From Sepharad to Florida: a material journey

Transcription

1 From Sepharad to Florida: a material journey Rebecca J. W. Jefferson Isser and Rae Price Library of Judaica University of Florida Background image: Illuminated Haggadah with zoomorphic figures; Catalonia, Spain; early 14th century; Hebrew; vellum. Genizah MS T-S K10.1. Reproduced courtesy of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library

2 Talking points and resources Culture Legacy and heritage Expulsion and diaspora Migrations Latin America and the Caribbean Florida

3 Sephardi Culture and Legacy

4 The Cairo Genizah

5 Moses Maimonides Guide for the Perplexed a draft copy in Maimonides own hand (Genizah MS T-S 10Ka4.1) Image reproduced courtesy of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library

6 Judah Halevi My Heart is in the East and I am in the uttermost West A letter from Judah Halevi in his own hand asking for support for a member of the community (Genizah MS T-S 8J18.5) Image reproduced courtesy of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library

7 Sephardi liturgy A liturgical poem by Judah Halevi copied during his lifetime. Genizah MS T-S H Image reproduced courtesy of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library

8 Poetry and Song Poem by the wife of Dunash ben Labrat with his reply to her. Genizah MS T-S NS Image reproduced courtesy of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library

9 Romance Lyrics

10 The Inquisition and 1492 Image reproduced courtesy of Denver Public Library (

11 From Spain to Italy and Northern Europe, Greece and Turkey History of the Jews in Salonkia can be found on the Museum website: Resources for the history of the Jews in Turkey can be found at:

12 From Portugal to Amsterdam and to Brazil and the Caribbean Online resources:

13 To the New World: the Americas Online resources:

14 To Florida

15 The majority of the collection is comprised of the voluminous business, personal, and family correspondence created or received by Yulee from the 1840s to Numerous files, primarily dated from the 1850s to the 1880s, pertain to the development and management of the Florida Railroad. The collection's subject matter also includes land grants, Spanish Florida, plantation ownership, the development of Fernandina, secession and the Confederate States, slavery, the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the development land companies of the 1900s. There also are several files pertaining to Yulee's father, Moses E. Levy, including correspondence between father and son. See:

16 The Jewish Floridian ( ) - over 3,000 issues online: newspapers/all

17 The Jewish Floridian Jewish Floridian Friday, January 1, 1937 Society The Golden Age of the Spanish Jews was the topic of discussion of the Spinoza Group last Saturday afternoon. Dr. Wolfson gave a vivid description of that glorious and happy period in Jewish history of the great contributions made by the Spanish Jews to science, philosophy and poetry. This Saturday the Spinoza Group will meet again on the lawn of 1059 Collins ave., Miami Beach, at 2:30 P. M., Dr. Abraham Wolfson will speak on Maimonides. All are welcome. There is no admission charge.

18 MOSAIC Collection Over 1,100 images of Jewish life in Florida, 1880s-1960s. See: graphiccollection/collections/?id=31 Portrait of Rabbi/Cantor Sadi Isac Nahmias - Dade County, Florida Born on August 5, 1908 in Thessalonika, Greece. He moved to America on August 5, 1951 and went to St. Paul, Minnesota then to Portland, Oregon and finally to Miami Beach, Florida. He was the founder, rabbi and cantor of the Sephardic Jewish Center of Greater Miami, Inc. ( ) that was at 645 Collins Avenue. The building later became a sporting goods center but the Jewish Star is still visible. He died on May 6, 1999.

19 Interview with Ruben Farro, December 23, 1981: One of my forefathers by the name of Yehuda, de Shmuel Farro, was called from Amsterdam to Curacao in the year 1590 and died in Curacao in the year We have a picture of his grave dating from that date. I started in Amsterdam at the age of five in a school called the Elte School My father had taught us at an early age, (the age of fourand-a-half) to read and write Hebrew in the Rashi script. The Sephardim in Amsterdam didn t use the modern Hebrew script

20 Any questions? For more information about Price Library resources, contact Rebecca Jefferson: