Mazal tov/Mabrouk to Ilana Webster-Kogen & Vanessa Paloma Duncan Elbaz for organizing an exceptional event (especially now), “On Joy and Sorrow: Jewish Music-Making in Muslim Lands,” co-sponsored by the Yale Institute of Sacred Music and Jewish Music Institute. Vanessa and another participant, Samuel Torjman Thomas, are distinguished ASF Broome & Allen Fellows
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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: “Building the Land from Sephardi Jerusalem to Jazz Age Shanghai”
Join us on Sunday, 2 June at Opening Night of the 26th New York Sephardic Jewish Film Festival (2-9 June) for a mesmerizing performance by Enrico Macias and the Pomegranate Awards Ceremony honoring acclaimed filmmaker Alexandre Arcady, cultural icon Stella Levi, and celebrated actor and director John Turturro! Limited Seating. Reserve now!
“Transcending Western Myopia: Understanding Contemporary Middle Eastern Neocolonialism on its Own Terms”
By Marjan Keypour Greenblatt and Jason Guberman, The Brown Journal of World Affairs, Fall/Winter 2023, Volume XXX, Issue I
Symbolic rendering of Ayatollah Khamenei amidst the death and destruction wrought by the Iranian regime’s imperialism
(Image generated by the ASF)
Marjan Keypour Greenblatt, the Founder and Director of the Alliance for Rights of All Minorities (ARAM), and Jason Guberman, the American Sephardi Federation’s Executive Director, delineate the various dimensions and theatres of operations of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s (IRI) neocolonial project.
In sketching their portrait of Iranian imperialism, Greenblatt and Guberman first confront the conventional view that assumes “decolonization… exclusively resulted from Western wounds.” This Western myopia “blinds us to the reality of contemporary neocolonialism in the Middle East, which is a phenomenon made in Iran.”
The perspective adjusted to see the IRI’s imperialist ambitions, Greenblatt and Guberman discuss the process through which the regime’s colonial project wields power today in Beirut, Baghdad, Damascus, and Sana’a while it projects power as far as South America. In particular, they trace how the IRI has implemented a four-decade long imperialist policy that “entails political interference, economic exploitation, military projection, demographic manipulation, and cultural indoctrination.”
Consider the Houthis in Yemen. The Iranians build power bases throughout the Middle East by identifying and manipulating the internal tensions of sovereign states to their benefit. In Yemen, “in the 1990s, Hussein Al Houthi emerged as a resistance leader” before being assassinated in 2004. Undeterred, Al Houthi’s rabid followers continued to expanded their “influence and power, ultimately ousting President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi in 2015 and taking over the capital Sana’a.”
The Iranians began backing the Houthis as early as 2009, and they were fully in the Houthi camp by 2014. And as civil war in Yemen continues
IRI heavily invests in the Houthi leaders, converging violence and financial corruption to increase its imperialist influence… while exacerbating regional unrest. The ensuing civil war has devastated Yemeni civilians, causing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises with an estimated 377,000 dead. Houthi corruption and malevolent policies have contributed to famine, illnesses, epidemics such as cholera, environmental degradation, and population displacement.
But Iranian imperialism isn’t only military in character. It also works on a physical-cultural plane
Within Iran… the shrine to biblical personalities Esther and Mordechai at Hamadan has had its iconic ‘Jewish Star’ fence removed, suffered protests, lost its protected status, and been threatened and then attacked by Basij militia, who committed arson inside the subterranean synagogue in May 2020.
To be clear, the motivation for destruction and erasure of cultural sites is not spiritual. Par for the course in colonial projects, physically erasing cultural memories is also good for Iranian business.
In Syria, Iranian forces destroyed ancient archaeological landmarks in Aleppo as part of their efforts to reshape the country in their demographic, cultural, and political image. As they destroy, they position themselves as restorers, competing with Russia on bids to “rebuild” archaeological sites in Syria. Ultimately, Greenblatt and Guberman argue that the Iranians are playing a double game that Americans need to see clearly
In their rhetoric, they condemn the United States as a colonial and interventionist power guilty of ‘global arrogance,’ just like many indigenous peoples do, but they refuse to recognize that Syrians, Lebanese, Yemenis, and Iraqis also have the right to self-determination and independence. In this way, IRI exploits decolonial dreams, while at the same time engaging in neocolonialism.
Roya Hakakian’s Iranian-Jewish-American Perspectives
Roya Hakakian speaking at the ASF and World Jewish Congress - North America’s “Remembering the Forgotten Jewish Refugees,” Moise Safra Center, 28 November 2023
(Photo courtesy of Zakaria Siraj)
Acclaimed Iranian-Jewish-American writer and poet, Roya Hakakian, was recently a guest on “Straight Ahead: The Omni-American Podcast,” co-hosted by the ASFs Director of Publications, Dr. Aryeh Tepper, and the Jazz Leadership Project’s Greg Thomas with the support of the Combat Antisemitism Movement. The conversation with Roya touches upon her unique set of perspectives acquired while growing up in a Persian Jewish family in the Islamic Republic of Iran before moving to the United States as a young adult, where she soon established herself as a celebrated English-language writer and jouranlist. Roya’s work mediates between the rise of Iran and Political Islam, on the one hand, and the Western world, on the other, and in the episode, Roya humorously explores how basic freedoms are often taken for granted by Americans while noting the importance of clearly seeing the challenge to democracy posed by Islamists around the globe.
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Concealed: Memoir of a Jewish Iranian Daughter Caught Between the Chador and America
By Esther Amini
Esther Amini grew up in Queens, New York, during the freewheeling 1960s. She also grew up in a Persian-Jewish household, the American-born daughter of parents who had fled Mashhad, Iran. In Concealed, she tells the story of being caught between these two worlds: the dutiful daughter of tradition-bound parents who hungers for more self-determination than tradition allows.
Exploring the roots of her father’s deep silences and explosive temper, her mother’s flamboyance and flights from home, and her own sense of indebtedness to her Iranian-born brothers, Amini uncovers the story of her parents’ early years in Mashhad, Iran’s holiest Muslim city; the little-known history of Mashhad’s underground Jews; the incident that steeled her mother’s resolve to leave; and her parents’ arduous journey to the U.S., where they faced a new threat to their traditions: the threat of freedom. Determined to protect his daughter from corruption, Amini’s father prohibits talk, books, education, and pushes an early Persian marriage instead. Can she resist? Should she? Focused intently on what she stands to gain, Amini comes to see what she also stands to lose: a family and community bound by food, celebrations, sibling escapades, and unexpected acts of devotion by parents to whom she feels invisible.
In this poignant, funny, entertaining, and uplifting memoir, Amini documents with keen eye, quick wit, and warm heart how family members build, buoy, wound, and save one another across generations; how lives are shaped by the demands and burdens of loyalty and legacy; and how she rose to the challenge of deciding what to keep and what to discard.
Exploring Sephardic Customs and Traditions
By Rabbi Dr. Marc D. Angel
Over the centuries, Jewish communities throughout the world adopted customs that enhanced and deepened their religious observances. These customs, or minhagim, became powerful elements in the religious consciousness of the Jewish people. It is important to recognize that minhagim are manifestations of a religious worldview, a philosophy of life. They are not merely quaint or picturesque practices, but expressions of a community’s way of enhancing the religious experience. A valuable resource for Sephardim and Ashkenazim alike.
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Upcoming Events or Opportunities
Our friends at Qesher present:
Jewish Italy
Monday, 6 May at 3:00PM ET
Two People, One Womb
“We’ll explore the history of Jews during the Roman Empire, the Middle Ages, the ghettos of Venice, Mantua and Rome through emancipation, the World Wars, and the present day. We’ll discover language, poetry, theatre, and liturgy.”
Sign-up Now!
Thursday, 9 May at 3:00PM ET
A Year of Music and Food in Jewish Italy
“Italy is one of the most ancient Jewish diasporas, probably the oldest in Western Europe. Both its liturgical music and culinary recipes are therefore believed to have stemmed directly from the destruction of the second Temple, if not earlier. Following an ideal Jewish calendar, from a Rosh Hashana to the next, we'll delve into the music and cuisine of what has been her family heritage for centuries and centuries with Miriam Camerini, Israeli-born, Italian-raised theatre director, actress, singer, and rabbi-to-be. Miriam has written a book on food and religion(s): (Ricette e Precetti, 2019) and has been researching and performing Jewish music of different diasporas for the last 20 years: come and hear!”
Sign-up Now!
Tickets: $9-$18
About the speaker:
Miriam Camerini is a theatre director, Jewish scholar, writer, singer and actress. She's the founder and artistic director of Benhashmashot, Jewish Theatre in Milan, with which she tours all over the world. On the academic side, Miriam holds a BA in Linguistics and Literature from the State University of Milan and attended an MA program in Theatre Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, studied Bible and Talmud at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem and is now a rabbinical student at Beit Midrash Har’El, one of the first orthodox institutions to ordain women rabbis. Miriam published a book about food and religion, Ricette e Precetti (Giuntina, Firenze 2019), which has been published in German by Hentrich&Hentrich in 2021, with the title Rezepte und Gebote.
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Kehila Kedosha Janina Synagogue and Museum presents:
Greek Jewish Festival
Sunday, 19 May 12:00-6:00PM EST
(280 Broome Street, Lower East Side, NYC)
Join the Greek Jewish Festival as we celebrate the unique Romaniote and Sephardic heritage of the Jews of Greece!
Experience a feast for the senses including authentic kosher Greek foods and homemade Greek pastries, traditional Greek dancing and live Greek and Sephardic music, an outdoor marketplace full of vendors, arts and educational activities for kids, Sephardic cooking demonstrations, and much more!
The ASF is once again proud to be a Festival Sponsor.
Learn more at www.GreekJewishFestival.com
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American Sephardi Federation presents:
The 26th New York Sephardic Jewish Film Festival
Dedicated to Ike, Molly and Steven Elias
Join us as we kick off a week-long cinematic journey of untold stories of tolerance and diversity within the vibrant Sephardic cultural mosaic.
Celebrate our 26th edition together with Reymond Amsalem, Alexandre Arcady, Stella Levi, Enrico Macias and John Turturro, promising an unforgettable experience filled with exclusive screenings, insightful discussions and captivating performances.
2- 9 June
@the Center for Jewish History
Please reserve your tickets promptly as our auditorium is intimate and there are also exclusive opportunities.
VIP Sponsorship Festival Package - $500
VIP Sponsorship Festival Package, access to All Events (including Opening & Closing Night Private Meet & Greet Receptions) and VIP seating at all Movie Screenings; Name listed as Festival Sponsor in the Catalog.
LIMITED AVAILABILITY
Includes Opening and Closing Night Ceremonies, all Movie Screenings, Q&As, and Special Daytime Events
Includes Opening Night Awards Ceremony, Performance by Enrico Macias, and light reception
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American Sephardi Federation presents:
The Trial of Adolf Eichmann
Adapted on stage by David Serero
Inspired by actual events, this powerful drama takes audiences on a haunting journey through one of the most infamous trials in history, examining the depths of human evil and the quest for justice.
Don’t miss this compelling and thought-provoking theatrical experience as the world premiere of “The Trial of Adolf Eichmann” opens in July 2024 at the Center for Jewish History, inviting audiences to reflect on the lessons of history and the enduring struggle for justice and reconciliation.
21 July at 7:00PM EST
22 July at 8:00PM EST (Premiere)
23 July at 3:00PM EST
25 July at 8:00PM EST
@the Center for Jewish History
Sign-up Now!
Tickets: $26-$36
For questions and more details please call 855.688.7277 (ext.1)
The play revolves around the trial of Adolf Eichmann, one of the principal architects of the Holocaust, who orchestrated the systematic murder of millions of Jews during World War II. Set in Jerusalem in 1961, the story follows the trial of Eichmann, a former Nazi officer captured by Israeli agents in Argentina and brought to Israel to face justice. As the courtroom drama unfolds, audiences are confronted with the moral dilemmas faced by the prosecution, defense, and the international community. Eichmann’s unapologetic defense, which hinges on his claim of “just following orders,” sparks intense debates about responsibility, collaboration, and the nature of evil. The play delves into the legal and ethical complexities of the trial, exploring how the pursuit of justice can intersect with the need for closure, healing, and reconciliation in the aftermath of unspeakable atrocities. David Serero’s masterful writing combines historical accuracy and dramatic tension to create a riveting theatrical experience. “The Trial of Adolf Eichmann” challenges its audience to grapple with profound questions about humanity’s capacity for cruelty and the enduring quest for accountability in the face of unimaginable horror. With a talented ensemble cast, David Serero’s direction, and meticulous attention to detail, this Off-Broadway production promises to be a thought-provoking and emotionally charged exploration of a pivotal historical moment. “The Trial of Adolf Eichmann” is a timely reminder of the importance of remembering the past and seeking justice, even when the wounds are deep and the scars are still fresh.
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The American Sephardi Federation presents:
“The Golden Age of the Jews of Alandalus” | “La Edad de Oro de los judíos de Alandalús”
On View in the Paul S. And Sylvia Steinberg Great Hall
through 14 June 2024
@ the Center for Jewish History
The Jewish community of Alandalús gave the world extraordinary thinkers like Maimonides, diplomats like Ibn Shaprut, and poets like Ibn Gabirol and Judah Halevi, whose wisdom, works, and accomplishments resonate through the ages. 820 years after his death, the RAMBAM’s contributions to medicine, philosophy, diplomacy, and Jewish law continue to inspire wonder and influence till today. Across the Mediterranean in Fustat (Cairo) about two hundred thousand documents accumulated in the Ben Ezra Synagogue’s Genizah—a room or grave where obsolete sacred documents are respectfully discarded—over the course of nearly a millennium.
The geographical location of Egypt, a natural bridge between the Islamic East and Christian West, made it possible for many of these documents to be of Andalusian origin. This exhibition, curated by the University of Granada Professor José Martínez Delgado, takes us on a journey from the origins of this important community to its exodus and extinction in the XIX century. Although subsequently scattered all over the world, Sepharadim have maintained connections to their past by perpetuating traditions, the Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) language, and exemplifying a seriously Jewish yet cosmopolitan worldview.