In Honor of Stella Levi and the publication of One Hundred Saturdays: Stella Levi and the Search for a Lost World. Stella will be speaking about the book with her co-author, Michael Frank at Kehila Kedosha Janina (280 Broome Street) on Sunday, 13 November, at 1PM
~Joe Halio, Board Member, American Sephardi Federation
The Sephardi World Weekly is made possible by Professor Rifka Cook, Maria Gabriela Borrego Medina, Rachel Amar, Deborah Arellano, and Distinguished ASF Vice President Gwen Zuares!
Click here to dedicate a future issue in honor or memory of a loved one
🙌“‘Rebuilding Our Homes:’ A Project Encouraging Moroccan Youth to Preserve Jewish Heritage”
By Mariya Sahnouni, Morocco World News
Moroccan artist Amina Yabis, El Mehdi Boudra (Founder/President, Mimouna Association), and Jason Guberman (Executive Director, American Sephardi Federation), Rebuilding Our Homes exhibit opening, Mohammed V Foundation, Fez, Morocco
(Photo courtesy of Rebuilding Our Homes)
The ASF and Mimouna Association with the support of US Agency for International Development (USAID) have joined forces to create “Rebuilding Our Homes,” an initiative “that seeks to reconnect Moroccans with Judaism through… cooking workshops, artisanal training, and cultural immersion days.” In an interview with ASF Executive Director Jason Guberman about the program, Guberman noted that “‘[l]ong before the Abraham Accords, Mimouna and the ASF have been on the ground, building the foundation for peace and prosperity.’” What’s more, unless you understand that “‘the sacred chords of memory that unite all Moroccans historically, culturally, and spiritually are deeply felt across the generations,’” recent history is unintelligible.
Feature: “Shalom Aleichem”: Avishai Cohen Welcomes the Angels to His Table🎶💿
Avishai Cohen’s Shalom Aleichem
Israeli jazz lion Avishai Cohen comes from a typically multi-cultural Israeli family, with Spanish, Greek, and Polish roots. After learning bass in Israel, Cohen moved to New York in 1992 to pursue a career as a professional jazz musician, where he was soon “discovered” by jazz great Chick Corea. The rest is history, as Cohen has played an important role in cementing Israel’s status as an international source of jazz talent. In this video, Cohen recasts “Shalom Aleichem,” the traditional Friday-night song welcoming Shabbat angels to your table, as an ecstatic chant and groove.
✡️“Israel’s French New Wave”
By Matti Friedman, Tablet Magazine
Children from France arrive in Israel as part of a group Aliyah flight on July 21, 2021
(Photo courtesy of Noga Malsa/JNS)
“Because the condition of Jews is a barometer of events anywhere, and because Israel has always been a barometer of Jewish life in other places, in Israel you can sense events far away,” says Matti Friedman, the celebrated observer of Jewish affairs, especially when they involve a Greater Sephardi angle.Take his son’s kindergarten last year: a quarter of the class “had parents recently arrived from Paris or Marseilles.” The image in Israel of the recent olim (new immigrants) is North African, “traditional… less European than Mediterranean, Casablanca via Paris, God-fearing, life-loving, right-leaning, the imprint of a Star of David necklace sunburned onto the chest after too many hours at the beach.”
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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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Remnant of Israel a Portrait of America’s First Jewish Congregation
by 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.
Exclusively available at the ASF’s Sephardi Shop
By Dr. Hélène Jawhara Piñer, a 2018 ASF Broome & Allen Fellow
In this extraordinary, award-winning and best-selling cookbook now in its 4th imprint, chef and scholar Hélène Jawhara-Piñer combines rich culinary history and Jewish heritage to serve up over fifty culturally significant recipes. Steeped in the history of the Sephardic Jews (Jews of Spain) and their diaspora, these recipes are expertly collected from such diverse sources as medieval cookbooks, Inquisition trials, medical treatises, poems, and literature. Original sources ranging from the thirteenth century onwards and written in Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, Occitan, Italian, and Hebrew, are here presented in English translation, bearing witness to the culinary diversity of the Sephardim, who brought their cuisine with them and kept it alive wherever they went. Jawhara-Piñer provides enlightening commentary for each recipe, revealing underlying societal issues from anti-Semitism to social order. In addition, the author provides several of her own recipes inspired by her research and academic studies.
Each creation and bite of the dishes herein are guaranteed to transport the reader to the most deeply moving and intriguing aspects of Jewish history. Jawhara-Piñer reminds us that eating is a way to commemorate the past.
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Upcoming Events or Opportunities
The ASF Institute of Jewish Experience presents:
Exclusive Authors Series with Sarina Roffé
Join us for an episode of Exclusive Authors Series with Sarina Roffé as she discusses her book Branching Out from Sepharad.
Tuesday, 15 November at 12:00PM EST
(Complimentary RSVP)
Sign-up Now!
About the book:
In Branching Out from Sepharad, readers will follow the history of Jewish life in Hispania, Spain, the Middle East and the Americas as Sarina Roffé links three rabbinic dynasties from the 11th Century to the present day, all with an Irish Converso Twist.
About the authors:
Sarina Roffé is a professional genealogist, editor of the journal DOROT, and founder of the Sephardic Heritage Project. She is the author of Branching Out From Sepharad (Sephardic Heritage Project, 2017), which outlines the history of Jews in Spain, the 1492 expulsion, their history in Syria, and their immigration to the Americas. She is Co-Chair of the Brooklyn Jewish Historical Initiative, and Chair of the JewishGen Sephardic Research Division.
Sarina is also the author of Backyard Kitchen: Mediterranean Salads, Backyard Kitchen: the Main Course, and a cooking app called Sarina’s Sephardic Cuisine, available in the Apple Store, as well as hundreds of articles. Sarina presents often at IAJGS Conferences and has completed over a dozen genealogies, through her genealogy consulting business, Sephardic Genealogical Journeys.
Click here for more about the book.
Sponsorship opportunities available:
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The American Sephardi Federation, the Seattle Jewish Theatre Company, and the Sephardic Jewish Brotherhood of America present:
“ARRIVALS”
Back by Popular Demand for an Encore Performance!
A Jewish Romeo & Juliet love story based on historical events.
A hit in Seattle, coming to New York.
(Written and Directed by Art Feinglass)
When the first Sephardic Jew arrived in Seattle in 1902, not everything went as planned. Marco Cordova, a young Sephardic Jew from Turkey, came to America to make his fortune. Bayla Keigelman, a fragile Ashkenazi girl from Russia, arrived fleeing a pogrom. Their meeting seemed written in the stars until tradition declared their love forbidden.
Sunday, 20 November at 6:00 PM EST
Sign-up Now!
The Center for Jewish History
15 W 16th Street
New York City
“Arrivals tells the Sephardic story with great drama, humor and warmth.”
Rabbi Simon Benzaquen, Congregation Ezra Bessaroth, Seattle, WA
“Everyone in the audience was engaged and enjoyed the show.”
Aaron Petersen, President , Temple Beth El, Tacoma, WA
“A tour de force!”
Rabbi Emeritus James Mirel, Temple B’nai Torah, Bellevue, WA
Sponsorship opportunities available:
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The ASF Institute of Jewish Experience, the Center for Jewish History, Bar-Ilan University, Dahan Center, and the Ben-Zvi Institute present:
From Middle Eastern North African Jewish Refugees to Israeli Cultural Renaissance
International Conference featuring speakers from Canada, Israel, the Netherlands, Sweden, United Kingdom, and the United States
Sunday, 4 December 10:30AM - 6:00PM EDT
($8 G/A or Donation)
Sign-up Now!
The Center for Jewish History
15 W 16th Street
New York City
Program Details:
Sunday, December 04, 2022, 4 Kislev, 5783
- 10:30-11:00: Arrival and Registration
- 11:00-12:00: Opening Session
Chair: Dr. Shimon Ohayon, Director, the Dahan Center, Bar-Ilan University
Greetings:
- Mr. Yaakov Hagoel, Chairperson of the World Zionist Organization
- Mr. Eyal Gabbai, Chairperson, Yad Izhak Ben Zvi
- Mr. David Dangoor, President, American Sephardi Federation
Keynote Adress:
Prof. Noam Norman Stillman, University of Oklahoma
Prelude to Exodus: the Jews of Arab lands in the face of the challenges and transformations of the modern era
- 12:00-12:15: Coffee break
- 12:15-14:00: Second session
Chair: Mr. Moshe Zaafrani, Manager of cultural-educational projects, Yad Ben Zvi
Mr. Gilad Erdan, Ambassador to the United Nations - Struggle and Recognition: Jews from Arab lands and Iran
Mr. Ben-Dror Yemini, Reporter - The Jewish Nakba: a Comparative Study
Dr. Stanley Yurman, Rutgers University & Director of JJAC - Justice for Jews from Arab countries: the case for rights and redress
Ms. Dana Avrish, Researcher, Artist & Creator - Rediscovering the Jewish roots in Islamic countries
- 14:00-14:45: Lunch Break
- 14:45-16:15: Third Session
Chair: Dr. Drora Arussy, Senior Director, ASF Institute of Jewish Experience
Dr. Sasha Goldstein-Sabbah, University of Groningen - Communal Dissolution and the Baghdadi Diaspora: Reframing Iraqi-Jewish Migration as Multidirectional
Mr. Edwin Shuker, Vice President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews - The Ethnic cleansing of the Jews of Iraq in the second half of the 20th century
Dr. Jesse Weinberg, University of Oklahoma - The End of Eden: Antisemitism in Iraq, 1917-1951
- 16:15–16:30 Coffee break
- 16:30-17:30 Fourth Session
Ms. Sarina Roffé, Sephardic Heritage Project - Syrian Jewish Paths to Freedom
Mr. Ruben Shimonov, ASF's National Director of Sephardi House - Conversation with Sephardi House Fellows
Student Presentations - The Story of Our Family Roots
- 17:30-18:00: Musical Program
Naama Perel Zadok
Concluding Remarks:
Dr. Shimon Ohayon and Dr. Drora Arussy
Supported by Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, World Zionist Organization, and World Jewish Congress - North America.
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The ASF Institute of Jewish Experience presents:
Exclusive Authors Series with Alan Verskin
Join us for this episode of Exclusive Authors Series with Alan Verskin discussing his new book, A Vision of Yemen.
Tuesday, 6 December at 12:00PM EDT
(Complimentary RSVP)
Sign-up Now!
About the book:
In 1869, Hayyim Habshush, a Yemeni Jew, accompanied the European orientalist Joseph Halévy on his archaeological tour of Yemen. Twenty years later, Habshush wrote A Vision of Yemen, a memoir of their travels, that provides a vivid account of daily life, religion, and politics. More than a simple travelogue, it is a work of trickster-tales, thick anthropological descriptions, and reflections on Jewish–Muslim relations. At its heart lies the fractious and intimate relationship between the Yemeni coppersmith and the “enlightened” European scholar and the collision between the cultures each represents. The book thus offers a powerful indigenous response to European Orientalism.
This edition is the first English translation of Habshush’s writings from the original Judeo-Arabic and Hebrew and includes an accessible historical introduction to the work. The translation maintains Habshush’s gripping style and rich portrayal of the diverse communities and cultures of Yemen, offering a potent mixture of artful storytelling and cultural criticism, suffused with humor and empathy. Habshush writes about the daily lives of men and women, rich and poor, Jewish and Muslim, during a turbulent period of war and both Ottoman and European imperialist encroachment. With this translation, Alan Verskin recovers the lost voice of a man passionately committed to his land and people.
About the authors:
Alan Verskin is Associate Professor of History at the University of Rhode Island.
Click here for more about the book.
Sponsorship opportunities available:
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The American Sephardi Federation and the Moise Safra Center present:
Sephardi: Cooking the History with Hélène Jawhara-Piñer
Join Chef Hélène Jawhara-Piñer for an extraordinary cooking class as she recreates recipes from her award-winning and best-selling cookbook.
Thursday, 8 December at 10:00AM EDT
(Tickets: $50 - $95)
Sign-up Now!
The Moise Safra Center
130 E 82nd St. (7th Floor Culinary Studio)
New York, NY 10028
In this extraordinary cooking class, chef and scholar Hélène Jawhara-Piñer has selected some of her favorite recipes from her latest cookbook, Sephardi: Cooking the History. Recipes of the Jews of Spain and the Diaspora, from the 13th Century to Today, to serve up in our culinary studio. Steeped in the history of the Sephardic Jews and their diaspora, these recipes are expertly collected from such diverse sources as medieval cookbooks, Inquisition trials, medical treatises, poems, and literature. Original sources ranging from the thirteenth century onwards and written in Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, Occitan, Italian, and Hebrew, bear witness to the culinary diversity of the Sephardim, who brought their cuisine with them and kept it alive wherever they went.
Jawhara-Piñer provides enlightening commentary for each recipe, revealing underlying societal issues from anti-Semitism to social order. Hélène Jawhara Piñer holds a doctoral degree in Medieval History and the History of Food. In 2018, she was awarded the Broome & Allen Fellowship of the American Sephardi Federation, dedicated to recognizing outstanding academic accomplishments and services to the Sephardic community, as well as encouraging continued excellence in the field of Sephardi studies.
Each creation and bite of the dishes are guaranteed to transport you to the most deeply moving and intriguing aspects of Jewish history. Jawhara-Piñer reminds us that eating is a way to commemorate the past.
Sponsorship opportunities available:
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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.