Fall 2016 Edition Happy New Year 5777 HAMERKAZ A PUBLICATION OF THE SEPHARDIC EDUCATIONAL CENTER SHAVUOT RETREAT BOARD MEMBERS Dr. Jose A. Nessim, (z”l) Founder Executive Board: Neil J. Sheff, Chair Sarita Hasson Fields Freda Nessim Ronald J. Nessim Steven Nessim Ray Mallel Nira Sayegh MESSAGE Limore Shalom FROM THE INTERNATIONAL Board of Directors: Yosi Avrahamy DIRECTOR Joe Block RABBI DANIEL BOUSKILA Patrick Chriqui Brigitte Dayan Are Today’s Sephardic Synagogues Isack Fadlon Lela Franco Spiritually Attractive? Abe Mathalon Ditza Meles In his well written and thought provoking article recently pub- Edward Sabin lished in the journal Conversations, our SEC President Neil Moussa Shaaya Sheff mentioned that during our annual SEC Shavuot Retreat in Nir Weinblut Palm Springs in 2015, “we held a town hall discussion as part of Rabbi Bouskila, SEC Director our Erev Shavuot study program.” Titled What’s Wrong with Or- email:
[email protected] ganized Religion and How Can We Fix It?” we spent the evening discussing the state of affairs in our local Sephardic synagogues. Los Angeles World Executive Offices Our audience was all young Sephardic families who are active 6505 Wilshire Blvd • Suite 320 in various Sephardic synagogues in Los Angeles. Some serve on Los Angeles, CA 90048 boards and committees, many attend Shabbat services on a regu- phone: 323.272.4574 fax: 323.592.3113 lar or semi-regular basis, and all have kids who, in one way or the email:
[email protected] other, are connected to these synagogues. The common denomi- SEC Jerusalem Campus nators here were age group (all young families) and a very strong Israel Shalem, Manager commitment to Sephardic synagogues and Sephardic Judaism.