Mazal bueno to ASF Broome & Allen Fellow Dr. Carlos Yebra-Lopez on his recent lecture, “The Digital Revitalization of Ladino in the 21st Century,” at the Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies & Oxford School of Rare Jewish Languages. Dr. Yebra-Lopez is currently teaching Ladino at Oxford University.
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
🕎“New Light Shed on Sephardic Sources for Hanukkah Heroes”
By Ty Alhadeff, The Stroum Center for Jewish Studies
Judith with the Head of Holofernes by Cristofano Allori, 1613
(Photo courtesy of the Royal Trust Collection)
The Ma’ase de la Yehudit (Story of Judith) and the Megillat Antiochus are Hanukkah tales of ancient Jewish heroism. Left out of the mainstream of traditional literature, these sources were preserved in Sephardi communities until they were revived in Zionist literature. The Sephardi-Zionist connection can be seen in a 1904 prayer book authored by Rabbi Ya’aḳov Moshe Ḥai Alṭarats, in which the MazScroll of AntiochusThe is followed by R’Altarats’ admonition (translated here from the Ladino): “From this historical incident and others like it, we may contemplate the heroism of our people, and how fearlessly we (our people) fought like lions in defense of our God, and His law, and for their land, men who glorified our nation…. From this occurrence we can understand how in our history we have such heroic women who sacrifice their hearts to save their nation.”
After Ma’ase de la Yehudit, R’Altarats wrote: “As we were saved in ancient times by the hands of heroes and heroines, so too may we be saved from this exile with the help and good will of the good and righteous kingdoms, amen, may it be Your will.”
🕍“Patriotic Manhattan synagogue has celebrated Thanksgiving since 1789”
By Jon Levine, New York Post
Shearith Israel’s Sexton, Rev. Zachary Edinger, holds aloft a Torah topped with liberty bells in honor of Thanksgiving, Congregation Shearith Israel, 2021
(Photo courtesy of Helayne Seidman/NY Post)
How long have American Jews been celebrating Thanksgiving? Well, “A patriotic Upper West Side synagogue whose leaders fought with George Washington has been celebrating Thanksgiving since the first president proclaimed it a national holiday in 1789.” The patriotic congregation, Shearith Israel, also known as New York’s Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue, is the oldest Jewish congregation in the United States, “organized in 1654 by Sephardic Jews fleeing the inquisition in Portuguese-ruled Brazil.” This Thanksgiving, the temple, per custom, featured, “a special holiday-themed liturgy, followed by… readings from a Torah adorned with Liberty Bells.”
🕎“Hanukkah Holiday Foods Tell A Story About Early Latinos”
By Arturo Conde, NBC News
Sephardic fritters found in the cookbook, Stella's Sephardic Table
(Photo courtesy of Stella Cohen)
The influence of Sephardic Jewish culture can still be traced in traditional Spanish foods such as “deep-fried fritters known as bimuelos (or buñuelos in Spanish), ring-shaped cookies and cakes like biscocho (bizcocho in Spanish), (and) deep-fried or baked half-moon shaped empanadas (pies).” As for Jewish culinary customs, ricotta cheese pancakes made by Sephardi Jews in Italy were “the latke of choice” during Hanukkah until Eastern European potato recipes became popular in the 19th century.
🦃“Thoughts for Thanksgiving”
Rabbi Marc D. Angel, The Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals
Program for the 13th Annual Thanksgiving Banquet, Congregation Ezra Bessaroth Ladies Auxiliary, 26 November 1944
(Photo courtesy of Leatrice Guttman (née DeLeon)/UW Stroum Center for Jewish Studies)
Rabbi Marc C. Angel begins his “Thoughts on Thanksgiving” with one of the spiritual foundations of American history and culture: “President George Washington proclaimed Thursday November 26, 1789 as a day of national thanksgiving to God.” But R’ Angel’s informed and stimulating essay doesn’t simply revisit that proclamation. It is also an extended response to the claim, “sometimes heard in Orthodox Jewish circles that Thanksgiving Day is a ‘non-Jewish holiday’ and should not be observed by religious Jews.” R’ Angel counters this “historically wrong and morally dubious” view with a brief history of traditional Jewish observance and celebration of Thanksgiving. His conclusion? “It is altogether fitting that Jews join fellow Americans in observing a day of Thanksgiving to the Almighty for all the blessings He has bestowed upon this country. Jews, in particular, have much reason to thank God for the opportunities and freedoms granted to us in the United States.”
Feature: A Moroccan Ma’oz Tzur Yeshuati 🕎🎶
Moroccan Hanukkah Poster, Synagogue, Rabat-Sale, Morocco, 2011
(Photo courtesy of Ben Ragsdale/Diarna Geo-Museum of North African & Middle Eastern Jewish Life)
Ma’oz Tzur Yeshuati (Refuge and Rock of My Salvation) is a classic piyyut dating back to the 13th century. Little is known regarding the piyyut’s author, aside from his name being Mordechai, spelled out in acrostic form in the first five stanzas. The piyyut chronicles Israel's deliverance from four evil regimes, including the anti-Semitic rule of Antiochus IV during the time of the Maccabee revolt. Hence the custom of singing the piyyut during Hanukkah. In this video, Meni Maimon Cohen, R Hayim Biton and Shimon Iluz perform a spirited version according to a traditional Moroccan melody.
Bonus Feature: George Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation 📜
“Religious Liberties and the Bill of Rights,” an online exhibit of the Ambassador John L. Loeb Visitors Center, Touro Synagogue, Newport, Rhode Island
George Washington's “Thanksgiving Proclamation” clocks in at a brief three minutes, twenty-five seconds, but it's a foundational document of American spiritual history and culture. It affirms elevated American ideals and is an exercise in understanding the connection between memory and gratitude:
Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor…
therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be—That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks—for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation—for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war—for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed—for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted—for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.
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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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Hanukkah in Eight Nights: Bring the Past to Light
By Marian Scheuer Sofaer
Celebrate a family Hanukkah with dramatic readings about the feats of the Maccabees! In addition to the candle lighting blessings, Hanukkah songs, recipes, and sevivon game rules, this book incudes excerpts from ancient sources and vivid read-aloud stories by Moshe Pearlman for each night that will bring the riveting events of 164 B.C.E. to life. Good for school age children through adults.
My Life and Work: Chanukah Lamps
By Oded Halahmy
The Hebrew word Hanukkah means "dedication" and symbolizes freedom; Oded Halahmy has dedicated himself to honoring his Jewish roots and culture through artwork related especially to this holiday.
Oded once hosted a holiday party and invited many friends to light Hanukkah candles. Every year since, he has kept up the tradition of making a new Hanukkah lamp.
Over the years, other ancient Middle Eastern symbols from Oded's Iraqi heritage began to appear in his lamps: the pomegranate, Hamsa (hand), lion, palm tree, palm frond, crown, and horseshoe.
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Upcoming Events or Opportunities
The ASF Institute of Jewish Experience presents:
Reclaiming Identity: Jews of Arab Lands and Iran share stories of identity, struggle and redemption
Join us for a global virtual event marking the November 30, Israel's national day of commemorating the effectual end of Jewish in many Arab lands and Iran. We will discuss questions such as: What is my true identity? How does my family narrative coexist within the wider Jewish world? Why, when, and how did I reclaim my heritage identity? Featuring guests from Dubai to Los Angeles!
Tuesday, 30 November at 9:00AM EST
Sign-up Now!
On 23 June 2014, the Knesset adopted a law designating 30 November as an annual, national day of commemoration for the 850,000 Jewish refugees who were displaced from Arab countries and Iran in the 20th century.
This year on 30 November, Jews across the world will share personal experiences of their families who left those countries only to once again face losses in the experience of living their heritage and identity. It is time to reclaim our Jewish heritage!
Sponsorship opportunities available:
info@americansephardi.org
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The Consulate General of Israel to New England presents:
The Untold Story of Syrian Jews: Commemoration of Jewish Exodus from Arab Lands
“In June 2014, the Government of Israel adopted a law which designates November 30th as an annual, national day of commemoration for the 850, 000 Jewish refugees who were displaced from Arab countries and Iran in the 20th century.
This year, the Consulate General of Israel to New England will be hosting a virtual program commemorating the expulsion of Jews from Syria which occurred in the wake of the establishment of the State of Israel. Our program will feature leading expert Dr. Mijal Bitton, whose research focuses on the Jews of Syria, as well as an interview with Dr. Mayer Ballas, a Syrian Jew who played a key role in the rescue of this community.”
Tuesday, 30 November at 7:00PM EST
Sign-up Now!
Participants:
*Keynote Speaker: Dr. Mijal Bitton, Shalom Hartman Institute of North America and an ASF Broome & Allen Fellow
*Special Guest: Dr. Mayer Ballas, Council for the Rescue of Syrian Jews
*Introductory Remarks: Ambassador Meron Reuben, Consul General of Israel to New England
*Hanukkah candle lighting with representatives of the Sephardic congregations of Beth Abraham in Brookline and Beit Sasson in Newton.
This event is co-sponsored by AJC New England, American Sephardi Federation, Beit-Sasson-The Sephardic Congregation of Newton, Beth Abraham Sephardic Synagogue, Combined Jewish Philanthropies, Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine, Jewish Federation of Central Massachusetts, Jewish Federation of Eastern Connecticut, Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts, JIMENA, Lappin Foundation, United Jewish Federation of Greater Stamford, New Canaan and Darien
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The ASF Institute of Jewish Experience presents:
Eid Al-Banat
The ASF Institute of Jewish Experience and the Mizrahi Dance Archive invites you to a unique global celebration of Eid Al-Banat!
This year for the North African holiday of Eid Al-Banat (The Festival of Daughters, in Judeo-Arabic), or Hag HaBanot (Hebrew), we are bringing together female Greater Sephardi talents to virtually celebrate North African Jewish traditions, female leadership, music, dance, and so much more.
Sunday, 5 December at 12:00PM EST
Sign-up Now!
This festival honors the story of Jewish heroines like Judith and Queen Esther and the important role of women in Jewish life until today. It is customary to sing, dance, and light the night’s menorah candle and focus on bringing together generations of mothers, daughters, aunts, sisters and the extended community. Women would traditionally get together to bake sweet treats and give gifts to each other. They would sing piyyutim and pray for the health and wellbeing of the women in their lives. It is a celebration of women, past and present.
In this year’s celebration, we will be featuring musician Lala Tamar, a world-renowned Israeli singer, who will be streaming a concert from Morocco accompanied by local female musicians. Lala is known for her bold and feminine style where she incorporates her Moroccan roots and the ancient Judeo-Spanish language of Haketia.
Jackie Barzvi will be leading us in celebratory dance to Jewish Moroccan music, where anyone can follow along, without any previous dance experience. Jackie is a professional Raqs Sharqi (belly dance) instructor and performer and the creator of the Mizrahi Dance Archive.
Dr. Hélène Jawhara Piñer, author of Sephardi: Cooking the History. Recipes of the Jews of Spain and the Diaspora from the 13th Century to Today will be sharing a new recipe created uniquely for this program that incorporates the historical and modern significance of the day in the context of specific food items.
Sponsorship opportunities available:
info@americansephardi.org
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The ASF Institute of Jewish Experience presents:
A Bukharian Jew in Uzbekistan
Manashe Khaimov was born in a city along the Silk Road, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where his ancestors lived for over 2000 years. Join Manashe as he will explore the story about being a Bukharian Jew in Uzbekistan. He will discuss his experience in the Uzbekistan school system, his education in the underground yeshiva, and his relationship with his family mikvah (ritual bath), the only mikvah in Samarkand at that time.
Thursday, 9 December at 12:00PM EST
Sign-up Now!
About the speaker:
Manashe is a fourth generation community organizer, serial entrepreneur, and social innovator who builds and consults organizations on Jewish diversity.
At his previous role as a Director of Community Engagement and Development at Queens College Hillel, he focused on building a real diverse Jewish community, creating Sepharadi and Mizrahi Leadership pipeline while expanding Sephardi and Mizrahi student life programs at five CUNY Hillel campuses.
Currently, Manashe is an Adjunct Professor in Jewish Studies, with a specialty in the History and Culture of the Central Asian Jews at Queens College. He is the founding president of SAMi Sephardic American Mizrahi Initiative that focuses on the Leadership Development of under-served Jewish communities on college campuses. In 2021 Manashe was appointed by Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz as a member of the Jewish Advisory Council. Manashe also just accepted a position with Moishe House as their new Eastern Community Manager.
Manashe is founder of the Bukharian Jewish Union, an organization for the young professionals in their 20’s and 30’s, the founder of AskBobo.org, the only Bukharian online dictionary and the founder of The Jewish Silk Road Tours ™ an initiative that helps to introduce NYers and tourists from around the world to the diversity of NYC.
Sponsorship opportunities available:
info@americansephardi.org
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The ASF Institute of Jewish Experience presents:
Museum Mondays:
The Museum for Islamic Art, Jerusalem
Tour the Museums from the comfort of your own home with Nachliel Selavan, the Museum Guy.
Monday, 10 January at 12PM EST
Tour the Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center in Or Yehuda
Sign-up Now!
About Your Tour Guide:
Nachliel Selavan created and delivered an integrated learning and museum tour program for both school and adult educational settings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and has hosted similar pilot visits to a dozen museums in North America, and a few museums in Europe and in Jerusalem. He also teaches and engages audiences through virtual tours and social media. He has recently completed a year long Tanach Study podcast called Parasha Study Plus, delivering a weekly episode of Archaeology on the Parasha, and is now on his second podcast and a new video series reviewing every book in Tanach, called Archaeology Snapshot.
Sponsorship opportunities available:
info@americansephardi.org