We’ve had a packed Fall and Winter season of events and programs in the NYC Area! In September, we held the third annual Community Wide Sephardic Selihot Program at the Sephardic Congregation of Fort Lee (led by Rabbi Ilan Acoca) with over 200 people joining to sing our beautiful Sephardic Selihot (penitential prayers) in the lead up to the High Holidays. In October, our affiliate Sephardic Temple of Cedarhurst welcomed a special visiting exhibition on the Jews of Rhodes from Aron Hasson of the Rhodes Jewish Historical Foundation, highlighting hundreds of artifacts from the Rhodesli Sephardic diaspora throughout the United States. Additionally our affiliate congregation in Manhattan Kehila Kedosha Janina held an extraordinary Sounds of Cyprus Concert, where all proceeds were donated to help support victims of the October 7th Terror attack in Israel. In November, we marched on Washington as a Sephardic Community as a part of the March for Israel, chartering a bus from NYC for the Day with members of our Community, young and old, making a powerful statement in support of Israel and against anti-Semitism. We also co-hosted a special evening of Sephardic Heritage celebration in partnership with the World Jewish Congress at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Lower Manhattan. Led by Central Council member Rabbi Isaac Choua, the evening featured delicious Sephardic foods and a beautiful Ladino concert with Sarah Aroeste.
In January, we co-hosted our 7th Annual NY Ladino Day with the American Sephardi Federation with over 200 participants! Led by Dr. Jane Mushabac and Dr. Bryan Kirschen, the day featured some incredible speakers and musical performances including from the 2023 Gala Honoree Rabbi Marc D. Angel, NY Times Bestselling Author of Kantika - A Novel Elizabeth Graver, and Brotherhood members Sarah Aroeste and Susan Barocas on their new SAVOR project - a Sephardic Music & Food Experience. Our Sephardic Young Professionals Network has also been busy, with a special Second Night Rosh Ashana Seder, led in Hebrew, Ladino, and English with over 50 participants, a November Young Professionals Shabbat Dinner, Young Professionals Fall Nature Hike, and massive Sephadic Hanukkah Party with over 100 people dancing up a storm with live Greek music! Just in January, we hosted a special Frutikas - Sephardi Tu BiShevat Seder in Hebrew and Ladino using our very own Brotherhood Frutikas Seder Booklets (available online for free at sephardicbrotherhood.com/holidaybooklet).
There’s much more coming up in the Spring, including a Sephardic Young Families Purim Celebration, our Greek Jewish Festival on Sunday May 19th, and Sephardic Scholars Award Ceremony. out our website for more upcoming events at sephardicbrotherhood.com, and make sure to always check our weekly La Boz Sefaradi - the Sephardic Voice, for all our upcoming local and national events.
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