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Sephardi Mizrahi Studies Caucus Discussion List - Week of May 15, 2005

Association for Jewish Studies Sephardi/Mizrahi Studies Caucus Discussion List

Editor/Moderator: Aviva Ben-Ur <aben-ur(at)judnea.umass.edu>

Week of Sunday, April 15, 2005 (6 Iyar 5765)

NOTE: IN ORDER TO LIMIT SPAM SENT TO DICUSSION LIST CONTRIBUTORS, EMAIL ADDRESSES WILL NO LONGER INCLUDE THE @ SYMBOL. TO REPLY TO A CONTRIBUTOR, SIMPLEY REPLACE (at) WITH THE @ SYMBOL. FOR EXAMPLE, hsmith(at)sephardi.com SHOULD BE RENDERED: hsmith@sephardi

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Index:

1. Announcement: The Moshe David Gaon Center for Ladino Culture (Alexander)

2. Seeking Panelist for AJS Panel: "Where is the Jewish Subject in Francophone Literature? Revisiting Maghrebi Narrative" (Balbuena)

3.  New Publication: Moshe Ha-Elion, *The Straits of Hell: The Chronicle of a Salonikan Jew in the Nazi Extermination Camps* (Bowman)

4.  New Publication: Isaac Benharroch, *Diccionario de Haquetia, Guia Esencial del Dialecto de los Judios del Norte de Marruecos* (Green)

5.  Sephardic Haggadot Added to JNUL Digitized Books Repository & Maimonides Virtual Exhibit  (Richler)

6.  Recent Documentary: “The Optimists: The Story of the Rescue of the Bulgarian Jews During the Holocaust” (Comforty)

7. Call for Papers: “Bridging the Worlds of Islam and Judaism” (Lev, Laskier, and Astren)

8. Visiting Professorship at Baltimore Hebrew University for Spring Semester 2006 (Mintz Geffen)

9. Query: A Ladino Word in a Hebrew/Ladino Manuscript (Rozen)

10. From the family of Elka Klein - thank you (Labovitz)

-------------------------------------------------------

1. Announcement: The Moshe David Gaon Center for Ladino Culture (Alexander)

Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 14:04:05 +0200

From: Sentro Moshe David Gaon de Kultura Djudeo-Espanyola gaon(at)bgu.ac.il and "Tamar Alexander" <talex(at)bgu.ac.il>

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

The Moshe David Gaon Center for Ladino Culture

Moshe David Gaon (Travnik, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1889 – Jerusalem 1958)

He was one of the first scholars of Ladino culture in Israel, an historian, bibliographer, poet and author.

His publications include:

Poesias – poems in Ladino, Azriel Press, Jerusalem, 1952,

Maskiyot levav, on Meam loez, Hamaarav Publishing, Jerusalem 1960,     

Oriental Jews in Erets Israel, a biographical dictionary of rabbis, scholars, notables and public figures, published by the author, Jerusalem, 1938,

A bibliography of the Judeo-Spanish (Ladino) Press, bibliography, Ben-Zvi Institute, Jerusalem, 1965,

Spices from Spain, from writings by Jewish sages in Spain, edited by Yehoram Gaon, Keter Publishing, Jerusalem, 1989.

The Center bears the name of Moshe David Gaon in tribute to his life-work and his important contribution to the creation and study of Ladino culture.

The Center aims to promote the study and teaching of the culture of the Sephardi Jews.

The term culture encompasses all the cultural expressions of humanity: literature, language, folklore, music, visual art, material culture, communications, history, philosophy and architecture.

Sephardi Jews are those who consider themselves belonging to the Judeo-Spanish population group according to their historical-geographical region of origin.  During the centuries after their expulsion from Spain in 1492, most of the Sephardi Jews settled in the countries of the Ottoman Empire such as Turkey, the Balkans and Palestine – as well as in the northern Africa.  Among the Marranos who remained in Spain and Portugal, many eventually left for Holland, England, southern France and Italy, where they could openly practice their faith.  Others settled in Latin America, the United States and Canada.  In each country, and sometimes in each city, a unique Judeo-Spanish culture developed as the result of the inter-relationships with other cultures, particularly the common Jewish culture, the Hispanic culture of their country of origin and the ethnic culture of their country of residence.

The common theme of all these groups is their use of Ladino.

The origins of the Ladino language lie in the Romance dialects spoken in the Iberian peninsula before the expulsion, especially pre-classical Castilian.  While speaking these dialects, in Spain already, Jews conserved some traces of Hebrew and Aramaic to express elements of their special customs, religion and culture.  In the countries of the diaspora those that had been expelled continued to speak their native tongue and over time the Judeo-Spanish language absorbed elements of the local languages such as Turkish, Greek and Arabic, which contributed to the uniqueness of the dialect of each place.  The language of Sepharadim has many different names: Ladino, Jidyo, Judyo (in the northern Balkans), Judezmo (in the southern Balkans), Espanyol and Shpanyol and Hakitia (in northern Africa).  In our publications in Hebrew, we in Moshe Dabid Gaon Center shall use the term Ladino, following the tradition established in Israel.  Despite the diversity of names and the different dialects spoken in the various diaspora communities, Ladino has retained a substantial linguistic uniformity.  The fact that it was written in Hebrew letters (principally in the script attributed to Rashi) contributed to this fact.  As the result of Westernization and modernization, Ladino began to be written in Latin letters in most of the Judeo-Spanish communities.  At the same time, the use of Ladino began to decline and was replaced by the local language - or by French which was seen by many Sepharadim as a dominant language. In Erets Yisrael, Hebrew was used.  After the Holocaust, which brought about the decimation of entire Judeo-Spanish communities, it was feared that Ladino would not be revived, but today we are witnessing a new interest in Ladino culture throughout the world.  The Moshe David Gaon Center is joining the efforts to revive interest in Ladino culture by promoting teaching and research, and hopes to make its own unique contribution.

The Goals of the Center and Areas of Activity
  • Deepening of the knowledge of the Ladino language (its origins, history, dialects and transformations) and literature (oral and written), of its musical and artistic creations, and of the history, traditions and customs of its speakers.
  • The establishment of Ladino studies department at Ben-Gurion University.
  • The encouragement, development and support of research through grants, and help with projects and publication of the results.
  • Publishing research reports prepared by the Center.
  • The collection, exposure, publication and distribution of the treasures of Ladino culture through the ages.
  • The training of a new generation of scholars who will expand academic activities centering around the research of Ladino.
  • Support of students and the granting of awards to outstanding pupils.
  • The organization of national and international conferences related to the work of the Center.
  • The establishment of permanent forums to discuss issues resulting from the Center’s activities.
  • The hosting of international scholars renowned for their research on Ladino.
  • An annual lecture in memory of Moshe David Gaon.
  • Academic and research cooperation with other centers of Judeo-Spanish studies in Israel and abroad.
  • Promotion of Ladino culture among the Israeli public.  

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev has developed rapidly in the last few years and is attracting the best of Israeli and international lecturers and scholars.  Faculty members at BGU who are pursuing various aspects of research in Ladino culture include Prof. Tamar Alexander, Prof. Ya’acov Bentolila, Prof. Luis Landa, Eliezer Papo and Dr. Avner Perez, who will run the Center.  Courses for the study of the Ladino language have been on the curriculum since 1979.  They were taught at the beginning by Moshe Shaul, followed by Matilda Koen-Sarano and by Eliezer Papo, who teaches today.

There are two centers at the University whose activities are related to Ladino culture – The J. R. Eliachar Center for Studies in Sephardi Heritage, headed by Dr. Maurice Roumani, and the Heksherim Center for Jewish and Israeli Literature and Culture, headed by Prof. Yigal Schwartz. Cooperation with these centers will greatly enhance and help expand the activities of the Moshe David Gaon Center.

Structure of the Center

Yitzhak Navon – Honorary President

Benjamin D. Gaon – Chairman

Prof. Tamar Alexander – Director

Eliezer Papo – Coordinator

Dr. Avner Perez – Manager of Information and Publications

Steering Committee – This is comprised of the above members, in addition to the University president or his representative, the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, a representative of the donors, and the directors of the J. R. Eliachar Center for Studies in Sephardi Heritage, and the Heksherim Center for Jewish and Israeli Literature and Culture. The committee will be responsible for policy making and execution.

Scientific Committee – Comprised of well-known scholars in fields connected to the Center. This committee will supervise the examination, approval and follow-up of academic programs and research proposals requesting funding from the Center.

Council – All BGU faculty members who deal with one of the areas covered by the Center can become a member of the council. Researchers and specialists from other research institutes in Israel and abroad, intellectuals, writers and poets whose works are connected to Ladino speakers and public figures with connections to the subject are also invited to join.

Supporters of the Center:

The Gaon Family

Aharon Dovrat

Dani Berner

Uri David

Joseph Hackmey

Zvi Katz

Moshe Ben-Bassat

Sami Sagol

Arie Raichman

Oudi Recanati

Sami Shamoon

SHAMROCK holdings of California

The Committee for Art and Culture of Mifal Hapayis

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2. Seeking Panelist for AJS Panel: "Where is the Jewish Subject in Francophone Literature? Revisiting Maghrebi Narrative" (Balbuena)

Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 16:43:53 -0700

From:             Monique Balbuena <balbuena(at)uoregon.edu>

I am organizing an AJS panel on Jewish-Maghrebi literature. the panel is

titled "Where is the Jewish Subject in Francophone Literature?

Revisiting Maghrebi Narrative."  One of my panelists just cancelled her participation I wonder if there is anyone out there who would be interested in integrating such a panel.  If so, may I ask to be contacted at balbuena(at)uoregon.edu?

Thank you very much.

Monique Balbuena

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3.  New Publication: Moshe Ha-Elion, *The Straits of Hell: The Chronicle of a Salonikan Jew in the Nazi Extermination Camps* (Bowman)

Date:             Tue, 26 Apr 2005 21:45:19 -0400

From:             steven bowman <bowmans(at)uc.edu>

I am pleased to announce the appearance of Moshe Ha-Elion, *The Straits of Hell. The Chronicle of a Salonikan Jew in the Nazi Extermination Camps Auschwitz,

Mauthausen, Melk, Ebensee* (Mannheim:Bibliopolis and Cincinnati: BCAP, 2005),

120 pages.

Order from below or BCAP, Inc., 2722 River Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45204,

U.S.A.   $20.00 plus s/h

Steven Bowman

Professor, Judaic Studies Dept

University of Cincinnati

Ohio 45221-0169

office 513 556 2299

fax    513 556 4446

Bowmans(at)uc.edu

[ed: slight edit]

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4.  New Publication: Isaac Benharroch, *Diccionario de Haquetia, Guia Esencial del Dialecto de los Judios del Norte de Marruecos* (Green)

Date: Mon, 25 Apr 2005 14:39:59 -0400

From:             "Green, Henry" <hgreen(at)mail.as.miami.edu>

Recently, a Haquetia dictionary prepared by Dr. Isaac B. Benarroch was published.  Dr. Benharroch passed away in 2000 but the project continued, shepherded by Dr. Henry Green and the University of Miami.

Haquetia is a linguistic oddity.  It is a Hispanic-Moroccan dialect once spoken by Jews of Northern Morocco that lived in cities such as Tangier and Tetuan.  Today only a few thousand speak the language.  The dictionary is a rare attempt to both preserve a language as well stimulate others to conduct research while the clock is still ticking.

Copies of the dictionary [Isaac Benharroch, *Diccionario de Haquetia, Guia Esencial del Dialecto de los Judios del Norte de Marruecos* (Centro de Estudios Sefardies de Caracas in association with Asociacion Israelita de Venezuela and University of Miami, Caracas, 2004)] can be purchased directly from the publisher, Moises Garzon, AVDA. Los Apamates, RESD.  Helios, P.H., La Florida. Caracas, D.C. 1050.  Mr.

Garzon's e-mail is mgarzon(at)poliprima.com  The cost of the dictionary is $50 (includes S & H).

Henry Green, University of Miami

305-284-4375/hgreen(at)miami.edu

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5.  Sephardic Haggadot Added to JNUL Digitized Books Repository & Maimonides Virtual Exhibit  (Richler)

Date: Sun, 8 May 2005 23:41:31 -0400

From: Anna Urowitz-Freudenstein <hjmod(at)OISE.UTORONTO.CA>

via: Benjamin Richler <benjaminr(at)savion.cc.huji.ac.il>

1.

In honor of the Pessach holiday, this month's additions to the JNUL Digitized Books Repository include several Haggadot of particular historic significance:

"Haggadot shel pesah", a Haggadah printed in Wadi al Hijara, Spain, approx. 1482. This Haggadah is generally regarded as the first printed, and is the only known copy (unicum).

An additional unicum Haggadah: Lublin, 1610

A Prague, 1527 Haggadah; the first Haggadah printed with illustrations.  And a later Prague, 1590 edition.

A Haggadah printed in Mantua, 1560 with illustrations of Italian Renaissance style.

These join seventeen other Haggadot already in the Digital repository, dated 1609-1844 and printed in Italy, Germany, Holland, Poland and India.

The Digitized Books Repository can be accessed via the JNUL homepage:

http://jnul.huji.ac.il

2.

The Jewish National and University Library's exhibition "The Great Eagle at the JNUL" presenting manuscripts and printed books by Maimonides, commemorating 800 years since his passing, has now closed.

Those who did not have the opportunity to see it are invited to view the exhibition in digital format. This version presents all the images and text of the original (Hebrew and English) and in addition provides a 'digital magnifying glass' for examining the images. Links are also provided to digital copies of the works in their entirety (in the

Library's "Treasures of the Library: Writings of Maimonides" site, as previously announced).

The exhibit can be accessed at:

http://www.jnul.huji.ac.il/v-exhibitions/rambam/eng/index.html

(English version)

or

http://www.jnul.huji.ac.il/v-exhibitions/rambam/heb/index.html

(Hebrew version)

 Elhanan Adler

 Deputy Director for Information Technology

 Jewish National and University Library

 Email: elhanan(at)libnet.ac.il, elhanana(at)savion.huji.ac.il

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6.  Recent Documentary: “The Optimists: The Story of the Rescue of the Bulgarian Jews During the Holocaust” (Comforty)

Date:             Wed, 27 Apr 2005 13:12:51 -0500

From:             Jacky Comforty <jacky_comforty(at)comforty.com>

I am an independent documentary film maker of “The Optimists: The Story of the Rescue of the Bulgarian Jews During the Holocaust” (www.theoptimists.com) and additional educational versions and resources. Since 1984 I independently researched the Bulgarian Jews, their tradition, and survival during the holocaust. We have the largest collection of its kind of photographs, over 100 oral histories, documents and artifacts, and are listed in the USHMM list of holocaust archives.

Jacky Comforty

Comforty Media Concepts

www.comforty.com

[ed: slight edit]

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7. Call for Papers: “Bridging the Worlds of Islam and Judaism” (Lev, Laskier, and Astren)

Date: Wednesday, 04 May 2005

From:            HJ Newsletter <hjnews(at)OISE.UTORONTO.CA>

The Department of Middle Eastern History at Bar-Ilan University and the Jewish Studies Program at San Francisco State University are planning an international conference:

"Bridging the Worlds of Islam and Judaism"

Bar-Ilan University, Tel-Aviv, Israel

January 3-4, 2006

We are seeking scholarly papers that pertain to Jewish-Muslim relations and coexistence from the early Middle Ages to the contemporary period in the context of society, economics, culture, religion, politics, art, linguistics, and literature.

We are interested in two types of papers:

* Those presenting a synthesis of a particular field within the broader context indicated above.

* Those highlighting special events or encounters between Jews and Muslims and Judaism and Islam in specific geographical and historical contexts.

Please send a proposed title and a brief description of your intended presentation by May 15 to the following:

Prof. Yaacov Lev:

yglev(at)actcom.net.il (+972-3-6519166)

Prof. Michael Laskier:

michael1949(at)barak-online.net (+972-3-7316339)

Prof. Fred Astren:

fastren(at)sfsu.edu (415-338-3152)

[Note from Editor/Moderator Aviva Ben-Ur: The deadline has passed; please contact the organizers to see if an extension is possible]

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8. Visiting Professorship at Baltimore Hebrew University for Spring Semester 2006 (Mintz Geffen)

Date: Wednesday, 04 May 2005

From:            HJ Newsletter <hjnews(at)OISE.UTORONTO.CA>

Baltimore Hebrew University will have an opening for a visiting professor in Jewish History in  Spring of 2006. Preference will be given to applicants who teach courses in American Jewish History, Contemporary Thought/Intellectual History, and American Judaism. Primary responsibility is to teach graduate students on the MA and Doctoral level. Willingness to teach serious adult learners and lecture to popular audiences a plus.

Send letter of interest and cv by May 6 to RGeffen(at)bhu.edu or to bzirkin(at)bhu.edu.

Dr. Rela Mintz Geffen, President

Baltimore Hebrew University

5800 Park Heights Avenue

Baltimore, MD 21215

Ph. 410 - 578-6916

Fax 410 - 578-6981

e-mail: rela1(at)aol.com

[Note from Editor/Moderator Aviva Ben-Ur: The deadline has passed; please contact the Dr. Mintz Geffen to see if an extension is possible]

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9. Query: A Ladino Word in a Hebrew/Ladino Manuscript (Rozen)

From:             Minna Rozen <mrozen(at)research.haifa.ac.il>

I have a question that somebody I hope will be able to answer:

I am dealing with a  text in which Hebrew and Ladino are mixed. The document describes  marriage  contracts at Haskoy quarter in  the 18th century . The text says at one point (I transcribe): ve-ha pug"i she-nitan la-shushbin ,avi ha-hatan bi-khlal ha-nedunyah ka-nahug , lo ba li-khlal halukah.

The problematic word is the "pug"i" or pog"i.  I could not find it anywhere and never saw it before. It can be read as fug"i as well, but this does not help either. A more distant possibility is bug"i.

Obviously this is an item given to the best man for the wedding . Any suggestion will be much appreciated.

Minna Rozen

[ed: slight eidt]

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10. From the family of Elka Klein - thank you (Labovitz)

Date: Thursday, 14 Apr 2005

From: Anna Urowitz-Freudenstein <hjmod(at)OISE.UTORONTO.CA>

Via:"Gail Labovitz" <glabovitz(at)uj.edu>

Yossi Francus, husband of Elka Klein, asked me to forward this...

I just wanted to let all of you know how touched we have been by the emails, the kind words, and all the phone calls when people found out that Elka had passed away. Knowing how many people cared about her and how many lives she touched is a great comfort.

yossi


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