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While Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain are traditionally credited with funding Columbus's voyage, influential Jews, including Luis de Santangel and Don Isaac Abarbanel, played a significant role in securing financial support and advocating for his expedition.

Here's a more detailed explanation:

Financial Support:

Luis de Santangel, a converso (a Jew who converted to Christianity), and Gabriel Sanchez (treasurer of the Crown of Aragón), provided an interest-free loan of 17,000 ducats to help finance Columbus's voyage.
Don Isaac Abarbanel, a prominent rabbi and Jewish statesman, also contributed financially.
Some historians suggest that the funding for Columbus's second voyage came from the wealth seized from expelled Jews.

Advocacy and Influence:

Santangel and other influential Jews championed Columbus's cause before the Spanish crown.
Some members of Columbus's crew were also conversos.

Theories about Columbus's Jewish Heritage:

Some theories suggest that Columbus himself may have been of Jewish descent, or that he was secretly Jewish, based on his ties to Jewish individuals and the timing of his voyage relative to the expulsion of Jews from Spain.
The day Columbus set sail was also the deadline for Jews to convert or leave Spain.

Other Jewish Figures Involved:

Luis de Torres, an interpreter on Columbus's fleet, was of Jewish descent.
Alfonso de la Calle, a bursar, and Rodrigo Sanchez of Segovia, a surgeon, were also conversos who accompanied Columbus.