American Sephardi Federation

🇺🇸🗽🕍 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵, 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗼𝗺, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗔 𝗦𝘆𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗰 𝗝𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮

In 1654, 23 Sephardic Jews arrived in New Amsterdam, laying the foundations of the first Jewish community in North America. From that humble beginning, American Jews have served, sacrificed, and contributed in every generation to the flourishing and defense of American liberty.

As we approach the Founding’s 250th Anniversary/372nd Anniversary of Jews in America, the ASF is hosting a symposium in New York City on 23 June at Shearith Israel: The Spanish & Portuguese Synagogue (America’s first Jewish congregation) to spotlight the enduring yet unheralded legacy of Jewish patriots, as well as illuminating how Judeo-Christian Covenantal teachings helped shape the vision of the Founding Fathers.

We seek to honor the role of Sephardic Jews in America’s story—both their direct contributions to the Revolution and the influence of Covenantal teachings on the Constitution—as well as to explore the Judeo-Christian intellectual, moral, and cultural roots of the Republic. Our event will bring together elected officials, scholars, community leaders, and the public in a space that fosters dialogue, recognition, and renewed understanding of the principles that unite all Americans. By recovering the stories of America’s first Jewish community and their devotion to liberty, the event will remind all Americans of how the values that forged the Republic continue to sustain it.

𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐃𝐔𝐋𝐄:
11:00AM - Walking & ASF Archive Tour
4:00PM - Synagogue Tour
5:00PM - Keynote, Presentations and Panel
6:45PM - Services in the Small Chapel
7:30PM - Presentation and Reception

Presented by the American Sephardi Federation in partnership with Congregation Shearith Israel, , , and .

RSVP:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/faith-freedom-and-the-founding

We are offering 3 walking tours as part of our monthlong Festival Sefarad NYC! All the info can be found at FestivalSefarad.com

*please note: due to inclement weather, the June 12 tour has been rescheduled to this Friday, June 19.

The 27th New York Sephardic Jewish Film Festival has come to a successful close, bringing together audiences from across New York City and beyond for a lively week of cinema, conversations, and cultural exchange.

However, Festival Sefarad NYC is far from over! Our monthlong, citywide celebration of the Greater Sephardi world continues with a diverse lineup of programs throughout June. Below, we highlight just a sampling of the exciting events taking place over the next week. To explore the full Festival Sefarad schedule, please visit FestivalSefarad.com. We look forward to celebrating with you throughout the month!

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝: 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐲, 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐮𝐤𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐉𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 (June 8, 6:30pm at Commonpoint Sam Field Center)
Join us for an inspiring journey into the rich history and culture of Bukharian Jews with author Dahlia Abraham-Klein and educator Ruben Shimonov. Through family stories, cultural treasures, archival discoveries, and women's voices, they will take the audience on a voyage spanning many centuries and lands. A Q&A moderated by author Yaffa Borukhova will follow. Each ticket includes a copy of Abraham-Klein’s The Stateless Central Asian Merchant, and guests will enjoy a selection of kosher Bukharian appetizers.
https://festivalsefarad.com/event/the-stories-our-mothers-carried-memory-women-and-bukharian-jewish-history/

𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐣𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐚𝐲 (June 9, 5:30pm at Tribeca Synagogue)
In 2016, collector Leonard Milberg made a remarkable discovery: priceless 400-year-old manuscripts by Luis de Carvajal—the earliest known Jewish writings from the Americas—were being auctioned as mere “replicas.” Recognizing their significance, he helped secure their return to Mexico. Join us in exploring this extraordinary story of perseverance and recovery. The evening will also feature Gabriela Riveros, author of a new book on the life and legacy of Carvajal. Hors d'oeuvres and drinks will be served.
https://festivalsefarad.com/event/carvajal-day/

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐳𝐫𝐚𝐡𝐢 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐞 (June 11, 7pm at Cong Magen David Manhattan)
Don’t miss this special, in-person conversation with London-based Ciara Shalome—the influential content creator whose engaging videos have introduced hundreds of thousands of viewers to Mizrahi Jewish history, cultures, and identity. The exclusive discussion will explore the power of storytelling, the importance of preserving oral history, and the growing visibility of Jewish voices from North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. Sephardic appetizers will be served.
https://festivalsefarad.com/event/the-mizrahi-story-with-ciara-shalome/

𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐉𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐀𝐦𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐦 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫 (June 12, 11am with Lower East Side Jewish Conservancy)
Step back in time and explore the streets of Lower Manhattan through the lens of the city’s earliest Jewish settlers. This guided walking tour will uncover the Sephardic roots of Jewish life in colonial New Amsterdam and trace the foundations of Jewish New York.
https://festivalsefarad.com/event/festival-sefarad-colonial-jewish-new-amsterdam-walking-tour/

𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗝𝗲𝘄𝘀: 𝗔 𝗠𝗶𝘇𝗿𝗮𝗵𝗶/𝗦𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗰 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗱𝘆 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 (June 15, 7:30pm at City Winery NYC)
Join us at The Loft @ City Winery NYC for a comedy show not to be missed! Showcasing Jewish comedians from across the Sephardic and Mizrahi world, the evening will celebrate heritage, identity, and storytelling through the powerful and resilient medium humor. Featuring performers seen at the New York Comedy Festival, on Adult Swim and HBO, and across Instagram and TikTok, the lineup includes Natan Badalov, Isaac Gartenberg, Olga Namer, Two Jews, and Ami Kozak. Enjoy a night of global Jewish humor with heat, heritage, and nonstop laughs.
https://festivalsefarad.com/event/spicy-jews/

Festival Sefarad NYC is in full swing! Below is a sampling of the exciting events we have planned over the next week. Register for these events—and many others taking place throughout the month of June—at FestivalSefarad.com

June 5 – Moroccan Homestyle Shabbat Dinner, in partnership with

June 5 – Baghdadi Indian Shabbat (featuring services, an exhibition, and a community dinner), in partnership with

June 7 – U.S. premiere of “Burial on Hold”, followed by a Q&A with director . Morrocan light refreshments will be served. In partnership with .association and

June 8 – An evening with author exploring Bukharian Jewish culture through memory, history and women’s voices. Ticket includes a copy of Dahlia’s latest book “The Stateless Central Asian Merchant”, as well as Bukharian appetizers. In partnership with and

June 9 – An exploration of the earliest known Jewish manuscripts from the Americas, by crypto-Jewish writer Luis de Carvajal. Hors d’oeuvres and drinks will be served. In partnership with and

June 11 – The Mizrahi Story Live with , in partnership with . Sephardic appetizers will be served.

We are so grateful to all of our partner organizations, as well as to for their critical support. We look forward to seeing you throughout our monthlong festival!

An unforgettable evening celebrating excellence in culture, arts, literature, music, and community leadership.

We were honored to recognize extraordinary individuals whose achievements continue to inspire and enrich our communities. Thank you to all our honorees, guests, supporters, and partners for making this special celebration possible.

We are excited to have just launched the 2nd annual 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗲𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗱 𝗡𝗬𝗖!

Festival Sefarad NYC is the nation’s first month-long celebration of the Greater Sephardi world. Join us on a journey through the rich cultures, traditions, and histories of Sephardic and Mizrahi Jewish communities. Through programs across New York City, explore the enduring legacy and vibrant evolution of communities stretching from North Africa and the Middle East to the Mediterranean, Central Asia, the Americas, and beyond.

With the support of UJA-Federation of New York, Festival Sefarad NYC brings together diverse communities in a dynamic, multi-sensory experience celebrating the colorful and vibrant tapestry of the Jewish people.

Discover the full lineup of concerts, film screenings, lectures, Shabbat dinners, tours, workshops, and cultural experiences at 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹𝗦𝗲𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗱.𝗰𝗼𝗺

In honor of May being designated both Jewish American Heritage Month and Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we are highlighting two ancient Jewish communities of West and Central Asia: Kavkazi and Bukharian Jews. While May is drawing to a close, our celebration of the rich heritage and diversity of the Jewish People continues in full force as we proudly present the second annual Festival Sefarad NYC.

An homage to the annual Festival Sefarad de Montréal—organized by our friends at Communauté Sépharade Unifiée du Québec—Festival Sefarad NYC is the first event of its kind in the United States: a month-long celebration of the Greater Sephardi world and global Jewish diversity. Throughout June, the Festival will transform New York City into a living stage for Sephardic and Mizrahi music, film, cuisine, literature, theater, storytelling, and more.

Join us at venues across New York City and its surrounding suburbs as we showcase the rich cultural mosaic of Sephardic and Mizrahi Jewish communities. With the support of UJA-Federation of New York and in partnership with more than 50 community organizations, we are thrilled to bring back this dynamic and unique communal experience for a second year. Let us come together for a citywide celebration of Jewish joy, vibrancy, resilience, and unity!

To explore the full Festival schedule, visit FestivalSefarad.com. New events are still being added, so check back often as the Festival continues to grow.

🎉 So much to celebrate: the completion of Year 6 of our Sephardi House College Fellowship, Jewish American Heritage Month, USA’s semiquincentennial, and the return of our month-long Festival Sefarad NYC in June (which includes the 28th New York Sephardic Jewish Film Festival)! Swipe through to discover some of the exciting things we’ve been brewing lately!

www.nysjff.com
www.festivalsefarad.com
www.tiny.cc/sephardihouse

Honored to receive the Pomegranate Lifetime Achievement Award in philosophy from the American Sephardi Federation next week. Thank you to the Federation for this distinguished recognition and for showing my film “Our War” in the New York Sephardic Jewish Festival. No better moment to remind the world of Ukraine’s resilience and Russia’s barbarism.

American Sephardi Federation