Mazal Tov/Mabrouk to Elan S. Carr, the U.S. Department of State’s new Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating anti-Semitism. Special Envoy Carr is an Iraqi Jew (descendant of Baghdad’s Chief Rabbi in the mid-1800s, Hakham Abdallah Somekh), an Arabic speaker, & U.S. Army Veteran. In 2003, he celebrated Hanukkah in a former palace of Saddam Hussein by lighting a Hanukkah Lamp sculpted by Oded Halahmy, the renowned Baghdad-born artist, proprietor of the Pomegranate Gallery in Jaffa & Soho, and a Distinguished Member of the ASF’s Board of Directors.
Please join the ASF and our friends & partners—the Sephardic Brotherhood of America, Sephardic Heritage Alliance, Inc., Moroccan Americans in New York, Philos Project, and others—by signing the Combat anti-Semitism Pledge in support of Special Envoy Elan Carr
The American Sephardi Federation (ASF) and Association Mimouna recently hosted NY’s first Jewish Africa Conference, a scholarly and cultural series of events (including the first African Jewish Film Festival in honor of Kulanu’s 25th anniversary) that brought together entrepreneurs, community leaders, and academics. Representatives from “emerging” African-Jewish communities attended alongside members of established African-Jewish communities.
Professor Ephraim Isaac, a recipient of the Moses, The African: Jewish Leadership Award, Jewish Africa Conference, 28 January 2019 (Photo courtesy of Chrystie Sherman)
Watch and listen as Abatte Barihun and Nisan Ventura extend the blues in a distinctly Ethiopian-Israeli key with a live, intimate and electrifying performance of Barihun’s song, Kadosh (“Holy”). Barihun appears on vocals and soprano saxophone, with Ventura on electric guitar.
Rabbi Dr. Sharon Shalom stands next to former Chief Rabbi of the Ethiopian-Israeli Community, R’Yosef Hadane, who is holding a mezuzah, the inauguration of Rabbi Dr. Shalom’s International Center for the Study of Ethiopian Jewry at the Ono Academic College, Kiryat Ono, Israel, 6 January 2019 (Photo courtesy of Ono Academic College/Times of Israel)
The Israeli government is bringing 1,000 members of the Falash Mura community to Israel, despite opposition from within national-religious and Ethiopian-Jewish circles, who claim that the new immigrants are not halakhically Jewish. However, many of the 7,000 Falash Mura who remain in Ethiopia have family in Israel, and the former Chief Rabbi of the Ethiopian-Jewish community, R’Yosef Hadane, urged diaspora Jewry and the Israeli government to help them, even as their status is clarified: “These people did not lack anything. They had fields, cattle, sheep. They had everything. They left the villages and went to the camps to come to Israel. They left everything behind to come to Israel.”
The American Sephardi Federation, Sephardic Jewish Brotherhood of America, Binghamton University Department of Judaic Studies, & American Jewish Historical Society present:
A Festival to celebrate Ladino, the remarkable language also known as Judeo-Spanish.
Sunday, 10 February, 2:00-5:00PM Center for Jewish History
15 West 16th Street
New York City
Please register here
or call: 1.800.838.3006 Reserved Auditorium Seating - SOLD OUT!
General Seating in the Great Hall (for Simulcast Projection) - Still Available
Celebrate Ladino, also known as Judeo-Spanish, in the company
of highly acclaimed writers and musicians. Hear author Jane
Mushabac’s story, “Seven Songs”; clarinetist Danny Elias;
composer Avi Amon introducing his musical fantasy, Salonika;
scholar Bryan Kirschen speaking on Ladino’s rich culture; Rabbi
Nissim Elnecavé on wisdom tales; and the Alhambra Ensemble’s
Songs of Courtship, Love, and Holidays with oud, violin, shawm,
dumbek and voices.
Since 2013—when Israel’s 5th President Yitzhak Navon endorsed
Zelda Ovadia’s idea of International Ladino Day—celebrations have
been held in Jerusalem, Seattle, Istanbul, Madrid, Dallas, Forest
Hills, Boston, and other cities. February 10th marks the Second
Annual International Ladino Day at the Center for Jewish History.
Ladino is a bridge to many cultures; it’s a Spanish language that
includes words in Hebrew, Turkish, Arabic, and more. The mother
tongue of Jews in the Ottoman Empire for 500 years, Ladino was
the home language of Sephardim worldwide in the early 20th
century.
Although today Ladino is only spoken by a small fraction of
Sephardim, the interest in the language and its culture is
experiencing a resurgence through distinguished university
programs, publications, concerts, and events of many kinds.
Monday, 18 February Introduction to Ladino: pronunciation, spelling, and variations
Monday, 25 February American Ladino
Monday, 4 March Turkish Ladino
Monday, 11 March Salonician and Monastirli Ladino
Monday, 18 March Comparative Liturgy: Psalms, Piyyutim, and Agada
Monday, 25 March Student reflections
The ASF’s Sephardi Scholars Center
Center for Jewish History
15 W 16th Street
New York City
Please register here
or call: 1.800.838.3006 Admission is limited
Ladino is a dialect of Spanish and has many regional variations of its own. During this mini-course in Ladino will introduce the nuances of Ladino, and we will conduct a comparative study of both spoken and written Spanish and Ladino, with Latin and Hebrew characters.
Dr. Joe Halio was raised in a Sephardic family of immigrants from Salonica and Turkey. His grandfather, Albert Torres, publisher of La Vara, and his father, Hank Halio, author of Ladino Reveries, taught him to speak Ladino. Years spent at the Sephardic Home for the Aged, the Kastoriali Kehila in Brooklyn, and the Sephardic Jewish Center of Forest Hills, as well as his travels to Turkey, Greece, and Israel, gave him additional perspective on the Ladino language. His extensive contact with native speakers and scholars of Ladino and Sephardic culture, as well as his large library of Ladino literature of all kinds, has provided him with rich opportunities to study and teach the native language and history of the Sephardim.
Knowledge of modern spoken Spanish is preferable. Texts will include material written in the USA, the Balkans, and Turkey, as well as audio and visual references. Because spoken language cannot be separated from culture in which it exists, knowledge of Sephardic history and culture is recommended, but not essential. Six weekly 2 hour sessions will cover an introduction to Ladino pronunciation, reading and writing Ladino, and regional variations. Cultural material may include historical documents, liturgy, folklore, and popular sources.
Objective:
To clarify the differences between modern Spanish and Ladino dialects, to facilitate research and use of the Ladino dialect, and to promote enjoyment of Ladino and Sephardic culture and history.
Scope:
We will speak, read, and write Ladino in various contexts, both popular and scholarly.
Texts:
Handouts, websites, references to available library and archival material.
Requirements:
Basic understanding of spoken Spanish and Sephardic history and culture preferred.
Approach to learning:
Class participation, individual research, and presentations as desired.
Decorum:
No cellphones, computers, recording, etc., unless used in presentations, with permission of the instructor.
19 February - Kavkazi (Mountain Jews)
26 March - Bukharian Jews
16 April - Georgian Jews Center for Jewish History
15 W 16th Street
New York City
Please register here
or call: 1.800.838.3006 Light dinner reflecting the cuisine of Bukharian, Georgian, and Kavkazi Jews will be served
Back by popular demand, the American Sephardi Federation’s Young Sephardi Scholars Series is excited to once again host a 3-part learning and cultural series about the Russian-speaking Jewish (RSJ) communities of the Greater Sephardic world. The cultures and histories of Bukharian, Georgian, and Kavkazi (Mountain) Jews are situated at the fascinating, yet lesser known, intersection of RSJ, Sephardic and Mizrahi life. Led by Ruben Shimonov, this multimedia learning series will provide a unique opportunity to explore the multilayered and rich stories of the three communities.
Co-sponsored by JDC Entwine. This project was created as part of the COJECO BluePrint Fellowship, supported by COJECO and Genesis Philanthropy Group.
Ruben Shimonov is a Jewish educator, community builder, and social innovator based in New York City. His multilayered identity as an immigrant, Bukharian, Sephardic, Mizrahi, and Russian-speaking Jew continuously informs his commitment to the cultural and global diversity of the Jewish people. Ruben has previously brought this passion to his work at Queens College Hillel as Director of Cross-Community Engagement and Education, where he had the unique role of cultivating Sephardic-Mizrahi Jewish student life on campus. Ruben is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Sephardic-Mizrahi Q Network—a one-of-a-kind, grassroots movement that works to build a vibrant and supportive community for LGBTQ Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews. He also serves as Vice-President for Education and Community Engagement on the American Sephardi Federation's Young Leadership Board, as well as the Director of Educational Experiences and Programming for the Muslim-Jewish Solidarity Committee of New York. Ruben was recently named among The Jewish Week’s “36 Under 36” emerging Jewish communal leaders and changemakers. He is also a 2018 ASF Broome & Allen Fellow, as well as a 2018 COJECO Blueprint Fellow. His speaking engagements include presenting at the Limmud Festival in the United Kingdom, one of the largest annual Jewish learning conferences in the world.
The Center for Jewish History and The American Sephardi Federation present:
Curious about family history outside of the Pale of Settlement? The Center for Jewish History welcomes you to a lecture on genealogy tools for those interested in researching Jewish community records and Jewish life in the Greater Sephardic Diaspora. Open to all. No previous experience or preparation is necessary. Presented by J.D. Arden, Genealogy and Reference Librarian at the Center for Jewish History and adjunct faculty at the LIU-Palmer School of Library & Information Science. An ASL interpreter may be made available if requested in advance.
Presented by The Ackman & Ziff Family Genealogy Institute at The Center for Jewish History and The American Sephardi Federation.
Sunday, 24 February
6:00 PM - Pablo Zinger & Nicole Murad "Tango Shalom"
8:00 PM - Shiree Kidron "Musical Pearls of Sefarad"
Monday, 25 February
8:00PM - Jeffrey Werbock; Azerbaijani Evening
Tuesday, 26 February
8:00PM - Rachid Halihal
Moroccan star will perform Moroccan and Andalusian classics with his Orchestra (Followed by an After Party for VIP Ticket & VIP Pass Holders)
Center for Jewish History
15 West 16th Street
New York City
Sophisticated Sephardi sounds will be heard at the American Sephardi Music Festival 2.2 (2nd Edition 2nd Session) created and directed by David Serero. Featuring world-class artists who reflect the rich mosaic culture of Greater Sephardic communities, the ASMF is a proud partner of the renowned Festival des Andalousies Atlantiques in Essaouira, Morocco.
The American Sephardi Federation and MALA: Muslim American Leadership Alliance present:
The Khojaly Tragedy occurred on 26 February 1992 when Armenian military forces killed 613 Azerbaijani citizens in the town of Khojaly, Azerbaijan. This year, MALA and ASF will commemorate Khojaly by creating a space for learning, remembrance, and dialogue about ending Ethnic Cleansing and Genocide of all kinds.
The event will take place at the Center for Jewish History, and will coincide with the American Sephardi Federation’s American Sephardi Music Festival, which runs February 24-26. MALA and ASF will bring in a panel of guest speakers to facilitate a discussion about identity, erasure, genocide, and memory in the light of the 27th Anniversary of the Khojaly Tragedy.
Genocide and Ethnic Cleansings so often begin with the erasure of histories, heritage, and the silencing of voices. MALA and the ASF are committed to building platforms for individuals and communities to share their histories, and learn collectively through our profound individual stories. By holding in memory some of the most somber moments in history, we increase our ability, as a community, to work towards a unified future.
Please join us as we stand in solidarity to remember those whose lives were lost. Let us strive to build our communities with an understanding of the past to ensure a better tomorrow.
The Center for Jewish History, The American Sephardi Federation, The American Jewish Historical Society, and Jewish Book Council present:
Thursday, 12 March, at 7:00PM Center for Jewish History
15 West 16th Street
New York City
Matti Friedman's new book, Spies of No Country: Secret Lives at the Birth of Israel tells the unknown story of four of Israel's first Sephardi spies. Recruited by a rag-tag outfit called the Arab Section before the 1948 War of Independence, they assumed Arab identities to gather intelligence and carry out sabotage and assassinations. At the height of the war the spies posed as refugees fleeing the fighting, reached Beirut, and set up what became Israel's first foreign intelligence station. pies of No Country not only tells a breathtaking and true espionage story, it also explores a different story about how the state was founded and raises many questions that are relevant today.
In a wide-ranging, First Person conversation, Matti Friedman speaks with the Cairo-born, awarding-winning Sephardi author Lucette Lagnado (The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit) about his journalism career in the Middle East and what Spies of No Country reveals about Israel in the 20th and 21st centuries.
Please register here Ticket Info: $15 general; $12 seniors, $10 members and students
Please register here or email: info@sephardicbrotherhood.com
Join Sephardic Jewish Brotherhood of America for the Birthright Israel - Sephardic Israel Trip this Summer from June 27 - July 7! For 10 days, you'll be able to travel around the country with amazing people with Sephardic, Greek, and Turkish backgrounds, all while exploring everything Israel has to offer. You'll be able to ride camels in the desert, raft down the Jordan River, explore the Old City in Jerusalem, and a whole lot more. especially for Sephardic Jews from across the United States.
The American Sephardi Federation’s friends at The Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies (SCJS) invites papers on the crypto-Jewish experience from any discipline (e.g., anthropology, history, sociology, genealogy, philosophy, literature, music, art, etc.).
This year’s conference highlights the crypto-Jewish experience as defined
by the origins of Sephardic Jews in Iberia and the greater Mediterranean, Europe and North Africa, and the New World, both pre-and post Inquisition-era through today.
Topics should be relevant to the descendants of crypto-Jews, conversos, and anusim, with particular emphasis on how migration and nationality shapes behavior, as well as group and individual identity.
SCJS welcomes scholarly papers on all aspects of the Sephardic experience and that of other global communities exhibiting crypto-Judaic phenomena. We are particularly interested this year in research covering all areas of the Western Hemisphere.
Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
Crypto-Jews in Modern America, Emerging Communities in Latin America,
Evolution of Sephardic Customs or Language Sephardic Culture Outside Iberia, Biographies of Conversos in Old or New Spain Transmission or Discovery of Family Traditions, Conversos in Spanish and Portuguese Colonial Communities, Inquisition-Related Studies.
Personal stories or anecdotal research relating to crypto-Judaic experiences are also welcome, either for individual presentations or for specific panel discussions related to peers and/or a target audience. Proposals must include speaker contact details, a title, a 200-word abstract or summary, and a 100-word bio. Please indicate if research is completed or in progress.
Proposals must be received by March 15, 2019; accepted speakers will be notified shortly
thereafter. Send proposals or inquiries to: Professor Seth Kunin Ph.D, Program Chair at CryptoJewish.Conference@gmail.com
Note: Presenters will benefit a special discounted registration rate and the opportunity to network and expose their work to the attention of leading researchers in the field. For more information on SCJS, visit www.cryptojews.com
Nosotros 2.0, which opened as a one-night pop-up exhibition on 11 October. continues in part as an exhibition in our Leon Levy Gallery.
On view until April
Center for Jewish History
15 West 16th Street
New York City
The Philos Project and American Sephardi Federation cordially invite you to “Nosotros," an exhibition composed of pieces by Latino artists celebrating the shared history and culture of Jewish and Latino communities, and expressing hope for a more positive future. Latin American artistry is rich with Sephardi and Crypto-Jewish allusions and symbols.
The exhibit is titled “Nosotros,” the Spanish word for “us,” and all of the art represents the growing relationship between the Jewish and Hispanic communities in New York and around the world. The exhibit is one of the many things Jesse Rojo, The Philos Project's Hispanic Affairs Director, is doing to bridge the gap between Hispanics and the Middle East.
Donate nowand your tax-deductible contribution will help ASF preserve and promote the Greater Sephardi history, traditions, and culture as an integral part of the Jewish experience!
Contact us by email to learn about giving opportunities in honor or memory of loved ones
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The American Sephardi Federation is located at the Center for Jewish History (15 West 16th Street, New York, New York, 10011).
