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November 28, 2003/Kislev 3 5764, Vol. 56, No. 10
'Celebrate 350' years in America
BARRY COHEN
Editor
Beginning with a concert highlighting Sephardic music, the local Jewish community joins a nationwide effort marking the 350th anniversary of Jews in America.
As part of an educational effort to express the rich diversity of the American Jewish community, the Sephardic Community of Arizona has expanded the musical repertoire of "Sephardic Night Live" to include more than just Sephardic influences.
To harmonize with the variety of Jews who have come to this country, the concert will include music with Arab, French, Yiddish, Ladino, Hebrew and Andalusic influences, said Jacky Sebag, president of the Sephardic Community of Arizona.
"Sephardic Night Live - a Celebration of Inter-national Song and Spirit" takes place Dec. 14.
The event, being or-ganized in association with the Arizona Jewish Historical Society, marks the Sephardic Community of Arizona's participation in "Celebrate 350: Jewish Life in America 1654-2004."
The nationwide cele-bration will include events in various cities over the next 18 months. Infor-mation can be found on the Web site, www.celebrate350.org.
The historical society hopes to involve the entire community in educational events like the Sephardic concert, said Risa Mallin, AJHS executive director.
Sephardic Jews were the first Jews to come to this country. They were followed by German and Russian Jews, among others, who through the years created a "melting pot," she ex-plained. "Each brought their own story, culture and Jewishness."
The community's official AJHS kickoff event will be Jan. 11, with "Jewish Women Pioneers in Quilts," at the Sylvia Plotkin Judaica Museum at Temple Beth Israel, Mallin said.
Artists selected quo-tations from the diaries from Western Jewish women pioneers and affixed them to quilts to create artistic pieces, said Mallin. The Arizona quilt includes quotes from the great grandmother of Phoenix resident Lois Scheiner.
The AJHS is working on two levels to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the Jewish community's ar-rival, said Irwin Harris, AJHS chairman for "Celebrate 350."
"We are encouraging local organizations to have their own celebrations," he said.
AJHS is also working on a communitywide basis, including reaching out to Prescott, Page, Flagstaff and Tucson, to have at least one event a month, he explained.
"We're hoping the com-munity will get into this and make it something special," said Harris.
Sebag sees the Sephardic concert as an opportunity through music to educate the community about the diversity of Jews who have come to America.
The concert will feature Chazzan Alain Bohbot, who officiates at the Grande Synagogue Ashkenaze in Strabourg, France, as well as local cantors Mikhal Shiff-Matter from Temple Beth Israel, Julie Berlin from Temple Solel and Marc Philippe from Beth El Congregation.
Bohbot will be supported by French musicians - a percussionist, keyboardist and violinist - who have been playing Middle Eastern, Arabic, Ladino and French cantorial music for 15 years.
Related to the concert will be the completion and dedication of the first Torah of the Sephardic Community of Arizona.
The community will be able to witness the writing of the Torah's last words and the sewing together of the threads of its last piece of parchment, said Sebag.
The completion of the Torah will be followed by a processional, under a chuppah (wedding canopy), with music, starting at the northeast corner of Red-field and Scottsdale roads. The procession will end at the synagogue.
Bohbot will be waiting at the end of the processional, said Sebag.
"He will rock this place like people have never seen in their life," noted Sebag.
Call 480-443-5288.
Managing Editor Leisah Namm contributed to this story.
Contact the writer at barry_cohen@jewishaz.com.
Details
- What: "The Completion and Dedication of Our First Torah"
- Who: Sephardic Community of Arizona
- When: 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 14, completion of the Torah, followed by 11:30 a.m. processional
- Where: Private home in Phoenix
- When: 12:15 p.m. dedication and complimentary meal
- Where: Sephardic Community of Arizona, 14415 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale
- Call: 480-443-5288
- What: "Sephardic Night Live, a Celebration of International Song & Spirit"
- Who: Sephardic Community of Arizona
- When: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14
- Where: Pinnacle High School, 3535 E. May Drive, Phoenix
- Cost: $25-$30 at the door
- Call: 480-443-5288
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