Acclaimed French-Moroccan baritone opera singer David Serrero dreamt of producing a version of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice spiced with Sephardi music and in which Shylock is portrayed in his Italian Sephardi context. The American Sephardi Federation’s production of Serero’s Merchant, in which he played Shylock, was sold out on Opening Night (June 14th) at the Center for Jewish History.
David Serero as Shylock in ASF's production of The Merchant of Venice (Photo courtesy of David Serero)
A new Egyptian Ramadan series, “The Jewish Quarter,” portrays Jews from Egypt's recent past as normal human beings, a departure from the usual anti-Semitic fare served up on local TV throughout the region. According to one Egyptian commentator, it’s about time, “We cannot keep stereotyping the Jews as diabolical monsters or legendary dragons that breathe fire wherever they go.”
Avishai Cohen (Trumpet), Yonatan Avishai (Piano), Omer Avital (Bass), Baniel Freedman (Drums) (Photo courtesy of Third World Love)
Third World Love, which includes master bassist and oud player Omer Avital, plays a jazz version of “Im nin alu” (trans.: “If the Doors are Locked”), the classic piyyut written by Rabbi Shalom Shabazi, a 17th century Judeo-Arabic poet in Yemen.
Eliette Abecassis’ latest novel, Alyah, tells the story of a French-Jewish woman of Moroccan ancestry who loves France but dreams of moving to Israel. Composed in reaction to the terror attacks on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and the Parisian kosher supermarket, Abecassis freely confesses, "I’ve never written a book so quickly in my life. A sense of urgency dictated it."
On view through July 1st in The David Berg Rare Book Room Sephardic Journeys A new exhibition at the Center for Jewish History
15 West 16th Street, New York, NY
The Sephardic Diaspora extends from Shiraz and São Paulo to Salonika, Seattle, and Sheepshead Bay. What unites the beautiful, complex, and diverse mosaic culture of Sephardim is a history of journeys—sometimes by choice, too frequently by force—that have driven Sephardi travelers and traders, publishers and philosophers, scientists and singers to transcend borders and barriers as they pioneered today’s globalized world.
The rare books and artifacts in this exhibit, Sephardic Journeys, reflect a rich tradition of scholarship and culture shaped by migrations, and they invite, in turn, reflection upon the physical, emotional and spiritual journeys of Jewish history.
Donate nowand your tax-deductible contribution will help ASF “Connect, Collect, and Celebrate” Sephardi culture throughout the year with engaging programs and compelling publications.
Contact us by email or phone (212-548-4486) to sponsor future issues of the Sephardi World Weekly in honor or memory of loved ones.
Thank you for opting (on our websites, at an event, or by email) to receive American Sephardi Federation Programming Updates and Publications. We apologize if this message was sent in error.
The American Sephardi Federation's Sephardi House is located at the Center for Jewish History (15 West 16th St., New York, NY., 10011).
David Serero as Shylock in ASF's production of The Merchant of Venice (Photo courtesy of 
