The kinship between Jews and Spartans mentioned in 1 and 2 Maccabees has provoked scholarly curiosity and debate for at least two centuries. While most studies have focused on the question of the Judeo-Spartan correspondence's historicity, in this paper I reflect on the reasons that led some Jews to embrace the idea of such a close connection with Sparta, and suggest that there may be yet another aspect of this issue that deserves scrutiny. I first delve into the implications of the references to kinship with the Spartans in 1 and 2 Maccabees, drawing a distinction between the question of the authenticity of the letters and that of the historical reality of the Judeo-Spartan relationship. I then consider a few reasons that made it possible for Jews, even among conservative Judean circles, to perceive themselves as close to the Spartans, to the point of acknowledging them as kin. Finally, I suggest an additional explanation for the Judean Spartophilia, which has not received attention so far and pertains to the Spartans' and the Jews' respective relationships to their ancestral territory.