20  NOVEMBER 2007  IMAGE a PDFfileofthesongonthatpage. can clickonanypagenumbertoget of thelateMr.SamCatton.Nowyou ship ofDavidCatton,thegrandson Foundation, underthenewleader- thanks totheSephardicHeritage pizmonim bookisonthewebsite plished plusmuchmore. last year’sarticlehavebeenaccom- months. accomplished overthelast12 update youonwhathasbeen red pizmonimbook.Thisarticleisto Shir u'ShbahaHallelveZimrah emphasizing thepizmonimfrom Middle Easternliturgicalculture, preserve allaspectsofSephardic Hazzan GabrielA.Shrem,aimsto project, dedicatedinmemoryof Sephardic PizmonimProject.The L David M.Betesh onPizmonimWebsiteProgress SEPHARDIC HERITAGE • A newHigh Holidaysection • Commentary andnoteshave • An automatic“Date-Parasha- • We establishedabulletin • The newaddressof •The completetextoftheentire All thegoalsthatwesetforthin flagship websiteofthe ‘facelift’ ofPizmonim.org,the senting thecommunitywith ast year,Iwroteanarticlepre- has been featuredin memory about thepizmon any otherinsight thatisknown when thepizmonissung, and poser, thegeneraltheme, im. Thenotesincludethecom- been writtenonmanypizmon- Shrem by SamFrancoandCharlie Maqam” featurewascreated parts oftheproject maqamot, andotherrelevant with pizmonimoftheholidays, board tokeepyouupdate address tousfreeofcharge Dusi, whohasdonatedthis acquired thankstoMr.Erol Pizmonim.com hasbeen , the • This pastsummer,20songs • Hundreds ofoldrecordings recorded approximately 20 2004, Mr. Cabasso has Congregation (eachyearsince Cabasso of BethTorah were recordedbyMr.Isaac recordings ect withhispersonaltreasured Arking whoprovidedtheproj- posted courtesyofMorris Jewish musicians)havebeen from greathazzanim(trained website throughouttheyear season. Itisavailableonthe throughout theHighHoliday ferent ancientmelodiesused is acombinationofover60dif- Holiday season.Thissection away nearorduringtheHigh this project,whohavepassed community andcontributorsto respected membersofthe Eddie Mishan,twovery of RabbiSelimDweckandMr. • A Tefilah (prayer)sectionhas • “Hazzanut Forum,” onYahoo! • A newSpanishversionhas been established withthetext the directions Pizmonim.com andfollowing button onthebottom of You canjoinbyclickingon the you haven'tdonesoalready. definitely worthwhilejoining if members oftheforumanditis insights arebroughttolightby by JosephMosseri.Many Groups, hasbeenestablished This hasbeendone Panama, BrazilandArgentina. communities ofMexico, translated intoSpanishforthe requested thatwebpagesbe al audience,ithasbeen project reachesaninternation- been established.Sincethis you Cabby! pizmonim peryear).Thank Continued onpage24 IMAGE  NOVEMBER 2007  21 COMMUNITY EVENTS Lucette Lagnado Visits the SCC Women’s Center Randi Shomer

ommunity member Lucette Lagnado, author of The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit, recently thrilled her fans when she spoke and signed C copies of her book at the Sephardic Community Center's Women's Center. Her memoir tells the story of her family’s exodus from Cairo to the New World, settling in Bensonhurst, . She was just six-years-old at the time. “I am utterly overwhelmed, but nothing, nothing, has prepared me for the passion, the beauty, the grandeur, the tenderness, the excitement—and above all, the overwhelming, bountiful love that I encountered at 1901 Ocean Parkway,” said Lagnado, upon addressing the standing-room-only audience. She spoke enthusiastically with her guests—many of whom were members of the community she was first introduced to in 1963 upon arriving in the United States. Feeling as if she had never left , Lucette imparted that our community has completely guided her in writing this novel, recounting the life and the country she and her family had left behind. Investing her hopes and ambitions into the fabric of the novel, Lucette has had Poopa Dweck and Lucette Lagnado eminent success, receiving countless emails and let- ters, and positive reviews and praise in response to the Hilton, dressed in his signature white sharkskin suit. book. With the fall of King Farouk and Nasser's nationalization The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit begins by of Egyptian industry, Lucette and her family lost every- recreating Cairo, Egypt in the years between World War thing. Neighborhoods of their fellow were disband- II and Gamal Abdel Nasser's rise to power. Lucette’s ed, and the Lagnados had to make their escape. father Leon was a boulevardier (man about town) who Lucette and her family encountered poverty and hard- conducted business on the elegant terrace of ships upon moving from Cairo to Paris, and to New Shepheard's Hotel, and in the dark bar of the Nile York, in sharp contrast to the lives they left behind. IMAGE  NOVEMBER 2007  Nadim provides music for the audience Continued on page 24 22

24  NOVEMBER 2007  IMAGE University inBoston. the Sephardic Pizmonim Projectandis adentalstudent atTufts David Betesh,a contributing editortotheIMAGE, isthePresidentof Pizmonim.com, theyhave a lotofgoodstuff…” Internet canIfindthis?” Hetoldme,“Checkout then commented:“Oh,that's interesting.Whereonthe he listenstoinorderbe up todatewithhisheritage.I me thattherearealotofrecordings ontheInternetthat have alocalsynagoguethatpracticesthem?”Hetold “How doyouknowtheSephardicmelodiesifdon't melodies oftheprayersprettywell.Ithenaskedhim, Throughout theprayers,Inoticedthatheknew the He saidthattherewereonlyAshkenazisynagogues. and askedhim:“IsthereasynagogueinNewHaven?” I alsohaveheritagefromLebanon(theZeitounifamily) Connecticut, andisofLebaneseancestry.Itoldhimthat University. HesaidthatheisfromNewHaven, was alsoacollegestudentandthathegoestoSuffolk next tome(acompletestranger).Hetoldthat he get intoaconversationwiththegentlemansittingright Sephardic SynagogueofGreaterBoston,Ihappenedto year onYomKippur. nomenon! members oftheirrespectivecommunities.It'saphe- the websiteandhowitisusedasalearningtoolfor Argentina andEngland,tellingmehowmuchtheyenjoy Israel, Mexico,China,thePhilippines,Gibraltar, have receivedmanyemailsfromforeigncountrieslike date, over30,000peoplehavevisitedthiswebsiteandI his constantandinvaluableteaching. sites. Noneofthiscouldhavebeendoneifitweren'tfor me everythingthereistoknowaboutdesigningweb- Progress on... Progress SEPHARDIC HERITAGE That definitely mademyday! On YomKippur,whiletheywerebiddinginthe I experiencedthisphenomenoninpersonjust This projectconnectsJewsthroughouttheworld.To I'd liketothankRabbiRickyHidarywhohastaught • Preservation: About30songshavebeensaved the recordingsofsongsthatareonlist. they knowanyofthemissingsongsorhave knowledgeable peopletoexamineitandseeif ed. Thelistisonthewebsiteandweurgeall the entirepizmonimbook,remainingtoberecord- this year,leavinguswith190unknownsongsin section many uniquepiecesofprayersrecordedinthis Shaharit andMussafofShabbat.Therearealso of theprayersthatcanbesungthroughout ‰ [email protected]. Setton at(718)954-3140, orsendheranemailat about upcomingeventsin theCenter,cancontactSari purchasing TheManinthe SharkskinSuit,orlearning History ofLovebyNicolas Krauss. Anyoneinterestedin Decision byReubenBibi, and onDecember20th,The club. OnNovember15ththebookclubwillfeatureThe Sephardic AngelFundandChehebarFoundation. Lucette asachild)andtheSephardicBikurHolim, the Community Center,MarleneBenDayan(whoknew without thegeneroussponsorshipofSephardic evening. Theeveningwouldnothavebeenpossible Center, alongwithSariSetton,organizedthiswonderful and LindaEbani,co-chairmanoftheSCC'sWomen's a deliciousarrayofpastriesandfruit.FrancineDweck music providedbyNadim,hundredsofguestsenjoyed tears intheireyes,recallingownmemoriesaswell. told herstory,manyEgyptiancommunitymembershad a reporter,andwaswelcomedbacktoEgypt.AsLucette family’s world.TwoyearsagoshereturnedtoCairoas Mainly, shereachedouttothepeoplethatlivedinher an investigativereporterinvestigateherownfamily?” the recipientofnumerousjournalismawards. the poor,elderlyanduninsured.Shehasbeen hospital andhealthsystemsintheUS,concentratingon New YorkBureauoftheWallStreetJournal.Shecovers tiny. in surroundingArabcountries.Todaythatnumberis Jews hadlivedinEgypt,andoveronemillion upheaval throughtheeyesofachild.Eightythousand freelance writerforIMAGE Magazine. Randi Shomeris acommunitymember,motherof fourchildrenanda Lucette... COMMUNITY EVENTS The SCC'sWomen'sCenterholdsamonthlybook The eventwasahugesuccess.Withdelightful To writethebook,Lucetteaskedherself,“Howdoes Lucette Lagnadoisaspecialseniorwriterinthe Her poignanttaledocumentstheextraordinary ‰ IMAGE  NOVEMBER 2007  25 00 MONTH Max. 2 Months. New Clients Only! PER $50 Unlimited Group Exercise Classes. Unlimited Group Exercise Classes. With Coupon Only this I’ve lost 70 lbs. with Darrel’s 718-645-3226 nutrition plan and his Pilates classes. nutrition plan and his Pilates classes. Melanie: instructor now on staff in a private room. Brooklyn, NY 11230 R E with this Ad only M R O F (Bet. O & P) E Body by Mike by Body [email protected] R

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