In Memory of Tish’a B’Ab, a red-letter day throughout Jewish history for the astounding number of atrocities, expulsions, and other national calamities (especially the destruction of both Temples at Jerusalem) that befell Jews on this accursed date. Last year the ASF’s Institute of Jewish Experience and Bendigamos hosted a Global Nação-style Western (Spanish & Portuguese) Sephardic morning service and kinot readings live from France, Israel, the Netherlands, and the UK (watch here). And for the evening, we joined our friends and partners at New York’s Shearith Israel for an historic 1st broadcast of evening services (watch here)
Click here to dedicate a future issue in honor or memory of a loved one.
Thank you to Sephardi World Weekly Patrons Professor Rifka Cook, Maria Gabriela Borrego Medina, Rachel Amar, Deborah Arellano, and Distinguished ASF Vice President Gwen Zuares! Become a Patron today!
During Passover, Iranian regime-backed Houthis expelled almost all of Yemen’s last Jews. They continue to illegally imprison Levi Salem Musa Marhabi. Don’t turn away. Don’t close your eyes. Don’t let another group of Jews become forgotten refugees. Join the ASF’s campaign to #FreeLeviMarhabi.
Throughout her career, Bogata-born Professor Gloria Abella Ballen’s art and scholarship have been “influenced by her international travels and residences, including Morocco, and her study of Sephardic illuminated texts.” The ASF’s Institute of Jewish Experience recently devoted a New Works Wednesday webinar to Professor Ballen’s latest book, Garden of Eden: Plants of the Hebrew Bible, in which she explores the latticework-like connections that link the Biblical past to contemporaneous Jewish and Islamic histories, such as the “red and green leaves and flowers [that adorn] the Torah niche of the 14th century Samuel Halevi Abulafia synagogue (El Tránsito) in Toledo, Spain, in a style similar to the nearby Islamic buildings constructed before the Muslim and Jewish expulsions.”
Rabbi Dr. Elie Abadie speaking at “Jewish Life in the Arab World: A New Chapter?,” 6 July 2021
Rabbi Dr. Elie Abadie (Senior Rabbi of the United Arab Emirates, Rabbi of the Association of Gulf Jewish Communities, and the Chairman of the ASF’s Council of Sephardic Sages) sits down with Dr. Ronnie Perelis (Yeshiva University’s Chief Rabbi Dr. Isaac Abraham and Jelena (Rachel) Alcalay Associate Professor of Sephardic Studies and Director of the Rabbi Arthur Schneier Program for International Affairs) for a discussion of Rabbi Abadie’s fascinating personal journey and the significance of creating a rabbinic community on the Arabian Peninsula.
Sieg Heiling-Houthis chanting their slogan: “Death to America. Death to Israel. Curse the Jews,” Sana’a, Yemen, 2020
(Screenshot courtesy of al-Arabiya)
The National, the UAE’s English-language daily, is reporting that, “One of the last remaining Jewish citizens in Yemen is being detained by Houthi militias, tortured and held in inhumane conditions despite being sick and vulnerable.” The name of the Jew is Levi Marhabi, and as the President of the ASF’s Council of Sephardi Sages, Rabbie Elie Abadie, explains: “‘Levi has been suffering in the Houthi prison despite a court ruling ordering his release, just like the three Muslims who were imprisoned with him, yet only he remains imprisoned, because of his religion.’” ASF Executive Director, Jason Guberman, adds: “‘Levi, who has been tortured for years in the Houthi prison… is now partially paralyzed.’”
Sign the Combat Antisemitism Movement and ASF petition to Free Levi Marhabi and Stop Houthi Antisemitism at www.freelevi.org
Learn more about the campaign and ways to get involved at www.freelevimarhabi.org
Filmmaker Orestis Andreadakis aims to mark the bicentennial of Greece's revolution by articulating a Greek national identity that courageously embraces its entire history, including, “the elimination of the Greek-Jewish community of Thessaloniki.” Andreadakis explains how his film, “The City and the City,” explores this charged topic with honesty, “‘This is how it went with the trauma of the elimination of the Greek Jews: We underestimated it, we hid it, we attributed its causes to other invisible enemies and to religious reasons and then we agreed that it’s none of our business,’" and an experimental creative approach, “‘[M]yth, documentary and the essay-film coexist and feed off of each other, producing dynamic results.’”
Greek actors Vassilis Karampoulas (left) and Angeliki Papoulia (right) appear in Andreadakis’ film
(Photo courtesy of Kathimerini)
Amcha - the Coalition for Jewish Concerns presents:
Virtual Tisha B’Av Isaiah peace wall prayer service for Israel and Jews in danger worldwide
“We'll hear from colleagues in Jerusalem, Ukraine, about Ethiopian Jews, and about a brave Yemenite Jew imprisoned by the Houti rebels. Our hosts will be Rabbis Steven Exler and Avi Weiss.”
Or Dial in: 646-558-8656
Meeting ID: 83137914473
Passcode: wall
“A toxic strain of anti-Semitism has been unleashed around the world in the past year. It's taken hold across Europe, the former Soviet Union, and the United States - even among elected officials. A rabbi is repeatedly stabbed in a Boston suburb. Visible Jews are attacked in New York City and Los Angeles. Social media is poisoned with anti-Jewish hate.
Hamas terrorists were emboldened to fire over 4000 rockets at Israel, while other terrorists attempt to stab and shoot Israelis. In Argentina, authorities still refuse to move against the perpetrators of the horrific AMIA bombing attack.
That's why we continue our 44th annual Tisha B'Av prayer service and focus on Jews in danger worldwide. It's virtual as last year, due to remaining coronavirus restrictions.”
Special offer to watch the award-winning documentary about fashion designer Elie Tahari directed & produced by David Serero
“The United States of Elie Tahari”
Click here to watch the movie!
Use promo code: ASFTAHARI for a discount on rentals (Available for 30 days only)
Discover the unique story of Elie Tahari, a Persian Sephardic Jew who moved to Israel as a refugee and lived in one of the Ma’Baarot, moved to New York in the 1970s with less than $100, and built a Billion-dollar fashion empire. Only three fashions companies survived more than four decades, achieved billions of dollars in gross, and are still run by their owners: Giorgio Armani, Ralph Lauren, and Elie Tahari. Tahari received the Oded Halahmy-sculpted ASF Pomegranate Award for Lifetime Achievement for a Fashion Designer at the 23rd NY Sephardic Jewish Film Festival.
Kehila Kedosha Janina Synagogue and Museum presents:
Greek Jewish Block Party
“Join us to celebrate our Romaniote and Sephardic heritage and reconnect with our community.
Enjoy delicious food, live music, Greek dancing, and kids activities.”
Sunday, 15 August 12:00-4:00PM EDT Free Admission
All public health guidelines will be followed
280 Broome Street
(Between Allen & Eldridge St.)
Lower East Side, NYC
The American Sephardi Federation is a proud Community Partner of the Greek Jewish Festival
“Registration is now open for this year’s Sephardic Birthright Trip! 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. The trip is totally FREE and anyone between the ages of 18 and 28 who hasn't been on a Birthright Israel trip before is eligible. Even if you’ve been to Israel before on a non-birthright trip, you may still be eligible. The trip will follow all related COVID-19 Health Guidance as required by the US Centers for Disease Control and the Israel Ministry of Health.”
You can sign up now at sephardicbrotherhood.com/birthright. Registration takes less than 10 minutes and no final commitment is necessary. When registering, make sure to write “Sephardic Israel” as your “referred by” group and Amazing Israel as your trip provider.
Jews lived in the Middle East, and particularly Iran, even before the advent of Islam. Iran has a long history with varying dynasties, dynastic changes, and evolving borders and Jews have been there continuously throughout these changes. Throughout the ascent of Islam in its different forms, Jews were integrated at times more and at times less economically. There were times of intellectual and spiritual growth as well as suppression and persecution. All this will be addressed and discussed in a historical context.
The course is divided into seven units:
1. The Ancient Period – the settlement of the Jews in Iran, Acaemenid, Parthian, and Sassanian times
2. 7th to 9th Centuries – The emergence of Islam, Islam and the Jews, Dhimma, and Jewish religious streams
3. 13th to 18th centuries – Mongols, Jewish Persian poets, Safavid times
4. Mid-18th century to 19th century – Invasion, dynasties, and persecutions
5. The latter part of the 19th century – Interactions with World Jewry, legal status and conversions
6. Early 20th century – Modernization and education, constitution revolution, Zionism
7. The 20th century – Pahlavi dynasty, Revolution, Mashadis, and Migration
Dr. Daniel Tsadik
Dr. Daniel Tsadik, a former professor of Sephardic and Iranian Studies at the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies, has been awarded The Prime Minister’s Prize (Israel) in 2020 for the Encouragement and Empowerment of Jewish Communities in Arab Countries and Iran for The Jews of Iran and Rabbinic Literature: New Perspectives, published by Mosad Ha-Rav Kook.
Tsadik researches the modern history of Iran, Shi'ah Islam, and Iran's religious minorities. A Fulbright scholar, he earned his Ph.D from the History Department at Yale University.
Dr. David Yeroushalmy
Born in Tehran, David Yeroushalmy completed his primary and part of his secondary education at the Alliance Israelite school in Tehran. He immigrated to Israel in 1961 and upon completing his secondary education he enrolled in the Department of Middle Eastern History at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Completing his B.A. in Middle Eastern Studies and in Political Science, he served in the Israeli Army as an officer. He pursued his doctoral studies at Colombia University New York, in the Department of Middle East Languages and Cultures. He specialized in Persian and Hebrew languages and literatures. D. Yeroushalmy was appointed lecturer in the Department of Middle Eastern and African History at Tel-Aviv University, where he has been teaching Persian language and Iranian history and culture. His Book entitled The Judeo-Persian Poet Emrani and His Book of Treasure, was published by E.J. Brill Publishers, Leiden, in 1995. Dr. Yeroushalmy's current research focuses on the communal and cultural history of Iranian Jewry in the course of the nineteen-century.
Ms. Lerone Edalati
Lerone Edalati is a member of the Mashadi community of New York. In addition to her role as Associate Director of Donor Relations at ISEF, she researches and records the history and current practices of the Mashadi Jews. She holds a BA from NYU in Middle Eastern & Islamic Studies, and an MA in Middle Eastern Studies from The Graduate Center, CUNY. She is a Broome & Allen Fellow at the American Sephardi Federation and is currently gathering oral histories of Iranian Jews in NY.
Dr. Hilda Nissimi
Dr. Hilda Nissimi is the chair of the Generatl History Department at Bar Ilan University. Her most current research focuses on the formation adn change of identity layers in crypto-religious communities, with a particular focus on Mashadi Jews. Her book, The Crypto-Jewish Mashadis, was published in 1985 and remains the main text on the study of that population. She has written numerous articles on identity and forced conversions.
This course is made possible with the support of The Shazar Center, Israel.
An online course presented in 10 minute episodes.
Learn at your own pace.
Please sign-up now! Total cost of the course is $75.00
The ASF Institute of Jewish Experience is proud to present “The Crypto Experience,” an online course on Crypto-Jews. It is part of a series of online courses on a variety of topics that make up the robust Jewish experience.
For hundreds of years there have been descendants of Crpto-Jews, who have covertly kept some of their traditions while maintaining a very different public persona. It is a question of identity, be it Huegenot, Catholic, Sephardi, or Mashadi. Professing one faith on the outside and another on the inside speaks to our quest for defining identity today.
These questions of identity that we think are so new and so relevant are really rather old questions under different circumstances. In this course Dr. Hilda Nissimi (Bar Ilan University) presents an overview of crypto societies historically and in the context of today. She challenges the participants to ask themselves difficult questions like: What defines identity? If I project this outer self, how do I keep my real me? Who is the real me? Am I the me before the expression of an outer facade? Is it a new me?
The course discusses these questions as they pertain to Jews, specifically. What does it mean to be a Jew? What do I have to keep if I want to call myself a Jew? Am I allowed to change? Am I the person to decide? Who will decide? How can anyone decide under such circumstances?
In order to understand this in historic and cultural contexts, world-renowned scholars and experts in the field have joined Dr. Nissimi and will be presenting the challenges facing a range of crypto societies:
Huegenots – Dr. Hilda Nissimi Spanish-Portuguese Crypto Society – Dr. Ronnie Perelis (Yeshiva University) Bildi’in of Morocco – Professor Paul Fenton (Sorbonne Université, Paris) Mashhadi Jews of Iran – Dr. Hilda Nissimi Tracing Jewish Roots – Genie and Michael Milgrom Growing Up Mashhadi– Reuben Ebrahimoff
The Greek Experience Explore the world of Greek Jewry from the ancient Romaniote to the Sephardim and others who made it to and through Greece.
An online course presented in 10 minute episodes.
Learn at your own pace.
Please sign-up now! Total cost of the course is $75.00
Jews have been in Greece since before the Temple was destroyed. They were in Greece upon the founding of the Greek Orthodox Church. Community members, known as Romaniote, made their way through Venice, Byzantium, Spain, across the Ottoman Empire, and beyond. Dr. Yitzchak Kerem provides an overview of the unique languages, liturgical nuances, and communal life of Jews across Greece. Dr Kerem spent significant time living in Greece and researching Greek and Sephardic history. Photographs, maps, and personal accounts provide course participants with a full picture of the unique nature of the Jews of Greece and its surroundings. In the course, participants will look at major influential points in Greek Jewish history. They will explore The Golden Age of Salonika, a time when Greece’s northern city was a hub of Jewish scholarship. Kerem introduces the tension arising in the Greek Jewish community because of Shabtai Tzvi and the Sabbateanism movement that brought with it false messianism and conversion to Islam, at least outwardly. The course looks at when the Alliance Israélite Universelle moved in and the Sephardic culture in Greece developed a rich secular culture with its own novels, theater, and music. This is part of the greater Jewish heritage and history that is often overlooked. ASF IJE online courses will bring to life all parts of the greater Jewish Experience.
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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).
