History of the American Sephardi Federation

The American Sephardi Federation (ASF) was officially organized in 1973. The founders envisioned an organization that would strengthen and organize the religious and cultural activities of Sephardic Jews, and preserve the Sephardic heritage, tradition and culture in the United States and throughout the world. These founders were also determined to assist Sephardic charitable, cultural, religious and educational institutions; assist in the publication of books and literature dealing with the Sephardic culture and tradition; disseminate information and strengthen the ties with the State of Israel.

In 2002, the ASF and Sephardic House, then sharing space at the Center for Jewish History in New York City, merged in order to create one stronger organization. Today, the American Sephardi Federation now operates as one national Jewish organization. It is dedicated to ensuring that the history, legacies and traditions of the great Sephardic communities throughout the world be recorded, remembered and celebrated as an integral part of Jewish heritage.

The Beginnings

The American Sephardi Federation was originally formed in 1952 as a branch of the World Sephardi Federation (WSF), which was formed that year in Vienna to unify Sephardic communities around the world under one umbrella. The first ASF president was Simon Nessim, who passed on in 1968.

The organization remained inactive until 1972 when at the Second American Zionist Federation Convention in Chicago, the American and Israeli branches of the WSF decided to revitalize Sephardic communal organization in America. A committee formed under the leadership of Professor Daniel J. Elazar, then Professor of Political Science at Temple University and Founding Director of its Center for the Study of Federalism. Elazar subsequently became the Senator N.M. Paterson Professor in Intergovernmental Relations at Bar-Ilan University in Israel and head of its Institute for Local Government, as well as the Founder and President of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. Elazar proposed five goals for what was to be the new American Sephardi Federation:

  • To strengthen the unity of Jewry and Judaism by organizing and coordinating the diffusion of Jewish culture among the Sephardim;
  • To defend and foster the religious and cultural activities of all the Sephardi communities and to preserve their spiritual heritage by every means possible;
  • To contribute to the general well being of Sephardi communities and representative organizations by moral and material assistance when necessary;
  • To take an active part in the Jewish renaissance and to cooperate with other organizations with similar objectives;
  • To assist Sephardim desirous of immigrating to Israel and establishing themselves there.

From 1973-1975, Daniel Elazar served as the first president of the ASF. During his tenure, the ASF became the leading representative of American Sephardim. The ASF’s appeal to the American Sephardic community was fostered by its strong emphasis on Sephardic education and Sephardic cultural and religious issues. The organization’s continued ties with the World Sephardi Federation and the American Zionist Federation, and the adoption of the objectives of these orga nizations, showed American Sephardim that the ASF would continue to cooperate on issues that were of importance to both Sephardim and the Jewish community as a whole. By the time the 1978 World Jewish Congress was convened, the ASF had become the representative voice of the American Sephardi community.

One of the most important functions of the ASF was the role it came to play in the lives of Sephardic youth. The first National ASF Youth Convention was convened in Atlanta in November 1973 with the participation of 450 young Sephardim. Subsequent conferences were held in Los Angeles, Jerusalem, Philadelphia, and Miami. Youth activities organized by the ASF were generally in the field of education, with summer study programs in Israel and summer camps in the U.S., as well as affiliation with Sephardic synagogue youth groups. The ASF also helped Sephardic communities to organize communal celebrations, and helped to provide religious education to Sephardic youth.

The ASF became extremely active in expressing the Sephardic community’s support of Israel and the plight of the Jews remaining in Arab Lands. During the 1973 Yom Kippur War and its immediate aftermath, the ASF mobilized the American Sephardim to contribute significantly to the fundraising in support of Israel. The ASF also took part in one of the largest public shows of support for Jews remaining in Syria and Iraq. In April 1974 more than 5,000 people gathered at the Syrian Mission to the United Nations to protest the mistreatment of the Syrian and Iraqi Jewish communities and to demand their right to emigrate. This rally and the public outreach that followed helped to bring the plight of Jews in Arab lands to the world’s attention. The ASF had made significant inroads toward raising Sephardic issues such as cultural preservation and the plight of Jews in Arab lands into the consciousness of American Jews and society.

1975-1982

Under the leadership of its new president, Liliane Winn Shalom (1975-1982), the ASF worked to bring the status and persecution of Jews in Arab countries to the attention of the American public and government, calling for support of their right to emigrate. A full-page advertisement was placed in The New York Times in response to Saddam Hussein and Muammer Qadafi’s “offer” of return. Efforts were also made to aid Sephardim living in impoverished development towns in Israel through the United Jewish Appeal’s Project Renewal, which helped to educate Sephardic youth and to build affordable housing for Sephardic families. At the same time, the ASF joined hands with other Jewish organizations to call on the U.S. government to bring about an end to the Soviet mistreatment of Jews and to allow them the full right to practice their religion or emigrate.

A New Era

In 1982 Leon Levy became president and served until 2001, when he became Honorary Lifetime President of the organization. Under his leadership, the ASF concentrated on coordinating American Sephardi communities. Leon Levy brought national attention and honor to ASF when he became the first Sephardic Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, serving from 1997-1999. Through his vision and efforts, in 1999 the ASF became a founding partner at the Center for Jewish History (CJH) in New York, joining in partnership with the American Jewish Historical Society, the Yeshiva University Museum, YIVO, and the Leo Baeck Institute.

With the move to its quarters at the CJH, the ASF entered a new era in its history. The availability of an excellent auditorium made increased cultural programming possible, and there was a significant growth in lectures, music, dance, and other Sephardic cultural events. Vivienne Roumani-Denn, originally from Benghazi, Libya, formerly the Judaica Librarian at the University of California, Berkeley, came to ASF in late 1999 to start a Sephardic Library and Archives, With Randall C. Belinfante as the new librarian, the library and archives, now known as the National Sephardic Jewish Library, has collected a respectable assemblage of over 10,000 cataloged items and more than 300 linear feet of archival documents

The ASF opened the only dedicated Sephardic exhibition space in North America under the leadership of Mimi Frank (Leon Levy's daughter) and Vivienne Roumani-Denn, who became executive director in 2000. She went on to curate the opening exhibit of rare books and etchings from Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, and England. Other Leon Levy Gallery exhibits have included spectacular photographs of Moroccan Jewish tombstones by Gary Beeber; Sephardic Haggadot; photographs of Jewish refugees from Morocco and Iraq; portraits of Jewish costumes from the Ottoman Empire; memories of Jewish life in Greece; Ladino sayings visualized through ethchings; an exhibit on the Longing for Jerusalem by the Spanish Jews and an exhibiton Jewish life in Morocco.

In 2001, Mike M. Nassimi assumed the leadership of ASF as Chairman of the Board. Recent years have seen a renewed emphasis on issues of concern to the Sephardic communities, including Sephardi curriculum development, and a major effort on behalf of the Jewish refugees from Arab lands. On June 6, 2002, the American Sephardi Federation and Sephardic House became affiliated and Sephardic House, became the cultural division of the ASF with responsibilities for programming and publishing. Eventually, the two organizations merged into one stronger organization.

Today

In April 2003, David E.R. Dangoor took the helm as the new and current President. Under his leadership, ASF with Sephardic House has published a new magazine, The Sephardi Report was created and an outreach to other Sephardic communities around the world has been emphasized. Working hand in hand with the Executive Director, Dr. Stanley A. Urman, they have succeeded in making the American Sephardi Federation an increasingly important partner and representative of the Sephardic history and heritage at the Center for Jewish History.

The activities of the American Sephardi Federation include a Sephardic library, publications, cultural and educational programming dealing with the Sephardic experience including the International Sephardic Film Festival, the only permanent Sephardic exhibition gallery and a scholarship program for Sephardic studies. Since its arrival at the Center for Jewish History, the archival holdings and library of ASF have been enriched with valuable records of personal and community history.

The Sephardim were the first Jews to settle in the Western hemisphere and the ASF with Sephardic House seeks to educate the broader American Jewish and non-Jewish communities about the unique history and values it perpetuates, while revitalizing younger Sephardic generations. ASF with SH endeavors to foster understanding and cooperation with significant members of the non-Jewish community of the countries where Sephardim lived in peace and harmony for so many generations.

As time has passed and the organization has evolved, the focus has shifted from time to time to emphasize some goals more than on others, but the mission to preserve and promote Sephardic culture and support American Sephardic communities remains as strong as ever.