The president of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain, David Obadía, receives the Order of Civil Merit

The Diplomat The president of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain (FCJE), David Obadía, was awarded the Commander's Cross of the Order of Civil Merit this Thursday for “the contribution of the Jewish community as an essential part of Spanish society.” The Commander's Cross was presented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares. “Congratulations to President Obadía on receiving the Commander's Cross of the Order of Civil Merit,” the Sephardic-Israeli Center, which reports to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, posted on social media. “Minister Albares highlighted the Jewish communities as a fundamental part of Spanish society, and the Government's firm commitment to the fight against antisemitism,” it added. The Order of Civil Merit was established by King Alfonso XIII in 1926 to recognize Spanish or foreign citizens who have rendered distinguished service to Spain or made significant contributions to matters that benefit the nation. The European Jewish Congress (ECJ) warmly congratulated Obadía. “This recognition reflects his dedication and leadership, as well as the important contribution of the Jewish community as an integral part of Spanish society,” it added on social media. “We also welcome Minister Albares’ recognition of the vital role that Jewish communities continue to play in the social, cultural, and civic life of Spain,” it added. David Obadía was elected president of the FCJE in April 2024 for a four-year term, succeeding Isaac Benzaquén, who had led the institution since May 2020. The FCJE is the official representative body for Spanish Jews. David Obadía, a Spaniard, son and grandson of Spaniards, was born in Beer Sheva, Israel, in 1961. He spent his childhood and adolescence in Melilla and currently lives in Torremolinos, where he has built his life as a businessman in the real estate sector and his political career. In 2015, he entered politics with the support of José Ortiz, former mayor of Torremolinos, who appointed him personal advisor. With the Ciudadanos party, he held the positions of deputy mayor, councilor for Development, Urban Planning, Infrastructure, Commercial Activities, Public Works and Heritage, and spokesperson for his political group in the Torremolinos City Council. In 2023, Ciudadanos nominated him as their candidate for mayor of Torremolinos, but he decided to retire from politics. Obadía also has extensive community experience, which began in 1980 as a volunteer at the Yosef Obadía Synagogue in Melilla, founded by his great-grandfather of the same name. Until his appointment as president of the FCJE (Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain), he served as president of the Jewish community of Torremolinos—of which he is currently honorary president—for eight years, vice president of the FCJE as head of Spanish Jewish youth, and president of the Jewish community of Málaga and of the association of Jewish communities of Andalusia. He has also received numerous awards for his extensive service to Spanish Jewish life over the past 40 years. Last January, during the State Ceremony for the Official Day of Remembrance of the Holocaust and the Prevention of Crimes against Humanity, organized by the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain and the Sephardic-Israeli Center in the Senate, Obadía warned that “the seed of the Holocaust was antisemitism.” “It didn’t begin with gas chambers, but with words, accusations, insults, prejudice, and marginalization; all of this gradually permeated society and led to the greatest massacre of human beings by an advanced, industrialized country where intellectuals and artists were at the forefront of the world,” he continued. “Modern antisemitism also disguises itself as anti-Zionism and seeks the dismantling of the State of Israel, the disappearance of the place where the Jewish people exercise their legitimate right to self-determination,” he added.

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