In Honor of “Founding Father of the UAE, the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan (Allah Yirhamu)…. [who] was determined to make the UAE a nation of giving, love, tolerance and compassion, & succeeded to make the UAE an international model to follow.” ~Rabbi Dr. Elie Abadie, Zayed Humanitarian Day, Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Abu Dhabi, 20 April 2022
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🕍“A mosque, a church and a synagogue open side-by-side”
By Jonathan H. Ferziger, The Circuit
Welcome Center, Abrahamic Family House, Abu Dhabi, UAE
(Photo courtesy of Dror Baldinger/Adjaye Associates/Design Boom)
The Abrahamic Family House is “a monumental interfaith compound that was unveiled last week in the United Arab Emirates.” The visually striking “white-stoned” mosque, church and synagogue were “built with identical dimensions of 30 meters in height, width and depth, while distinguished by iconic design elements referring to each religion.” After sunset, “visible in the desert landscape from the island’s main road and lit up at night are giant posts beside each building that carry the symbols of a crescent, a cross and a menorah.” Sir Ephraim Mirvis, Chief Rabbi of the U.K.’s United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, attended the opening, affixed the mezuzah to the Moses ben Maimon synagogue, and offered a common aim to those in attendance, “‘[I]n a world in which differences can separate us, let us say here that our shared values shall exist for the sake of our universal aspirations.’”
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Feature: A first glimpse at the Majestic Abrahamic Family House🕊️ 🙏
By The Khaleej Times
The Synagogue, Church, and Mosque are equal in size. Rendering of the Abrahamic Family House, Abu Dhabi, UAE
(Image courtesy of Adjaye Associates/dezeen)
The Khaleej Times takes us inside for a first look at the stunning synagogue, mosque, and church constituting the Abrahamic Family House. One detail not mentioned in the video: the congregation in the Moses ben Maimon Synagogue prays west in the direction of Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the Jewish people.
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💬“Renowned African British architect discusses interfaith complex at UAE cultural gathering”
By Shyama Krishna Kumar, Arab News
Ghanaian British architect David Adjaye (left) delivered the final keynote speech at the Culture Summit Abu Dhabi
(Photo courtesy of Arab News)
Sir David Adjaye, the 56-year-old, globally-celebrated, Ghanian-British architect is famous for designing the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., and the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo, Norway. Now, Adjaye has added Abu Dhabi’s Abrahamic Family House to his list of monumental architectural accomplishments. Says Adjaye, “‘The idea was to create three temples or worship spaces to Islam, to Judaism, to Christianity, and then to create a museum that will connect them and talk about the roots of that connection.’” How will Adjaye measure the success of the structural complex? “‘I want to see all generations just use it. For me, it’s so important that it’s multi-generational. I want to see people in their elder years and very young people running around and using it.’”
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✡️“Abu Dhabi’s new ‘Abrahamic Family House’”
By Houda Nonoo, The Times of Israel
Hakham Elie Abadie, Senior Rabbi of the Jewish Council of the Emirates/Rabbi of the Association of Gulf Jewish Communities/and Chair of the ASF’s Council of Sephardic Sages, is credited with naming the Moises ben Maimon Synagogue, designing “the interior seating in a U shape like the traditional Sephardic synagogues of old,” suggesting the “Pesukim / Verses quoted” and ensuring that the nusach “of the Bet HaKenesset will be Sephardi.” Interior of the Moses ben Maimon Synagogue, Abrahamic Family House, Abu Dhabi, UAE
(Photo courtesy of Dror Baldinger/Adjaye Associates/Design Boom)
Ambassador Houda Nonoo is a Bahraini Jew from a Baghdadi Jewish family that left Iraq for Bahrain in 1888. An accomplished businesswoman active in Bahraini society, Nonoo was appointed to serve as Bahrain’s Ambassador to the United States from 2008-2013, and today is one of the leaders of the Association of Gulf Jewish Communities. Deeply enmeshed in Gulf Arab culture, Nonoo offered a keynote address at the recent opening of the Abrahamic Family House in the UAE: “‘In many Western countries, antisemitism and Islamophobia are at an all-time high. Yet, in our countries, we are not only ensuring their safety but encouraging their practice by building houses of worship for them to use. What a powerful message to the rest of the world and I hope that, someday soon, all people of faith will be equally comfortable and supported in the countries where they reside.’”
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✨“A Beacon of Hope: The Abrahamic Family House”
By Rabbi Isaac Choua, The Times of Israel
Abrahamic Family House, Abu Dhabi, UAE
(Photo courtesy of Dror Baldinger/Adjaye Associates/Design Boom)
Among his many positions, Rabbi Isaac Choua, an ASF Broome & Allen Fellow (2018), is Global Interfaith Lead for the WJC Jewish Diplomatic Corps and liaison for Jewish communities in the Middle East and North Africa. In 2021, R’Choua joined a WJC mission to the UAE, where he was “‘struck by the genuine warmth and hospitality of the Emirati people’” who possess “‘a fundamental belief in… tolerance.’” Reflecting upon the opening of the Abrahamic Family House, R’Choua sees “‘a symbol of mutual understanding’” reflecting the spirit that originally animated the 2020 Abraham Accords, “‘The signing of the Abraham Accords has made the UAE the new beacon of hope in the Middle East. While the Accords brought peace to the Israeli people, they also marked the beginning of a new era of relations between Muslims and Jews.’”
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The American Sephardi Federation invites all individuals, communities, and organizations who share our vision & principles to join us in signing the American Sephardi Leadership Statement!
Please also support the ASF with a generous, tax-deductible contribution so we can continue to cultivate and advocate, preserve and promote, as well as educate and empower!
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From Generation to Generation: a Legacy of Faith and Tolerance
By David S. Malka
From Generation to Generation: a Legacy of Faith and Tolerance is dedicated to the memory of Rabbi Shlomo Malka. It honors his memory as a Jewish scholar, a spiritual leader, and a great humanitarian.
David S. Malka is publishing this text as his personal contribution to legacy of Malka family, in the hope that this generation will re-discover their patriarch's teaching and advance his message of faith and compassion on to the next generation.
From Generation to Generation: a Legacy of Faith and Tolerance is a message of love, tolerance, and pride in one's heritage.
by Devorah Michael
This is a unique Mezuzah handmade in the Spanish and Mexican tradition of Talavera pottery - the first of its kind.
Devorah Michael focuses on offering high-quality, Mexican Judaica products that represent the beauty of both cultures. All products are 100% Mexican 100% Jewish and 100% unique!
All products are handmade by experienced artisans whose craft has been perfected over centuries of hard work and dedication.
Talavera is a colorful, handmade, style of artisan pottery present in Spain and Mexico. Authentic Talavera pottery originates in only two places: Talavera de la Reina in Spain and San Pablo del Monte in Mexico. In order for Talavera to be deemed authentic, not only must it originate from the previously mentioned places, but it can only be produced in six colors: blue, yellow, black, green, orange, and mauve. Such colors can only come from natural pigments.
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Upcoming Events or Opportunities
The ASF Institute of Jewish Experience presents:
Amid Conflict and Distress: Exploring the Remnants of Jewish Heritage in Syria and Lebanon
The Jewish communities of Syria and Lebanon are among the most ancient in the diaspora, with their origins often attributed to the era of King David.
This class will explore the history of these communities, alongside the development of unique cultural traditions from Baqashot to the Aleppo Codex.
Drawing from Daniel’s own experiences and photographic content, this class also focuses on the contemporary politics and challenges surrounding Jewish heritage in the region - with recent footage from, among other sites: the Jewish quarter of Damascus, Aleppo’s Old City and the Beirut Jewish cemetery.
Wednesday, 1 March at 12:00PM EST
(Complimentary RSVP; Suggested minimum donation $11)
Sign-up Now!
About the speaker:
Daniel Herszberg has visited over 190 countries and has recently traveled around Syria and Lebanon, with a particular focus on researching and documenting Jewish heritage sites. Daniel is currently reading for his DPhil (PhD) in Socio-Legal Studies at the University of Oxford and has previously completed an MPhil in Heritage Studies from the University of Cambridge.
Sponsorship opportunities available:
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The ASF Institute of Jewish Experience, together with Kulanu and Genie Milgrom present:
Finding Judaism Across Africa and Central American
Communities across Africa and Central America are returning to their Jewish roots or finding Judaism. They are seeking out religion and a connection to the larger Jewish world, many with a view towards their own Sephardi ancestry and others through an affinity for the Sephardi rites.
Representatives of these communities, documentarians, and activists will come together to share their experiences and the unique interactions of these communities and the greater Sephardi world traditions.
The program will open with a photo exhibit in the Great Hall.
Sunday, 12 March 10:00AM - 4:00PM EST
At the Center for Jewish History
(Tickets: In-person $36; Via Zoom $15)
Sign-up Now!
Sign-up for Zoom Now!
We will host scholars and leaders of these emerging communities from Africa and Central America that will discuss their connections to Judaism and their Sephardi influences.
Featuring:
Professor Tudor Parfitt, emeritus of modern Jewish studies in the University of London, senior associate fellow at the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Judaic Studies, distinguished professor at Florida International University
Professor Shalva Weil, senior researcher at Hebrew university, distinguished professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, research fellow at University of South Africa, prolific writer and lecturer on Indian Jews, Ethiopian Jews, lost tribes, and femicide
Joseph F. Lovett, producer, director, writer. Director of Children of the Inquisition, 2019.
Engr. Jator Abido (Yatov ben Yisrael), Nigerian representative to the Sub Sahara Africa Jewish alliance
Patricio Serno, filmmaker and co-founder of Casa Tova, Mexico
and more.
Sponsorship opportunities available:
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The Belzberg Program in Israel Studies at the University of Calgary and the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies at Brandeis University. With the collaboration of the American Sefardi Federation, Centro Sefarad Israel, and the International Network for Jewish Thought present:
Sephardi Modernities Seminar Series, 2023
Join us as we explore the relationship between our narratives about the past and the future to which we aspire. The ways in which scholars approach the stories, events, characters, and historical processes of the Sephardi/Levantine past are inevitably guided by values, by their moral and political beliefs. Which elements of the past do they strive to preserve, reclaim and grant continuity? What are they trying to say about a potential future? Which stories become part of canonized history, and which ones are dismissed as mere anecdotes? Which theoretical, social, political, and cultural frameworks do they wrestle with, and which do they seek to advance?
On Zoom
(Registration is required for each session)
14 March at 12:00PM EST
Preservation of Jewish Heritage and Debating Egypt’s Past and Present
Yoram Meital, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
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23 March at 12:00PM EDT
How Do Judeo-Spanish Proverbs and Tales Communicate with Us and How Do We Communicate With Them?
Lital Belinko-Sabah, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
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18 April at 12:00PM EST
‘Modernity’ and ‘Tradition’ on the Move: Spanish Moroccan Jews and their Diasporas
Aviad Moreno, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, in conversation with Angy Cohen, University of Calgary
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9 May at 12:00PM EST
Sephardi Musical Modernities: Listening to the Past in the Future
Edwin Seroussi, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Yair Dalal, Composer, violinist, oud player, singer, and teacher
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Throughout this year’s series we will discuss the future invoked by each way of looking at the past, the political agendas of historical research, and the values that unavoidably guide scholastic inquiry. Topics include the transmission of narratives among collectives and among researchers, ownership of archives, encounters with the past, the academic legitimacy of certain topics and collectives, vehicles of memory (music, oral history, proverbs, etc.) and the construction of historical narratives.
Organized by Dr. Angy Cohen, Inaugural Hy and Jenny Belzberg Postdoctoral Associate in Israel Studies, Department of Anthropology and Archaeology at the University of Calgary, and Dr. Yuval Evri, Assistant Professor of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies on the Marash and Ocuin Chair in Ottoman, Mizrahi, and Sephardic Jewish Studies, Brandeis University.
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The ASF Institute of Jewish Experience presents:
Diary of a Black Jewish Messiah
Discover a true story of imperial rivalry, Mediterranean Jewish communities, a Jewish kingdom, & one black messiah!
Professor Alan Verskin will share the world into which the semi-messianic figure, David Reubeni, peddles his vision of an autonomous Jewish country in the Holy Land.; a world filled with fierce rivalries between Christian and Muslim powers, brutal conquest, and fantastic discovery.
A panel discussion will ensue with Professors Alan Verskin, Ronnie Perelis, and Francesca Bregoli followed by Q&A.
Thursday, 16 March at 6:00PM EST
At the Center for Jewish History
(Tickets: $15 suggested donation)
Sign-up Now!
In 1524 David Reubeni, also known as the “black messiah,” arrived in Venice, claiming to be the ambassador of a powerful Arabian Jewish kingdom. In an era of fierce imperial rivalry, and the fantastic discovery and brutal conquest of new lands, people across the Mediterranean saw signs of an impending apocalypse and dreamed of discovering new allies to join them in the coming war. Reubeni offered a Jewish take on these expectations. With his warriors from lost Israelite tribes, he pledged to recover the Holy Land and restore Jewish pride. Numerous Jews and conversos hailed him as the messiah.
Diary of a Black Jewish Messiah (Stanford University Press, 2023) is the first English translation of Reubeni’s Hebrew diary.
Alan Verskin is Associate Professor of Jewish and Islamic History at the University of Rhode Island. His most recent book is A Vision of Yemen: The Travels of a European Orientalist and his Native Guide (Stanford University Press, 2019).
Francesca Bregoli, Joseph and Oro Halegua Chair in Greek and Sephardic Jewish Studies, is Associate Professor at Queens College and The Graduate Center, where she serves as Director of the Center for Jewish Studies. Her research focuses on early modern Italian and Sephardic Jewish history. She is the author of Mediterranean Enlightenment: Livornese Jews, Tuscan Culture, and Eighteenth-Century Reform (Stanford University Press, 2014; National Jewish Book Award finalist in the categories of Sephardic Culture and Writing Based on Archival Material).
Co-Sponsored by the Diasporas Project at the Rabbi Arthur Schneier Program for International Affairs at Yeshiva University and The Center for Jewish Studies at the Graduate Center, CUNY
Sponsorship opportunities available:
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The Posen Library of Jewish Culture & Civilization with Congregation Shearith Israel, Center for Jewish History, American Jewish Historical Society, Leo Baeck Institute, and the American Sephardi Federation present:
The Early Modern Period, 1500-1750, Volume 5
“Join Professors Deborah Dash Moore, Elisheva Carlebach, Francesca Bregoli, and Mayer Juni to celebrate the publication of The Early Modern Period, 1500-1750, Volume 5 of The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization edited by Yosef Kaplan. The discussion will present fascinating dimensions of Jewish culture and civilization across three centuries from 1500 to 1800.”
Featuring a short performance by the Shearith Israel Choir and a panel discussion with distinguished Jewish historians.
Followed by a reception in the Levy Auditorium
Thursday, 23 March 23 at 7:00PM EST
(Complimentary RSVP)
Congregation Shearith Israel, Main Sanctuary
2 West 70th Street at Central Park West, New York City
Sign-up Now!
“Accessibility: The landmark synagogue building does not have an elevator. We do have people on hand to provide mobility assistance, including with the aid of a wheelchair climber that can take wheelchair users upstairs to the Sanctuary and downstairs to the Levy Auditorium. Please let us know if you expect to need assistance.”
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ASF Broome & Allen & ADL Collaborative for Change Fellow Isaac de Castro presents:
Entre Diasporas: Telling the Latin-American Jewish story. Contando la historia judía latinoamericana
Tell your story. Cuenta tu historia.
We’re looking for first-generation Latino Jews in the United States who immigrated because of political and social turmoil. Jews of Sephardic descent from Colombia, Cuba, and Venezuela that now reside in the Miami area will be given priority, but others are welcome to apply as well.
Fill out this form to be considered as an interviewee for this project. After you’ve submitted, we will be in touch promptly to set up a preliminary phone call.
Click here for more information.