American Sephardic Federation: Concert & Symposium

Saturday, December 5th, 2009
8:00pm Gala Concert:  Sueños de Sefarad

ASF is delighted to present the music of Spain’s Paco Díez.  One of the most important musicians in Judeo-Spanish music, Mr. Díez has been decorated by the Sephardic authorities (ANL) for his work in spreading Sephardic music and culture.  He brings his voice, guitar, hurdy-gurdy, bagpipes and percussion, and his scholarship of the folk traditions from the varied regions of Spain.   A dessert reception follows. 

We express our appreciation to the Consulate General of Spain in New York, and its Consul General Fernando Villalonga, and to Casa Sefarad Israel, Madrid and its Director General, Diego de Ojeda, whose support and assistance has made this concert possible. 
 
Sunday, December 6th, 2009

• 9:30am Registration and Coffee
• 10:00am Welcome & Introduction to the Symposium
• 10:30am From Insiders to Outcasts: A History of the Jews of Spain- Prof. Jane S. Gerber, CUNY/Graduate Center, New York.   
• 11:15am Yehuda Halevi: Poet and Pilgrim – Prof. Raymond P. Scheindlin, The Jewish Theological Seminary, New York.  
• 12:15pm The Challenge of Philosophy on Religious Thought: The World of Moses Maimonides Dr. Alfred L. Ivry, New York University. 
• 1:15pm Buffet Luncheon
• 2:15pm Jewish Thought: The Mystical Traditions – Prof. Elliot Wolfson, New York University.  
• 3:15pm The Reconquista:  Jews and the New Realities of Christian Spain- Prof. Jonathan S. Ray, Georgetown University, Washington, DC. 
• 4:30pm The Jewish Artists of Medieval Spain –  Dr. Vivian Mann, Director of the Master’s Program in Jewish Art and Visual Culture, The Jewish Theological Seminary, New York.  
• 5:30pm Day One concludes 

Monday, December 7th, 2009 

• 9:30am Registration and Coffee 
• 10:00am Jews and the City in Medieval Spain- Prof. Eleazar Gutwirth, Faculty of Humanities, Tel Aviv University
• 10:30pm The Inquisition/The Expulsion of 1492 and Don Isaac Abravanel – Prof. Eric Lawee, York University, Toronto, Canada.   
• 11:30am The Dispersion of 1492 and Beyond – Prof. Matthias B. Lehmann, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.   
• 12:30pm Buffet Luncheon  
• 1:30pm Introduction to Present Day Spain   
• 1:45pm Spain and The Jews Today – Enrique Múgica Herzog, Defensor del Pueblo (Ombudsman), Madrid.  
• 2:30pm The Jewish Communities in Contemporary Spain – Jacobo Israel, President of the Federation of the Jewish Communities of Spain.   
• 3:15pm The Sephardic Heritage as a Living Part of Spanish Culture – Diego de Ojeda, Director General Casa Sefarad/Israel, Madrid; Assumpcio Hosta Rebes, Secretaria General Red de Juderias   
• 4:00pm Roundtable: Contemporary Spain and the Jews – Moderator:  Stanley A. Urman, Executive Director, ASF.    
• 5:30pm Conclusion of Symposium

Tickets may be purchased online or by calling 212-294-8350 x0
We request that you purchase your tickets by Monday, November 23, 2009 to insure your place at the buffet lunch. Dietary laws observed.