally Added On: November 4th, 2014]
- The Khazars and the Mountain Jews: Tales from Jewish Azerbaijan [Last Updated On: November 5th, 2014] [Originally Added On: November 5th, 2014]
- L.A. Sephardic Film Festival fetes beloved Israeli entertainer [Last Updated On: November 6th, 2014] [Originally Added On: November 6th, 2014]
Comments