The Omni-American Vision: Culture, Not Race
The American Sephardi Federation’s Sephardi Ideas Monthly for November 2021 is dedicated in honor of US Representative Ritchie Torres (NY-15), recipient of the inaugural Omni-American Young Leader Award from the Combat Antisemitism Movement, Jazz Leadership Project, and American Sephardi Federation
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The ASF’s Sephardi Ideas Monthly is a continuing series of essays and interviews from the rich, multi-dimensional world of Sephardi thought and culture that is delivered to your inbox every month.
Last month’s issue of Sephardi ideas Monthly featured a video recording of Day One of “Combating Racism and Antisemitism Together: Shaping an Omni-American Future,” a trailblazing event organized by the American Sephardi Federation (ASF), the Jazz Leadership Project (JLP), and the Combat Antisemitism Movement.
This month’s issue of Sephardi Ideas Monthly features a video recording of Day Two.
The term “Omni-American” is taken from the writings of the American writer, critic, and philosopher of the blues and jazz, Albert Murray (1916-2013). Murray’s work combines an invigorating interpretation of music, literature, and American identity with a celebration of excellence in the arts and civic life, and during the two-day event, a remarkable array of Jewish and Black American writers, scholars, activists, and artists came together to explore, comment upon, musically perform, and interpret Murray’s writings as part of the “Blues Idiom Wisdom Tradition,” a term coined by the JLP’s co-founder and CEO, Greg Thomas.
Highlights from the second day include a fascinating discussion between ASF Executive Director Jason Guberman, ASF Young Leaders President Lauren Gibli, and Prof. Ephraim Isaac, an Ethiopian-Yemenite Jewish scholar who co-founded Harvard University’s Department of African and African American Studies; JLP CEO Greg Thomas’ interview with the noted writer Thomas Chatterton Williams; Mosaic editor Jonathan Silver in conversation with John Wood Jr., the national leader for Braver Angels; Muslim-American leader Zainab Zeb Khan on Muslim-American identity; a dialogue between the Director of the Sephardic Educational Center, R’ Daniel Bouskila, and author Nick Jankel; stimulating and entertaining presentations from noted educators and scholars, such as Joel Dinerstein, Loren Schoenberg, Paul Devlin, and Zak Stein; noted psychologist Pamela Paresky in conversation with celebrity chef, Andrew Zimmern; classical composer Dan Asia on improvisation in jazz and classical music; ASF Chief Editor and Director of Publications, Aryeh Tepper, on the new chapter in Black-Jewish relations; Tepper’s interview with Israel-born, Brooklyn-based jazz musician Itamar Borochov; and three songs performed by Borochov’s fantastic Quartet.
The apotheosis of Day Two was the presentation of the inaugural Omni-American Young Leader Award to Congressman Ritchie Torres. The ASF’s Executive Director Jason Guberman said the award recognizes “Congressman Torres’ work as a civic and political leader, his courageous support of the sovereign right of our liberal, pluralistic ally, Israel, to defend itself against its illiberal enemies; and his resonance with the legacy of the late Black American thinker Albert Murray…. The cultural and ethnic diversity of Congressman Torres’ background, his Bronx constituency, and his dedication to liberal democratic principles are a shining example of what Murray had in mind.” Guberman also praised “Congressman Torres’ deep and heart-felt friendship with the Jewish people and state” as a continuation of “the noble tradition of civil rights leaders, A. Phillip Randolph and Bayard Rustin. Their organization, BASIC (Black American Support Israel Committee), with the support of Rosa Parks, John Lewis, Jackie Robinson, Count Basie, and Ralph Ellison, fought antisemitism and racism, championed freedom for Soviet Jewry, as well as the Aliyah of Ethiopian Jews.”
In receiving the award, Torres described how elected American officials “have an obligation to defend the core value that lies at the core of the American experience, which is diversity… Part of our commitment to promoting pluralism is fighting against extremism in every form, including antisemitism. And I worry about the creeping antisemitism here in the United States and elsewhere in the world which has taken the form of a delegitimization campaign against Israel….”
Sephardi Ideas Monthly is pleased and proud to share the video of the remarkable second day from what was truly a beautiful and extraordinary cultural event, “Combating Racism and Antisemitism Together: Shaping an Omni-American Future.”
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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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The Monthly Sage החכם החודשי
The sage for the month of November, 2021, is Hakham Mullah Mattityah Garji.
Mattityah Garji was born on 26 Kislev 5605 (1845) in Herat, Afghanistan. The Garji family, like many Afghani Jewish families, had fled from Mashad, Iran in 1839, following the local policy of forced conversions.
After little Matti grew-up to become Hakham Mullah (the Afghani honorific, derived from the Arabic mawlā (مَوْلَى) meaning “vicar” or “master”) Mattityah Garji, he led the local community, overseeing local Kashrut issues, collecting and distributing charity to the needy, and serving as head of the community’s Talmud Torah.
In 1896, Hakham Mullah Mattityah Garji and his son, Hakham Asher Garji, made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Then, in 1908, Hakham Mullah Mattiyah Garji made Aliyah to the Land of Israel and took up residence in Jerusalem, where he was recognized as rabbi of the Afghani and Bukhari communities.
Hakham Mullah Mattityah Garji passed away on 14 Kislev, 5678 (1898) at the age of 70, and was buried on the Mount of Olives.
Hakham Mullah Mattityah Garji’s books include Oneg LeShabbat, a commentary on the Torah and other Biblical texts. The book was published three times, with its last edition appearing in 2010. Two additional works are Tehilat David (sermons and interpretations on the Book of Psalms) and Sepher Beit Hamikdash (a commentary on the Mishna).
In the following passage from Oneg LeShabbat, Hakham Mullah Mattityah Garji teaches that one shouldn’t hate any fellow Jew, and transgressions should be forgiven immediately. At the same time, love dictates that we rebuke our fellow Jews when we see them erring, “for if one does not rebuke them and protest, they will be left to their foolishness, and there is no greater hatred than this”:
Part of the love of God is to love all people of Israel with heart and soul, to fulfill the commandment “Love your fellow as yourself” which is equated to the entire Torah. The essence of love is to rebuke and guide others in the ways of God, for if one does not rebuke them and protest, they will be left to their foolishness, and there is no greater hatred than this. Just as the commandment to ‘Love your fellow as yourself’ is equated to the sum of all the commandments, so is the negative commandment ‘You shall not hate your kinsfolk in your heart’ equal to all the transgressions. One should take care to not hate any member of the nation of Israel, and if one has been transgressed against – he should forgive immediately, and always defend and advocate for the People of Israel, in particular in the holy city of Jerusalem. This is indicated by ‘and you shall see the good of Jerusalem’, meaning: See the good ones among them and not the bad ones. The Temple, because of our transgressions, was destroyed by the sin of gratuitous hatred; if so, one’s acting in live and peace with Israel hastens the Redemption.
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Hanukkah in Eight Nights: Bring the Past to Light
By Marian Scheuer Sofaer
Celebrate a family Hanukkah with dramatic readings about the feats of the Maccabees! In addition to the candle lighting blessings, Hanukkah songs, recipes, and sevivon game rules, this book incudes excerpts from ancient sources and vivid read-aloud stories by Moshe Pearlman for each night that will bring the riveting events of 164 B.C.E. to life. Good for school age children through adults.
My Life and Work: Chanukah Lamps
By Oded Halahmy
The Hebrew word Hanukkah means “dedication” and symbolizes freedom; Oded Halahmy has dedicated himself to honoring his Jewish roots and culture through artwork related especially to this holiday.
Oded once hosted a holiday party and invited many friends to light Hanukkah candles. Every year since, he has kept up the tradition of making a new Hanukkah lamp.
Over the years, other ancient Middle Eastern symbols from Oded’s Iraqi heritage began to appear in his lamps: the pomegranate, Hamsa (hand), lion, palm tree, palm frond, crown, and horseshoe.
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Upcoming ASF Institute of Jewish Experience Events:
The ASF Institute of Jewish Experience presents:
Reclaiming Identity: Jews of Arab Lands and Iran share stories of identity, struggle and redemption
Join us for a first-of-its-kind global virtual event marking November 30, Israel’s national day of commemorating the effectual end of Jewish life in many Arab lands and Iran. We will discuss questions such as: What is my true identity? How does my family narrative coexist within the wider Jewish world? Why, when, and how did I reclaim my heritage identity? Featuring guests from Dubai to Los Angeles!
Tuesday, 30 November at 9:00AM EST
Sign-up Now!
On 23 June 2014, the Knesset adopted a law designating 30 November as an annual, national day of commemoration for the 850,000 Jewish refugees who were displaced from Arab countries and Iran in the 20th century.
This year on 30 November, Jews across the world will share personal experiences of their families who left those countries only to once again face losses in the experience of living their heritage and identity. It is time to reclaim our Jewish heritage!
Sponsorship opportunities available:
info@americansephardi.org
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The ASF Institute of Jewish Experience presents:
Eid Al-Banat
The ASF Institute of Jewish Experience and the Mizrahi Dance Archive invites you to a unique global celebration of Eid Al-Banat!
This year for the North African holiday of Eid Al-Banat (The Festival of Daughters, in Judeo-Arabic), or Hag HaBanot (Hebrew), we are bringing together female Greater Sephardi talents to virtually celebrate North African Jewish traditions, female leadership, music, dance, and so much more.
Sunday, 5 December at 12:00PM EST
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This festival honors the story of Jewish heroines like Judith and Queen Esther and the important role of women in Jewish life until today. It is customary to sing, dance, and light the night’s menorah candle and focus on bringing together generations of mothers, daughters, aunts, sisters and the extended community. Women would traditionally get together to bake sweet treats and give gifts to each other. They would sing piyyutim and pray for the health and wellbeing of the women in their lives. It is a celebration of women, past and present.
In this year’s celebration, we will be featuring musician Lala Tamar, a world-renowned Israeli singer, who will be streaming a concert from Morocco accompanied by local female musicians. Lala is known for her bold and feminine style where she incorporates her Moroccan roots and the ancient Judeo-Spanish language of Haketia.
Jackie Barzvi will be leading us in celebratory dance to Jewish Moroccan music, where anyone can follow along, without any previous dance experience. Jackie is a professional Raqs Sharqi (belly dance) instructor and performer and the creator of the Mizrahi Dance Archive.
Dr. Hélène Jawhara Piñer, author of Sephardi: Cooking the History. Recipes of the Jews of Spain and the Diaspora from the 13th Century to Today will be sharing a new recipe created uniquely for this program that incorporates the historical and modern significance of the day in the context of specific food items.
Now also featuring Former Member of Knesset Dr. Aliza Lavie!
Sponsorship opportunities available:
info@americansephardi.org
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The ASF Institute of Jewish Experience presents:
A Bukharian Jew in Uzbekistan
Manashe Khaimov was born in a city along the Silk Road, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where his ancestors lived for over 2000 years. Join Manashe as he will explore the story about being a Bukharian Jew in Uzbekistan. He will discuss his experience in the Uzbekistan school system, his education in the underground yeshiva, and his relationship with his family mikvah (ritual bath), the only mikvah in Samarkand at that time.
Thursday, 9 December at 12:00PM EST
Sign-up Now!
About the speaker:
Manashe is a fourth generation community organizer, serial entrepreneur, and social innovator who builds and consults organizations on Jewish diversity.
At his previous role as a Director of Community Engagement and Development at Queens College Hillel, he focused on building a real diverse Jewish community, creating Sepharadi and Mizrahi Leadership pipeline while expanding Sephardi and Mizrahi student life programs at five CUNY Hillel campuses.
Currently, Manashe is an Adjunct Professor in Jewish Studies, with a specialty in the History and Culture of the Central Asian Jews at Queens College. He is the founding president of SAMi Sephardic American Mizrahi Initiative that focuses on the Leadership Development of under-served Jewish communities on college campuses. In 2021 Manashe was appointed by Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz as a member of the Jewish Advisory Council. Manashe also just accepted a position with Moishe House as their new Eastern Community Manager.
Manashe is founder of the Bukharian Jewish Union, an organization for the young professionals in their 20’s and 30’s, the founder of AskBobo.org, the only Bukharian online dictionary and the founder of The Jewish Silk Road Tours ™ an initiative that helps to introduce NYers and tourists from around the world to the diversity of NYC.
Sponsorship opportunities available:
info@americansephardi.org
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The ASF Institute of Jewish Experience presents:
Museum Mondays:
The Museum for Islamic Art, Jerusalem
Tour the Museums from the comfort of your own home with Nachliel Selavan, the Museum Guy.
Monday, 10 January at 12PM EST
Tour the Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center in Or Yehuda
Sign-up Now!
About Your Tour Guide:
Nachliel Selavan created and delivered an integrated learning and museum tour program for both school and adult educational settings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and has hosted similar pilot visits to a dozen museums in North America, and a few museums in Europe and in Jerusalem. He also teaches and engages audiences through virtual tours and social media. He has recently completed a year long Tanach Study podcast called Parasha Study Plus, delivering a weekly episode of Archaeology on the Parasha, and is now on his second podcast and a new video series reviewing every book in Tanach, called Archaeology Snapshot.
Sponsorship opportunities available:
info@americansephardi.org