#sephardic

[adiradirim]

"A Jewish woman of Gibraltar," John Frederick Lewis, 1835.

[bobemajses]

Sephardic Jewish girl from Bulgaria, early 20th century

The Jewish community in Bulgaria has a long and rich history. Jews already lived in Bulgarian lands under the roman emperor Caligula (AD 37-41). By the time that the Ottoman Empire had full control of the country, the sizeable community was split into Yevanic-speaking Romaniotes, Yiddish -and Hungarian-speaking Ashkenazim, and Ladino-speaking Sephardim. This was until 1640 when a single rabbi was appointed for all three groups. Once the modern state was formed in 1878, Bulgarian Jews were granted equal rights. Jews were drafted into the Bulgarian Army and fought in the Serbo-Bulgarian War (1885), the Balkan Wars (1912-13), and World War I. During World War II, when Bulgaria joined the Axis alliance, due to protests launched by opposition politicians, clergy, and intellectuals, Bulgarian Jews were not sent to the death camps.

[secular-jew]

The first beauty queen in Iraq was Jewish.

In 1946, Renée Rebecca Dangoor was crowned Miss Baghdad, and she became Miss Iraq the following year, making her the first and only Jewish woman to hold these titles.

Renée was born to a Jewish Baghdadi family in December 1925. Her father, Moshe Dangoor, was the son of Ezra Dangoor, a prominent rabbi in Iraq.

Iraqi Jews are one of the oldest and most historically significant Jewish communities, tracing their roots back to the Babylonian exile in the 6th century BCE. By 1948, Iraq was home to approximately 150,000 Jews. Today, nearly all have been forced to leave the country because of their Jewish identity.

[chanaleah]

in light of Columbia University including ashkenormativity -- albeit defined poorly -- in their dictionary or DEI words, here are some things that people (jews and non-jews) say that are ashkenormative.

"All Jews are white european colonizers!" - While this doesn't even apply to Ashkenazim (who are not white and are not colonizers), it especially doesn't apply to Mizrahim, most of whom's families never stepped foot in Europe.

"Falafel, shawarma, hummus etc aren't Jewish/Israeli foods!" - This erases this culinary traditions of Mizrahi and Sephardi Jews by claiming that the only Jewish foods are Ashkenazi ones. Hummus is just as much of a Jewish food as Babka is.

"Jews should just go back where they came from." - While an Ashkenazi Jew might (but not definitely - ie Ukraine) be able to go back to where our recent ancestors lived, most Mizrahim and Sephardim definitely could not.

[leroibobo]

part of an illuminated scroll for counting the omer from holland, dating to the early 18th century.

[hindahoney]

Cast of a Purim play in a Sephardic Jewish community, NYC, 1936

📷 credit: Center for Jewish History

[throughtheages]

Jewish (Sephardic) couple from Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1910.

The first Jews came to Sarajevo, later called "Little Jerusalem", from the Iberian Peninsula in the early 16th century, bringing with them the Ladino language and Sephardi customs. A prosperous Jewish quarter with a synagogue was erected in 1577 under the pasha Siavush. Known to the Bosnians as tchifut-khan, the Jews themselves called it El Cortijo (the communal yard). Making up more than 20% of Sarajevo' total population, they maintained excellent relations with their Bosnian Christian and Muslim neighbors and held renowned positions as merchants, weavers, tailors, blacksmiths and hatchims (from the Arabic-Turkish Hakīm, "doctor"). With the Holocaust, this rich Jewish life and history tragically came to an end.

[sefaradweb]

Adafina: The Classic Sephardic Sabbath Stew

🇺🇸 Adafina is a classic Sephardic Sabbath stew similar to cholent among Ashkenazi Jews. It was prepared before sundown to comply with Sabbath laws, ensuring a ready meal the next day. This slow-cooked stew combines meats, vegetables, chickpeas, and eggs, transforming these ingredients into a delicately textured and flavorful dish. The recipe emphasizes using organic ingredients to enhance the taste, with the key ingredient being time, as the long cooking period perfects the flavors.

🇪🇸 La adafina es un guiso clásico sefardí para el sábado, similar al cholent entre los judíos asquenazíes. Se preparaba antes del atardecer para cumplir con las leyes del sábado, asegurando una comida lista para el día siguiente. Este guiso cocido a fuego lento combina carnes, vegetales, garbanzos y huevos, transformando estos ingredientes en un plato de textura delicada y sabor exquisito. La receta destaca el uso de ingredientes orgánicos para mejorar el sabor, siendo el tiempo el ingrediente clave, ya que el largo período de cocción perfecciona los sabores.

🇮🇱 La adafina es un guiso klasiko sefardí para el Shabat, parecido al cholent entre los djidyos ashkenazis. Se preparava antes del eskurezimiento para kumplir kon las layes del Shabat, assegurando una komida lista para el día sigyente. Este guiso kochido a fuego lento kombina karnes, verduras, garvanzos i wevos, transformando estos ingredyentes en un plato de textura delicada i sabor eskisito. La rezetika sujere uzar ingredyentes organyikos para mejorar el sabor, siendo el tiempo el ingredyente klave, pues el largo peryodo de kochura perfecciona los sabores.

[penelope-and-the-suitors]

Does anyone on jumblr have scholarly sources on sephardic traditions and the sephardic experience prior to the Inquisition and the sephardic experience on the Iberian peninsula? I'm writing a project for a Jewish Studies class and I am having a ROUGH time trying to find some.

[jewpolls]

* edit: kaifeng jews are a small jewish minority from china (around 1k people). not all asian jews are kaifeng jews!

[adiradirim]

Great Synagogue of Edirne, Turkey, photographed by Iris Veldwijk

[bobemajses]

Sephardi Jewish girl from Bosnia and Herzegovina (Ottoman Empire), 1903

[secular-jew]

The Jews of Iraq are one of the most ancient communities of the Middle East.

Jews arrvied in Iraq in 586 BCE, and later drafted the Talmud in the Babylonian cities of Pompedita, Nahrdeah, and Surah (Modern day Fallujah).

[spacelazarwolf]

[leroibobo]

el ghirba synagogue in djerba, tunisia. when exactly it was founded is unknown, but it may date to the 6th century bce, making it the oldest functioning synagogue in africa (and possibly in the world). it's associated with toshavi jews, the maghrebi jewish community which predated the arrival of and was eventually absorbed by expelled sephardic jews.

[chanaleah]

this version of Hatikva by Daniel Saadon appeared on my youtube home page and I was so grateful! this version is upbeat, celebratory, and while the original Hatikva is gorgeous, I also love how this one incorporates a Mizrahi sound and lyrics for the modern day while keeping the original lyrics. The music video is also a great watch.

I suggest everyone give this version a listen if you have not already.