In Memory of Simon Levy, A”H, President of Agadir’s Jewish Community
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
🎭“Thoughts for Parashat Emor”
By R’Marc D. Angel, The Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals
Speaking last night at David Serero’s world premiere production of France’s hit The Ten Commandments in English, New York City’s Commissioner for Cultural Affairs Laurie Cumbo spoke movingly about the message of the musical: “we have to continue to tell our history; we have to continue to tell the stories of inspiration, of courage, adversity, how to overcome adversity, and the power that each of us has to overcome challenging times. It's believing in ourselves and believing in a higher power,” Leo And Julia Forchheimer Auditorium, Center for Jewish History, 12 May 2022
This week’s Torah portion for Diaspora communities is Parashat Emor. In his reflections on the portion, R’ Marc Angel, Rabbi emeritus of Congregation Shearith Israel, NY’s historic Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue, follows R’Moshe Cordovero (1522-1570) in connecting Mitsrayim (Egypt) to Meytsarim (constrictions). Why, wonders R’Angel, does the Torah mention God taking us out of Egypt in a passage otherwise devoted to holiness? Because holiness and expansiveness ideally develop together: “The commandment to be holy is not intended to stifle us, but to expand our horizons. We are to feel the liberation that comes with overcoming physical and psychological constraints. The Torah offers a religious vision which expands our lives, not one that constricts our lives.”
Sign-up for the Closing Night of The Ten Commandments, The Musical
(World Premiere in English) on Sunday, 15 May at 6:00PM EST (Tickets: $26 G/A; $36 VIP)
Feature: “Rabbi Yaakov Abuhatzeira’s Soulful Lag B'Omer Piyyut” 🎶🎙️
(Screenshot courtesy of Piyyut Ensemble/Youtube)
The 33rd day of “The Omer,” the period between Passover and Shavuot, falls this year on Wednesday night/Thursday, 18-19 May. Also known as Lag B’Omer, it’s customary on the festive day to celebrate the mystical teachings of the Talmudic sage, R’ Shimon Bar Yochai. This week’s video features a soulful piyyut, Ashir l’Cvod Chaverim (“I Will Sing in Honor of Friends”), composed in honor of R’Shimon Bar Yochai and his companions by the great Moroccan-Jewish sage, Rabbi Yaakov Abuhatzeira (1806-1880) and performed by the world-class Piyyut Ensemble.
🎗“King of Morocco expresses condolences to family of Simon Levy”
By The Jerusalem Post
Simon Levy, A”H
(Screenshot courtesy of Youtube)
Simon Levy, A”H was born in 1939 in Essaouira, on the Atlantic coast of the Kingdom of Morocco. In 1992 he was elected municipal councilor of Agadir, and in 1997 he was elected to the upper house of Morocco’s parliament. An official government statement conveyed King Mohammed VI’s sincere condolences, remembering, “‘the qualities and virtues shown by the deceased, as well as his sincere patriotism, his unwavering attachment to the constant values of the Nation and its sacred values, following the example of our faithful subjects, sons of the Jewish community, in addition to his strong determination to contribute to charitable actions.’” Simon Levy’s passing follows the loss last month of Fez’s Elie Devico, A”H.
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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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Foundations of Sephardic Spirituality: The Inner Life of Jews of the Ottoman Empire
By Rabbi Dr. Marc D. Angel
Who were the Sephardic Jews of the Ottoman Empire?
What lasting lessons does their spiritual life provide for future generations?
“How did the Judeo-Spanish-speaking Jews of the Ottoman Empire manage to achieve spiritual triumph? To answer this question, we need to have a firm understanding of their historical experience…. We need to be aware of the dark, unpleasant elements in their environments; but we also need to see the spiritual, cultural light in their dwellings that imbued their lives with meaning and honor.”
—from Chapter 1, “The Inner Life of the Sephardim”
In this groundbreaking work, Rabbi Marc Angel explores the teachings, values, attitudes, and cultural patterns that characterized Judeo-Spanish life over the generations and how the Sephardim maintained a strong sense of pride and dignity, even when they lived in difficult political, economic, and social conditions. Along with presenting the historical framework and folklore of Jewish life in the Ottoman Empire, Rabbi Angel focuses on what you can learn from the Sephardic sages and from their folk wisdom that can help you live a stronger, deeper spiritual life.
Jewish Women from Muslim Societies Speak
Published by the American Sephardi Federation and Hadassah International Research Institute on Jewish Woman at Brandeis University
Jewish women from Morocco, Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, and Iran were invited to share their personal stories. It could be said that these women's voices are from the last generation of Jews to have an intimate personal knowledge of the Muslim world, the enormous diversity within and among Middle Eastern Jewish communities.
We hope that these essays, told through the medium of vivid personal stories, will stimulate discussion about contemporary dynamics in the Muslim world and raise awareness of Jewish women’s history in North Africa and the Middle-East.
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Upcoming Events or Opportunities
Kehila Kedosha Janina Synagogue and Museum presents:
The Seventh Annual Greek Jewish Festival
Sunday, 15 May 12:00-6:00PM EST
Join us 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, and much more!
The ASF is once again proud to be a Festival Sponsor.
Learn more at www.GreekJewishFestival.com
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The American Sephardi Federation presents:
The Ten Commandments, The Musical
(U.S. Premiere & World Premiere in English)
One of France’s most successful musicals, The Ten Commandments, is coming to America. The Ten Commandments’ Off-Broadway cast features new diverse talent from musical theater and operatic backgrounds. Twelve artists will bring to life the story of Moses and the Jewish people.
Sunday, 15 may at 6:00PM EST - Closing Night
(Tickets: $26 G/A; $36 VIP)
The Center for Jewish History
15 West 16th Street
New York City
Sign-up Now!
About the musical:
David Serero, starring as Moses, will lead the cast composed of DaShaun Williams (Ramses), Caroline Purdy (Nefertari), , Stephanie Craven (Sephora), Melissa Lubars (Jochebed), Lisa Monde (Bithia), Cale Rausch (Joshua), Zachary Harris Martin (Aaron), Kristyn Vario (Myriam), Julia Anne Cohen and Andy Donnelly (Various roles and U/S).
All performers will sing the beautiful music of Pascal Obispo, one of France’s most famous composers, with original lyrics by Lionel Florence and Patrice Guirao. The musical was originally created by Elie Chouraqui (ASF Pomegranate Awardee, 2020), who wrote the book. David Serero adapted the musical to English and is staging the show with respect to Broadway standards and culture.
“The Ten Commandments” dramatizes the biblical story of the life of Moses, an adopted Egyptian prince who becomes the deliverer of his real brethren, the enslaved Hebrews, and after that leads the Exodus to Mount Sinai, where he receives, from God, the Ten Commandments.
Sponsorship opportunities available:
info@americansephardi.org
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The ASF Institute of Jewish Experience presents:
Arab Jewish Life and Literature with Joyce Zonana
From the mellahs and medinas of Casablanca and Algiers to the Haras of Tunis, Cairo, and Old Baghdad, we will explore the lived and literary world of Arab Jews, including Jacques Derrida, Helene Cixous, Albert Memmi, and Jacqueline Kahanoff, who evoke a world in which Jews were native and not “other.”
Monday, 16 May at 12:00PM EST
(Ticket: $10)
Sign-up Now!
About the author:
Born in Cairo to Jewish parents, writer and literary translator Joyce Zonana is a professor emerita at the City University of New York. Her memoir, “Dream Homes: From Cairo to Katrina, an Exile’s Journey”, was published in 2008 by the Feminist Press. Her translations include “A Land Like You” (Seagull Books), “Malicroix” (New York Review Books), and “The Beast, and Other Tales” (Northwestern University Press). She has published numerous critical studies and reviews of other Egyptian Jewish writers, including André Aciman, Lucette Lagnado, Jacqueline Kahanoff, Paula Jacques, and Yitzhak Gormezano Goren.
Sponsorship opportunities available:
info@americansephardi.org
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Celebrate 2022 Israel Parade with the American Sephardi Federation’s Official Delegation
After three years away, the JCRC-NY Celebrate Israel Parade has returned!
We invite you to join us as we safely gather to march, cheer, and show our Sephardic solidarity for Israel.
Sunday, 22 May at 11:00AM-4:00PM EST
(Complimentary RSVP
Sign-up Now!
Sponsorship opportunities available:
info@americansephardi.org
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The ASF Institute of Jewish Experience presents:
Mizrahi Jews Sent to Live in the Desert: An Interactive Session with Ben-Gurion Heritage Institute
Join us for an interactive session with Ben-Gurion Heritage Institute!
In this interactive movie David Ben-Gurion arrives at court to make himself heard on five subjects and historical events. We will be exploring the topic of “Population Dispersion – Immigrant Housing in the Early Years.”
In 1948 Ben-Gurion wrote, “We do not yet have a jury system…. I hope that one day it will be part of our legal constitution. Because here, as in England and the US, it should be the average person with common sense who should judge us”.
Now you are invited to be the jury in this imaginary court: learn about the affairs, hear the different sides and in the end YOU decide. Come and influence history!
Sunday, 22 May at 12:00PM EST
(Ticket: $10)
Sign-up Now!
Sponsorship opportunities available:
info@americansephardi.org
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The ASF Institute of Jewish Experience presents:
New Works Wednesday with Rachel Frankel and JJCPF
Join us for a special New Works Wednesday with the JJCPF (Jamaican Jewish Cemeteries Preservation Fund).
In 1661, the English Crown offered 30 acres to settle in Jamaica. Jews, overwhelmingly Spanish Portuguese, came. By 1800, Jews had settled throughout and their cemeteries ringed the island. Today, Jamaica is the final resting place for, by one count, roughly 10,000 Jews. The one cemetery that remains open for burial is roughly three acres in size. It is located in the heart of Kingston, referred to as the Orange Street Cemetery, maintained by the United Congregation of Israelites Jamaica, and approaching its 200th year. Since 2007, volunteers, led by Rachel Frankel, have documented Jamaica’s Jewish cemeteries and since 2017, the JJCPF (Jamaican Jewish Cemeteries Preservation Fund) has been working to preserve the cemeteries.
On May 25, Rachel Frankel and some of JJCPF’s board members will introduce Jamaica’s Jewish cemeteries, provide virtual tours of the Falmouth Cemetery and the Orange Street Cemetery, and demonstrate their newly launched site specific online searchable database.
Wednesday, 25 May at 12:00PM EST
(Complimentary RSVP)
Sign-up Now!
About the author:
Rachel Frankel is principal of the firm Rachel Frankel Architecture in NYC. She is the co-author with Aviva Ben-Ur of “Remnant Stones: The Jewish Cemeteries of Suriname” and leads the effort to document Jamaica’s Jewish cemeteries..
Sponsorship opportunities available:
info@americansephardi.org
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The ASF Institute of Jewish Experience presents:
Between Baghdad and Asia
Beginning in the mid-19th century, a vibrant network of Jews primarily from Iraq but also from the Levant and Iran formed communities throughout the Indian sub-continent and East Asia. These communities flourished for over a decade and the remnants of these communities can still be seen to this day in places like Bombay, Singapore, and Hong Kong through the institutions they built and the communities which continue to exist. This talk traces the history of Baghdadi Jews in Asia from its earliest beginning until the present day, exploring the relevance of these communities both to Baghdad and the larger Jewish world.
Tuesday, 31 May at 12:00PM EST
(Ticket: $10)
Sign-up Now!
Sponsorship opportunities available:
info@americansephardi.org
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The ASF Institute of Jewish Experience presents:
New Works Wednesday with Arnon Z. Schorr and Joshua Edelglass
Join us for this episode of New Works Wednesdays with Arnon Z. Schorr and Joshua Edelglass as they discuss their new book “José and the Pirate Captain Toledano”!
Wednesday, 1 June at 12:00PM EST
(Complimentary RSVP)
Sign-up Now!
About the book:
Set in the shadows of the Spanish Inquisition, this is the coming-of-age story of José Alfaro, a young refugee who forms a powerful bond with the mysterious Pirate Captain Toledano. It’s also a dynamic pirate adventure on the high seas, with hand-to-hand combat and ship-to-ship action, and the powerful story of a dark time in history when people took different paths to survive.
About the authors:
Arnon Z. Shorr, a filmmaker and screenwriter, loves telling stories. Half-Sepharadi / half-Ashkenazi, a Hebrew speaker in America, a Jewish private-school kid in a mostly non-Jewish suburb, whenever he’d set foot in one world, his other foot would betray him as different. That’s why he tells stories that embrace the peculiar and the other. For more about Arnon, visit www.arnonshorr.com. Formerly of Los Angeles, he lives in Boston.
Joshua Edelglass’ work has appeared in publications including Tikkun Magazine, and The New Haven Review. His artwork has also appeared in numerous exhibitions, including Pow! Jewish Comics Art and Influence at the Brooklyn Jewish Art Museum. He has watched Star Trek II more times than is probably healthy. For more information about Josh, visit www.MotionPicturesComics.com. He is the Assistant Director of Camp Ramah New England and lives near Boston.
Click here for more about the book.
Sponsorship opportunities available:
info@americansephardi.org
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The Greek Jewish & Sephardic Young Professionals Network in partnership with the Association of Friends of Greek Jewry present:
Special Young Professionals Tour of Jewish Greece
(Summer 2022)
Join to trace the roots of our families, visit the beautiful cities of Thessaloniki (Salonika), Veroia, Kastoria, Ioannina, Athens, and Rhodes, and connect with other young Jews in Greece.
Check out the full itinerary here!
For more information email GreekJewishYPN@gmail.com