eSefarad Noticias del Mundo Sefaradi
August 2016
Dear Friends,
Boas vindas! Bienvenida! Bienvenue! Benvenuto! Shalom shalom! Following are some items we hope you will enjoy reading as we prepare for Tisha b’Ab.
Best Wishes,
S&P Central
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NEWS
Haifa
Genetic Study of Western Sephardic Men Launched
Avotaynu Online, a Jewish Genealogy website, has announced a research project to establish a database of genetic information from the Y chromosomes of male descendants of historic Western Sephardic families. Dr. Karl Skorecki, a genetic genealogist at the Technion in Haifa, Israel, is leading the project. Men with documented Western Sephardic paternal ancestry are encouraged to volunteer. For more information:
Manchester
Sephardic Community Builds New Home
South Manchester will soon be home to the first Sephardic synagogue constructed in England in decades. Rabbi Amir Ellituv leads the current congregation, Shaare Hayim, which was formed through a merger of two predecessor communities, one of them led by Rabbi Dr. Maurice Gaguine for over 40 years; his father, Rabbi Shemtob Gaguine, authored the important compendium of Sephardic practices, Keter Shem Tob. For more info, please see this blog post by Rabbi Shalom Morris:
For more on Rabbi Gaguine’s writings, please see this website created by Rabbi Raif Melhado:http://www.ketershemtob.com
Portugal
Jewish Historical Museum Opens, Medieval Synagogue to be Restored
In eastern Portugal, two sites of Sephardic interest are in the process of opening. On July 15, Portugal’s minister of culture and Israel’s ambassador inaugurated an interactive museum of Jewish history in the town of Monsaraz. The museum is dedicated in memory of 80 town residents who were persecuted by the Portuguese Inquisition. Also, the nearby city of Elvas announced plans to restore its medieval synagogue building, one of Portugal’s largest, and open it to visitors in April 2017. For more information:
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LECTURE SERIES
London
Lecture Series on the Building of London’s Jewish Community
Bevis Marks Congregation just concluded a series of three lectures on the history of the Jewish community in London from the readmission of Jews in 1656 to the construction of Bevis Marks Synagogue in 1701 and beyond. The first two lectures were held in May and June, with the final lecture on Monday, July 25. For further information:
New York
Lecture Series on the Book of Job
The Book of Job offers perhaps the most sublime poetic statement about deep struggles with justice, suffering, and human existence. Rabbi Richard Hidary of Congregation Shearith Israel will give a series of three lectures (August 1, 8, and 14), analyzing this biblical book as interpreted over the course of centuries, from the Talmudic sages to the medieval philosophic tradition to modern writers, and explore its relevance to contemporary challenges.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Jerusalem
Sha’are Ratzon Celebrates Pesah with S&P Congregants from Abroad
On the 7th day of Pesach, Congregation Sha’are Ratzon will once again host visiting members of the S&P community from New York and elsewhere. Services at the Istambuli Synagogue in the Old City will be followed by a reading of Shir Hashirim by the young women of the community. For more details, please check the Sha’are Ratzon website (www.sandpjerusalem.org) or contact them at shaare_ratzon@yahoo.com.
Montreal
S&P Women’s Learning Group Launches Spring Lecture Series
The Spanish & Portuguese Synagogue’s Women’s Learning Group has launched its 14th lecture series, covering a variety of topics. Among those still ahead: a talk on the Jewish pirates of the Caribbean by Canadian journalist Erol Araf (May 4) as well as talk on the history of the Jews of Italy by the synagogue’s Rabbi Schachar Orenstein (May 25). For the entire lecture series, please see here: http://womenlearning.weebly.com
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SIDDUR PROJECTS
Amsterdam
Project Launched to Digitize the S&P Kippur Service
Hazzan Nachshon Rodrigues Pereira is developing a digitized version of the S&P Kippur service and is seeking others to help in the project. He asks: “Are there any communities that already have a digital version?
If not, is there anyone that would like to team up with me so it will go faster?
Are there any communities that may be interested in the final product? PS: I already created full digital texts for Shabbat, weekdays, Passover, and Tu Bishvat.” Those interested can write to him at: nachshon@live.nl
Trieste
New Prayer Book Published according to the Trieste Rite
A new prayer book according to the rite of the Jewish community in Trieste, Italy, has recently been published. The siddur is edited by Rabbi Eliezer Shai Di Martino, Chief Rabbi of Trieste and the former rabbi of Lisbon. Though the community is originally Ashkenazi, the nusach during weekdays is a Western Sephardic one, brought there in the late 19th Century by Jewish refugees from the Greek island of Corfu. Copies of the siddur can be purchased for £25 + postage. Write to: rabbino@triestebraica.it.
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HISTORY
Charleston
Historic Jewish Cemetery Receives Renovation Grant
A historic Jewish cemetery in Charleston has recently received funds for renovation. Opened in 1762, The Corning Street Cemetery, which contains approximately 600 surviving grave markers including members who fought in the Revolutionary War, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is owned and cared for by Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim, which was established in 1749. More about it here:
Curacao
Sephardic History Project
Sandra de Marchena has compiled a large family tree of Caribbean Sephardim. This genealogy, which goes back to the first Jewish settlers of Curaçao in the 17th Century, contains over 25,000 names — from A (Abinun) to V (Valencia). More names and dates are being added regularly. She can also produce a customized, individual ancestor chart. For more information, please see her website at http://www.demarchena.org/
Hague
Exhibit: 350 Years of Jewish History in the Hague
Before World War II, the Hague had the second-largest Jewish community in the Netherlands after Amsterdam. Now, for the first time, The Hague Historical Museum has organized a special exhibition on the community’s 350-year history — from the settlement of the first Portuguese Jews in the 17th Century to later groups of Jews from Germany and Eastern Europe. Also covered is their tragic fate in World War II as well as their revival today. More information here:
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MINHAG
Reading of the Haftarah
In the commentary below, Rabbi Albert Gabbai of Congregation Mikveh Israel in Philadelphia shares his insights on reading the Haftarah. Rabbi Gabbai has served the historic congregation with distinction since 1988. You can learn more about the community here: http://www.sandpcentral.org/
You may have noticed that when we read the Haftarah, the person who reads it stands on the side of the Tebah. This is done because at that time, the Torah is held by the person sitting on the bench and if the Haftarah reader would stand in the middle of the Tebah, he would have his back to the Torah. Out of respect to the Torah, we do not give our back to it.
The blessing before the Haftarah is a singular one, even though it has twice the word, «Barukh.» Because it is a single blessing, we do not respond, «Amen,» at the conclusion of the first «Barukh.» We do have the custom of saying, «Emet» (Truth) and therefore we are not interrupting the blessing. We should keep this blessing as one unit.
Also, the Haftarah reader will bow to the Torah when he says the phrase, «Al HaTorah» in the final blessings.
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MELODIES
Tisha b’Ab
The Western Sephardic melodies for Tisha b’Ab, including the book of Ekhah (Lamentations) and the Kinnot (elegies), are unique, haunting, and beautiful. One of the most poignant Kinnot is Bore Ad Ana, which personifies the Jewish people as a wandering dove, searching for her father and crying out for his love and protection. Recordings of the New York, London, and Bordeaux versions of the song can be heard in the links below, and you will see their subtle differences:
Congregation Shearith Israel in New York has also prepared recordings of much of the beautiful liturgy for Tisha b’Ab:
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RECIPES
Plato Judío Relleno (“A Stuffed, Buried Jewish Dish”)
If the name of this dish sounds a bit curious, it’s because it is no ordinary one. In fact, it may be the oldest written Jewish recipe in the world! Ph.D. candidate Hélène Jawhara Piñer of the European Institute for the History and Cultures of Food in Tours, France, found it in the course of her studies of Arab cuisine in 13th to 15th century Andalusian Spain.
Piñer, whose father’s family descends from 14th century Spain, is seeking to trace the ways in which Arab Muslims, Catholics, and Jews once shared recipes and cooking techniques. She can see an evolution as the centuries and recipes changed to hide their Jewish origin (for example, substituting lard for olive oil). By the time her research is complete, she will have reviewed over a thousand recipes.
This recipe, which she discovered in a manuscript at the National Library of France, can be intended for Shabbat as it doesn’t need heating. Buen provecho !!!!
Serves 10-12 / Makes one 10-inch pie
INGREDIENTS:
For Ground Meat Layer:
1 or 1¼ pounds ground beef
¼ cup chopped fresh coriander leaves
½ cup grated onions
2 teaspoons rosewater
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons cold water
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
¼ teaspoon coarsely ground fresh black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (for frying)
2 bay leaves
For Meatball Layer:
1 or 1¼ pounds ground beef
¼ cup finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
½ cup coarsely grated onions
2 teaspoons rosewater
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons cold water
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon kosher salt (if using kosher meat use only ¼ to ½ teaspoon)
¼ teaspoon coarsely ground fresh black pepper
¼ cup matzah cake meal (for rolling meatballs before frying)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (for frying)
For Omelet Layer #1:
5 large eggs, lightly beaten
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons reserved oil from fried meatballs (or use extra virgin olive oil), for frying
For Omelet Layer #2:
5 large eggs, lightly beaten
For Topmost Egg Layer:
1 dozen large eggs, lightly beaten
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon rosewater
For Serving:
Rose water
Coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves
Toasted pine nuts and pistachios, coarsely chopped
Ground cinnamon
DIRECTIONS:
Meatball Preparation
Combine all meatball ingredients (except the matzah cake flour and oil)
Roll a tablespoon of meat like a ball. Use all the meat to make meatballs.
Place the meatballs in a small bowl of the matzah cake flour
Roll a meatball in the matzah cake flour and gently place it into the hot oil
Fry for 4 minutes
Set aside and reuse the olive oil for the omelets.
Omelet Preparation
Omelet #1 :
2 tablespoons of the reserved oil from the meatballs in a nonstick 10-inch skillet over high heat.
Pour the egg mixture and cook 3 minutes.
Set aside
Omelet #2 :
Do the same as Omelet #1
The omelets do not have to be very, very cooked.
Ground Meat Layer
Combine all ground meat ingredients, remove and Cook 8 minutes. Pour into a bowl and set aside
ASSEMBLE
– Pour the omelet #1 in the bottom of of the same oily skillet. If the omelet is a little beyond the edges of the skillet it is better.
– Add the ground beef over the omelet
– Pour the omelet #2 over the ground beef
– Cover with the meatballs
– Then Pour the Topmost Egg Layer mixture over the top of the meatballs. (like the final layer of the pie)
– Cover the skillet tightly and steam over low heat until eggs on top have solidified
and fused with meatballs and rest of cake, about 30 minutes.
Once cooked, let it cool. One hour later, flip the skillet into a large plate. The omelet #1 is now on the top. Add 3 teaspoons of rose water above the dish.
Just before serving, toast the pine nuts and pistachios (important), chop the mint, and add just a little of cinnamon sprinkle over.
You can serve it hot but at at the room temperature it is perfect too. It is a good dish for Shabbat because you can prepare it before!
Be-te-avon! Buen provecho amigos!
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IN MEMORIAM
Uri Coronel, Chairman, Israelite Portuguese Community of the Netherlands
The Portuguese Jewish community of the Netherlands marked the sudden passing of its leader, Uri Coronel. The Coronel family dates back 400 years to the early years of Jewish settlement in the Netherlands. In addition to serving the Esnoga, he also served on other major Jewish education and hospital organizations.
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Thanks to this issue’s writers: Naftali Friedman, David Lerner, Daniel Marcou, Joshua Mendes, and Hélène Jawhara Piñer.
Thanks for reading! If you would like to suggest items for the next newsletter, please write to: sandpcentral@gmail.com
