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August 15, 2003/Av 17 5763, Vol. 55, No. 51
Two Sephardic synagogues form
LEISAH NAMM
Managing Editor
Soon Valley Jews will have two choices if they wish to attend a traditional Sephardic Shabbat service.
One synagogue, under the umbrella of the Sephardic Community of Arizona - an organization founded in 2001 - plans to start Friday evening and Saturday morning services in a Scottsdale location in late August.
The other, The Scottsdale Sepharadic Synagogue, has been holding weekly Saturday morning services in a Scottsdale hotel for more than three months.
Individuals now active in each congregation had at one time planned to work together, but differences emerged along the way that both parties declined to comment on.
Spokespersons for each congregation described the same goal: to share the Sephardic culture with the larger Jewish community.
At the Scottsdale Sepharadic Synagogue, prayers represent a mixture of the diverse cultures of Sephardic tradition, said Avi Dahan, one of the synagogue's founders. This blend includes Iraqi, Persian, Egyptian, Moroccan, Tunisian, Spanish and Italian. "Sephardic melodies are all kinds of melodies - it's not just one kind," he explained.
Participants take turns leading the service and guests are welcome to share the melodies they remember from childhood, he said.
Sephardim are descendants of Spanish and Portuguese Jews who dispersed to North Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the New World following the expulsion of Jews in 1492. Although Sephardim share the basic tenets of Jewish belief with Askenazic Jews (a term that loosely refers to European Jews and their culture), practices differ in terms of worship, ritual, custom, food, Hebrew pronunciation, liturgy and holiday traditions.
The Sepharadic Synagogue held its first service April 12, for Shabbat Hagadol (the Shabbat before Passover), at Chaparral Suites in Scottsdale. They then held services at the Hampton Inn in Scottsdale for three months.
As the number of participants grew to an average of 40 people weekly, they needed more space, so they moved to the Best Western in August, he added. High Holiday services will also be held there.
They're currently finalizing plans for a temporary location near Scottsdale Road and Shea Boulevard, Dahan said. They plan to stay there for two years, but the ultimate goal is to build their own building.
"The contributors do exist and they're pushing it to be done," he said.
After they have a building, they plan to "expand slowly, slowly to the full function of a synagogue." The group is working on gaining nonprofit status and plans to affiliate with American Sephardi Federation.
Other plans include a community Passover seder and Sukkot celebration, "so (the general Jewish community) can see how the Sephardi community does it," Dahan said. They would also like to host social programs for young adults.
The Sephardic Community of Arizona held its first High Holiday service in 2001 and a second the following year. This year's Yom Kippur service will feature Dr. Alan Bohbot, a professional chazzan from France. Rosh Hashana services will feature Yaacov Padlon, who will soon move to Scottsdale from Israel to serve as the congregation's chazzan, as well as Joe Hazan of Paris, said Jacky Sebag, president of the Sephardic Community of Arizona.
A search for a permanent rabbi is underway.
The past two years' High Holiday services were followed by a kiddush featuring traditional Sephardic cuisine. For the first time this year, a meal will be offered as well.
In July, the organization leased a building on Scottsdale Road near Thunderbird Road for Shabbat and High Holiday services.
The synagogue is only one function of the group, Sebag noted. "We want to share all this beautiful culture."
Other plans include Esheit Chail ("women of valor"), a women's organization similar to a synagogue Sisterhood; a movie festival featuring Sephardic films; and guest speakers addressing such topics as Sephardic refugees from Arab lands.
They also plan to start a local chapter of the American Sephardi Federation and "will have cultural events bringing different type of entertainment that represents the Sephardic culture in general," Sebag said.
Last year, the group hosted "Sephardic Night Live: Celebration of Sephardic Song & Spirit" which drew more than 500 people. They plan to sponsor another concert in December.
"We're not going to be isolating ourselves (from) the community," Sebag said. "We're going to be working with different synagogues and organizations."
In about three months, they plan on hosting a community celebration for a new Torah.
Although the number of Sephardic families in Arizona isn't known, Sebag said the group has 325 families on its mailing list; there are currently 65 paid family members.
Contact the writer at leisah_namm@jewishaz.com.
Details
Scottsdale Sepharadic Synagogue
- 9 a.m. Saturdays at Best Western Scottsdale Suites, 7517 E. Butherus Drive, Scottsdale
- 602-944-7622
Sephardic Community of Arizona
- Friday evening and Saturday afternoon services by end of August
- 14415 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 400, Scottsdale
- 480-443-5288
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