Maktuv*: An Evening of Islamic and Jewish Calligraphy

Join MALA and ASF for an interactive workshop led by experiential educator and artist Ruben Shimonov!

We will explore the significance of Arabic in Islam and Hebrew in Judaism, as well as the close relationship between both Semitic languages. It’ll be a space to share our personal connections with the holy languages of our respective faiths and to engage with these two languages through a hands-on calligraphy workshop!

No background in Arabic or Hebrew calligraphy necessary. Refreshments will be served.

*As cognates, Maktoob and K’tuv mean “written” in Arabic and Hebrew respectively.

ABOUT OUR WORKSHOP LEADER

Born in Uzbekistan, Ruben Shimonov belongs to the native Persian-speaking Jewish population of Central Asia. This community—the Bukharian Jews—have lived alongside their Muslim neighbors for 1300 years, engaging in cultural and intellectual commerce.

Given his background, Ruben possesses a strong passion for Muslim-Jewish community building. He has brought this interest to his academic, professional and community leadership work, including his involvement with the American Sephardic Federation (ASF) where he currently serves as the Vice-President of Education and Community Engagement on the Young Leadership board. Ruben is also an ASF 2018 Broome & Allen Fellow.

His interest in Muslim-Jewish dialogue has also informed his artistic work, inspiring him to create multilingual calligraphy that juxtaposes and weaves together Hebrew, Arabic, and Persian. He currently studies at New York University, pursuing a dual Master’s in Public Administration and Judaic Studies.