Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews
Spanish Exiles, North Africans before the Arabs, Iraqis, Syrians, and Yemenites before the rise of Islam
Until a few centuries ago, the bulk of Jews lived in Spain, North Africa and the Near East. Generally labelled " Sephardic"( out of Spain) or Mizrahi ( Eastern), members of these communities came to Los Angeles and established synagogues such as the Sephardic Temple ( which was led for some time by Rabbi Jacob Ott, who had been the Rabbi at Hollywood Temple Beth El just before that). NW
The sephardic Jews of Los angeles
Arthur Benveniste Shares This Presentation on the LA Jewish Ladino Scene
Arthur Benveniste grew up in a community of Sephardic Jews from the Island of Rhodes. Ladino was the mail language of the community. Here, the reference is primarily to the descendants of Spanish exiles that settled in the Balkans.
He has been documenting accounts of the Sephardic community here and in Spain and Portugal over the years.
Since 1993, He has been active in the Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies. and a past president and former editor of their Journal. He has visited Crypto-Jewish communities in New Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Spain and Portugal. and three visits to the small village of Belmonte, Portugal to see a community of crypto-Jews who finally came out openly as Jews in 1987.
Here is the link to his video presentation on the Sephardic community of Los Angeles.
https://youtu.be/Gz0MRRDUQEQ?si=5HRe4x0JbopJnz7n&t=6468
and this one on the Crypto Jews, Jews who literally came out of the closet( or other hiding places) where they buried their Jewish heritage to escape the claws of the inquisition.
https://www.youtube.com/live/5Bxh9AGSAYU?si=6nn1GzBTo2hkHmDw&t=5967
These lectures were delivered by zoom to the members of Hollywood Temple Beth El
A Stamp Honoring Don Isaac Abarbanel, advisor to the kings of Spain and Portugal 500 years ago.
An Introduction to Sephardic music
by Dr. Judith Cohen
This presentation was done by Dr. Judith Cohen on zoom with Hollywood Temple Beth El Members in 2020.
Dr Judith R. Cohen is a Canadian ethnomusicologist and singer. She was born and grew up in Montreal, is based in Toronto - and may frequently be found in Spain, Portugal, and wherever else her fieldwork, concerts, conferences, research and general curiosity and love of travel take her.
Follow the link:
https://youtu.be/u2O9XaEt3TA?t=5288
