In Memory of Shiri (32), Ariel (4), and Kfir (9 months) Bibas, HY”D, Argentinian/Peruvian-Israelis cruelly abducted on 7 October, held hostage, and murdered by Iranian and Russian-backed Hamas terrorists, who staged a victory celebration in Gaza while violating the deal to bring the hostages home.
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The Sephardi World Weekly is made possible by Daniel Yifrach, Rachel Sally, Professor Rifka Cook, Maria Gabriela Borrego Medina, Rachel Amar, Deborah Arellano, & ASF VP Gwen Zuares!
Don’t miss the latest Sephardi Ideas Monthly: “Who Says Zionists Can’t Make Jazz? A Sephardi-Parisian Perspective”
“Who is Danielle Sassoon?”
By Luc Cohen, Reuters
Danielle Sassoon
(Photo courtesy of Wikipedia)
When Danielle Renee Sassoon recently resigned her position as Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor, it was far from the first time this granddaughter of a Sephardic Jewish woman who fled antisemitic riots in Syria in 1947 has staked out an independent, principled position.
While a student of history and literature at Harvard, Sassoon penned opinion pieces in the student newspaper defending Israel and drawing attention to the fate of Middle Eastern Jews, criticizing the obsessive “focus on the dispossession of the Palestinian Arabs… without acknowledgment of… violence inflicted upon Jewish populations in Muslim countries.”
Early in her career, Sassoon clerked for the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice and conservative intellectual icon Antonin Scalia, whom she credits for treating her as one of the gang, “‘He thickened my skin, which was the best preparation for a career in a male-dominated field.’”
Appointed by President Trump, Sassoon assumed her current position on 21 January and subsequently articulated her principles in a Wall Street Journal op-ed piece criticizing outgoing President Biden's end-of-term order to commute the sentences of 2,500 drug offenders.
And the same principled position was on display in her refusal to follow the Justice Department’s command to “dismiss an indictment returned by a duly constituted grand jury” against NYC Mayor Eric Adams. As Sassoon wrote in her resignation letter:
I understand my duty as a prosecutor to mean enforcing the law impartially, and that includes prosecuting a validly returned indictment regardless whether its dismissal would be politically advantageous, to the defendant or to those who appointed me. A federal prosecutor ‘is the representative not of an ordinary party to a controversy, but of a sovereignty whose obligation to govern impartially is as compelling as its obligation to govern at all.’ Berger v. United States, 295 U.S. 78, 88 (1935).”
FEATURE: “The Forgotten Exodus: The Jews of Syria”
The Forgotten Exodus: The Jews of Syria
(Cover image courtesy of AJC)
Danielle Sassoon’s grandmother fled antisemitic attacks in Syria in 1947. Her story, and many similar stories, have been obscured by the obsessive attention paid to the Palestinian narrative and the Jewish refusal to emphasize their own victimization.
The opening episode of the 2nd season of the American Jewish Committee’s
Podcast, “The Forgotten Refugees,” focuses on the fate of Syrian Jewry. The episode features playwright and screenwriter Oren Safdie, son of architect Moshe Safdie, who takes to task “North American Jews” who are “hyper critical of Israel” from their “brownstones in Brooklyn” and “houses in Cambridge” while the people of Israel are really fighting “for them.”
“Ethiopian Amb. to ‘Post’: History between Ethiopia and Israel shapes relationship - interview”
By Alex Winston, The Jerusalem Post
The Ethiopian Jewish community celebrating the Sigd, Haas Promenade, Jerusalem, Israel, November 2024
(Photo courtesy of Marc Israel Sellem/Jerusalem Post)
Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Israel, Tesfaye Yitayeh, traces his country’s relations with the Jewish State to the meeting 3,000 years ago between the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon, recorded in The First Book of Kings, “This historical connection… has shaped, in a positive manner, our relationship.”
Geopolitics is the realm of clinical assessments and tough-minded decision-making, so the influence of shared histories is limited. But as a poor state with a high rate of illiteracy located in a volatile region, the Ethiopians see benefits to a strong relationship with Jerusalem, and the Biblical connection rhetorically frames relations. In practical terms, Ethiopia and Israel are linked through trade— especially coffee and injera, the Ethiopian sourdough flatbread popular in the Israeli market—and agricultural development. Ethiopian farmers are learning irrigation, fertilization, and crop management from the Israelis, and as Yitayeh proudly notes, “‘With Israeli support, Ethiopia is now exporting avocados to the European market.’”
Academic exchanges are another stage for collaboration, with the Ethiopians hungry for Israeli technological know-how. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is nearing completion on the Blue Nile and is set to transform the country’s energy landscape. The Egyptians, however, have expressed displeasure with the dam’s construction, and the Ethiopians are looking for diplomatic leverage if tensions increase.
Finally, Ethiopia is making it easy for Israelis of Ethiopian origin to visit and stay in the country by receiving an “Ethiopian Origin ID”:
They receive it from the embassy, and they are not required to have a visa to go to Ethiopia, and they can stay for whatever [period] they want… They are not required to leave Ethiopia after [the visa-regulated] three months.
The only thing is that they will have to renew the ID card every five years. Most [who hold these origin ID cards] practice various trades or various small-scale investments, like restaurants or small hotels. Some of them have their own farms, too, or small factories in textiles and garments, and we encourage anyone who wants to come to do so since they know the culture and the language.
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Remnant of Israel a Portrait of America's First Jewish Congregation
by Hakkham Rabbi Dr. Marc D. Angel
Special Edition for the American Sephardi Federation
Published to mark Shearith Israel’s 350th anniversary, Remnant of Israel a Portrait of America’s First Jewish Congregation tells their individual stories as well as the history of the Congregation, explaining its origins, its rituals, and its traditions. It is profusely illustrated with portraits, historical documents and ritual objects. This book tells a fascinating story, one that will appeal to anyone interested in the history and culture of the Jewish People, of New York City, and of the United States.
The Aristocrat: The Life and Legacy of Hillel Menashe Sutton
By Abraham Sutton
With this memoir, a tribute to the memory of his father, Abraham (Al) Sutton presents a brief synopsis of the history of the Jewish community of Aleppo, Syria, up to and through its diasporas to Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, New York, New Orleans, and Deal, New Jersey. All this in a thin volume generously laced with photographs. Al Sutton lost his father when he was only eleven years old. He thought he knew him; but one day he discovered that there had been a eulogy by a renowned kabbalist. He eventually found the text; what he discovered in the process provides the foundation of The Aristocrat. The book is interesting, fast moving, and sparkles with little glimpses of everyday life in a land (Aleppo) that was continuously inhabited by Jewish people from Biblical times until the late 20th century. There are also scenes of Israel during the War of Independence, and Syrian Jewish life in the United States. Author’s notes, bibliography.
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Upcoming Events or Opportunities
Our friends at Kehila Kedosha Janina Synagogue present:
Jewish Comics & Sephardic Stories
“Join comic book creators and Jewish educators Joshua M. Edelglass and Arnon Z. Shorr for a fun multimedia presentation that explores how they created the graphic novel Jose and the Pirate Captain Toledano.
The program includes a screening of Arnon’s award-winning short film The Pirate Captain Toledano. The authors will explore the creative process of how a graphic novel gets made, from script to painted page to finished comic book. They will also present the real history of Jewish pirates and how they brought these Sephardic characters to life. Along the way, they will also discuss what it means to tell Jewish stories, the depiction of Jewish characters in American media, and their passion for highlighting diverse Jewish characters.”
Sunday, 2 March 1:00PM EST
@Kehila Kedosha Janina Synagogue
280 Broome St NYC
RSVP: Amarcus@kkjsm.org
Tickets: Free event open to all ages, RSVP required
Signed books will be available for sale
Refreshments will be served
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Our friends at Qesher present:
The Jews of Kurdistan: A Land of Jewish Heritage, and Potential Reconciliation
Tuesday, 4 March at 3:00PM EST
Sign-up Now!
Tickets: $9-$18
About the talk:
“Jews from Kurdistan have a documented history going all the way back to the Bible, and there are tens of thousands of Jews whose ancestors immigrated from Kurdistan to the present-day State of Israel.
In this talk presented by Levi Meir Clancy, a researcher who lived in the Kurdistan region for almost eight years, we will explore the unique Jewish history of Kurdistan, including famous heritage sites and major historical figures, and learn about the Assyrian, Kurdish, Yazidi, Turkmeni, and other communities that have lived alongside them.
We will also explore how to navigate and understand Jewish- Muslim relations through the context of the overall Kurdish-Muslim society, including how to make sense of competing messages rooted in antisemitism, so-called philo-semitism, and hopes for a better tomorrow.”
About the speaker:
“Levi Meir Clancy is a strategist who spent much of his adult life in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, where he co-founded Foundation of Ours to promote the region's multi-faith history through events. He has spoken at TEDxDuhok, AMP Conf, and GSMA Mobile 360, and frequently appeared on Kurdish television and radio.
An advocate for Jewish life in the Islamic world, Levi Meir survived imprisonment and an assassination attempt in Erbil. Now based in the United States, he supports JFCS SF in building an inclusive, neurodiverse community rooted in Jewish values and inspired by Israeli models like Kibbutz Kishorit. With support from Zioness, Levi Meir develops educational materials and experiences like Conversation Pieces, drawing from his multiracial Okinawan-Jewish identity and global journey.”
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Our friends at the TriBeCa Synagogue present:
Young Zionist Voices
“After 10/7 and the antisemitism that followed, many young Jews across America chose to fight back. A new book, YOUNG ZIONIST VOICES, brings together young activists and thinkers armed with ideas to lead the next generation of Jews. The book’s editor, David Hazony, will join us along with contributors to discuss what’s needed for a proud and thriving Jewish future. Cohosted by the Z3 Project.”
Wednesday, 5 March 6:30PM EST
In-Person @ the TriBeCa Synagogue
49 White St, New York City
Sign-up Now!
Tickets: $18
Book signing to follow the event
About David Hazony
“David Hazony is director and Steinhardt Senior Fellow at the Z3 Institute, and editor of Jewish Priorities: 65 Proposals for the Future of Our People. An award-winning editor, translator, and author, Hazony has a Ph.D. in Jewish Philosophy from Hebrew University and lives in Jerusalem.”
About the book
“An unprecedented collection of essays by next-generation thought leaders offering visions for the Jewish future in the wake of October 7.
On elite campuses across the Western world, Jewish students suddenly find themselves threatened, alone, and unsupported by faculty and administration. This timely collection of essays by young activists and thinkers offers a core of ideas to lead the next generation—one filled with Jewish pride, passion for Israel, and Zionist resilience in the face of a global assault on their identity, homeland, and heritage.”
Purchase the book “Young Zionist Voices: A New Generation Speaks Out”
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Our friends at the LESJC in partnership with the American Sephardi Federation present:
View on a Southern Israeli Town from its Founding to October 7th
Join Dr. Aryeh Tepper live from Ofakim, a diverse Israeli “Development Town” near Gaza, for an exploration of its history, from its founding until Hamas’ invasion on 7 October as well as life today.
Sunday, 9 March 12:00PM EST
Sign-up Now!
Tickets: $10
Zoom Livestream
About the speaker:
Dr. Tepper is the Director of Publications at the American Sephardi Federation and co-Director of the Omni-American Future Project, where he is the Co-Editor of “The Omni-American Review.” He is the author of Progressive Minds, Conservative Politics: Leo Strauss’ Later Writings on Maimonides (SUNY Press, 2013) and a Fellow at at The Azrieli Center for Israel Studies at The Ben-Gurion Research Institute, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
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Our friends at Kehila Kedosha Janina Synagogue with the American Sephardi Federation present:
Hebrew, Arabic, & Persian Calligraphy Workshop
Led by Artist and Educator Ruben Shimonov
“Learn about the history of Jewish calligraphy across the Islamic World and learn to make your very own calligraphy art!
Bukharian Jewish calligrapher Ruben Shimonov serves as the National Director of Sephardi House and Education at the American Sephardi Federation. His creations incorporate Arabic, Hebrew, and Persian, and represent his multilingual and multicultural upbringing. As an artist, Ruben uses his designs to build interfaith and inter cultural bridges, while also celebrating the diversity of the Greater Sephardic world.”
Tuesday, 11 March 7:00PM EST
@Kehila Kedosha Janina Synagogue
280 Broome St NYC
RSVP: info@GreekJewishYPN.org
Tickets: $18
*Open to Jewish young adults in their 20s and 30s
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Our friends at Qesher present:
A ‘Walk’ Through the Jewish History of Florence
“You are invited to a virtual ‘walk’ through the most significant places in the city where, from the Renaissance to our times, Jews in Florence have lived, worked, and shared community and religious life. This path, enriched with history, curiosity, and memories, aims to bring to life the lesser-known places of Jewish presence in the city.
The tour ends at the Great Synagogue (1882), one of the symbols of the emancipation of Italian Jews. Damaged by the Nazi-Fascists during WWII, it is still active and remains a vibrant focal point of contemporary Jewish life in Florence.”
Tuesday, 18 March at 4:00PM EST
Sign-up Now!
Tickets: $9-$18
About the speaker:
“Giovanna Bossi Rosenfeld, born in Florence, is a historian of Florentine architecture and a licensed tour guide who specializes in tours of her city from a Jewish perspective. She brings Jewish Florence's history to life through her knowledge, stories, and memories, as well as by taking you to the very places where Jewish history was made and continues to thrive, thanks to an active Jewish community. She is a co-author of the book Jewish Florence: Illustrated Itinerary (Florence, ASKA Editor, 2019).”
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Our friends at Qesher present:
The Jews of the Greek Islands: Crete, Rhodes and Corfu
Sunday, 23 March at 4:00PM EST
Sign-up Now!
Tickets: $9-$18
About the talk:
“Since ancient times, many of the thousands of sunny and breath-taking islands dotting the eastern Mediterranean Sea have served as a home for Diaspora Jews.
In this lecture, we will explore the fascinating and lesser-known history and traditions of three of the most famous such islands situated in modern-day Greece: Crete, the largest Greek island with its ancient Romaniote Jewish community; Rhodes, a Sephardic microcosm in the Aegean Sea; and Corfu, with its prolific Italian Jewish community in the Ionian Sea.
These historic and diverse communities enrich our understanding of the Jewish Diaspora and its remarkable saga of survival.”
About the speaker:
“Joseph Michael Vardakis was born in Athens, Greece. He has a B.A in Psychology, an M.A in Psychobiology and is currently completing his M.Sc in Clinical Psychology. He has lived and studied in the UK, South Africa and Israel and is currently residing in Athens. He has been a student counsellor for the Ministry of Absorption for new immigrants to Israel and has also worked in an educational framework for the Jewish community in South Africa before his studies. On his spare time, he offers themed tours in Athens, including sites of Jewish interest.”