YESHIVA UNIVERSITY SEPHARDIC NEWS IN DEDICATION TO A HERITAGE RABBI ISAAC ELCHANAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY SEPHARDIC COUNCIL OF OVERSEERS VOLUME XXXVIII I NO. 1 I FALL 2018 – SPRING 2019 / 5778 – 5779 New YU President Rabbi Ari Berman Meets Sephardic Leaders The SCO is a lay leadership council under the aegis of YU’s Sephardic Community Programs and includes representatives from the Syrian, Persian, Iraqi, Moroccan, Judeo-Spanish, Spanish-Portuguese, Bukharain, Yemenite, and other Middle Eastern communities who 5 are active in their respective com- munities in leadership roles in the gathered group of leaders. Rabbi Yeshiva to serving the Sephardic various synagogues and Jewish day Berman talked warmly and world at large, and the Sephardic 1 schools throughout the Sephardic engagingly about the Sephardic campus community, which is enclaves of NY and NJ. students on campus. He also fielded literally a parallel microcosm of the Rabbi Dr. Herbert C. Dobrinsky, During the spring 2018 semester, questions and comments from the Sephardic population throughout Vice President for University YU President Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman group regarding his vision for YU the world. Affairs and co-founder of Yeshiva’s met Sephardic lay leaders at an as he takes the helm of Yeshiva’s Dr. Dobrinsky as well as Rabbi ,ucuyu ,unhgb ,ucr ohbak ufz, Sephardic Programs in 1964, evening event hosted by the leadership into the next exciting Berman and Rabbi Tessone all May you merit many years in good health and happiness. introduced Rabbi Berman before Sephardic Council of Overseers era in YU’s growth. expressed their excitement at the his keynote presentation to the (SCO) at YU’s Beren Campus. Rabbi Moshe Tessone, Director efforts to grow the partnership of YU Sephardic Community with Sephardic leaders and to help Program at Yeshiva, also addressed to find new ways to promote and the distinguished gathering and strengthen the ties to the Sephardic reported on the astounding growth world. They all encouraged the of Sephardic populations in North leaders in attendance to help ignite America in the recent two decades new and creative opportunities for and the impact that demographic collaboration that will help promote reality has had on the Sephardic and provide expanded facilities and enrollment at Yeshiva University. additional Sephardic Torah scholars 2 He added that YU is using all to teach the increasing number of the resources available to serve undergraduate Sephardic students this growing Sephardic student at YU, both men and women, who community within the general YU hail not only from the NY/NJ region population. Both Dr. Dobrinsky but the US, Canada and South and Rabbi Tessone have been very America, and beyond. committed during their years at 1. YU President Rabbi Ari Berman addressing Sephardic leaders. 3 2. Chella Safra, Dr Herbert Dobrinsky and Rabbi Ari Berman. 3. David Eshaghian (SCO Chairman), Rabbi Ari Berman and Rabbi Moshe Tessone. 4. Gathering of the Sephardic leaders with Rabbi Ari Berman. 5. Dr. Dobrinsky, Jonathan Hizghiya, Allen Hakim, Rabbi Berman, David Eshaghian and Rabbi Tessone. 6. SCO members: Shahin Naim (SSSB 07), Marc Harary, Nathan Halegua and 4 6 Ruvane Villinsky. Rabbi Mordekhai Benhaim Joins YU Faculty Upon making this exciting announcement 1964 and VP of University Affairs, expressed: Rabbi Moshe Tessone stated: “We look “We remember having Rabbi Benhaim’s father forward to augmenting our Sephardic staff teaching at YU, and now years later, Rabbi at Yeshiva, with such an authentic Torah Mordekhai will be able to continue his scholar who also carries with him the culture father’s early work of shaping the generation of the Sephardic world in which he was of tomorrow by teaching our Sephardic raised…” He continued: “Rabbi Benhaim will youngsters at Yeshiva.” convey that high standard of Talmud and After graduating from SAR Academy in Halakha study to our students here at Yeshiva.” Riverdale, Rabbi Mordekhai Benhaim went Rabbi Penner expressed that “Rabbi on to learn in The Mirrer Yeshiva of Brooklyn Mordekhai Benhaim will work alongside for eight years, including years under the our current Sephardic Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi tutelage of the late Roshei Yeshiva, Rav Eliyahu Benhaim, and be a source of Sephardic Shmuel Berenbaum a’h, and Rav Shraga Moshe In the recent year, Rabbi Marc Penner, Dean scholarship and a guiding figure to our Kalmanowitz, a’h. During this time, he also of Undergraduate Torah Studies at Yeshiva talmidim at YU who aspire to excel in Talmud developed a close teacher/student relationship University, and Rabbi Moshe Tessone, Director and also grow in their commitment to the with the late revered Rabbi Avigdor Miller, a’h. of the Sephardic Community Programs, minhagim of the Sephardic community.” At age 22, upon marrying his wife Sharona, undertook a national search for a Sephardic Rabbi Mordekhai Benhaim was born into he was appointed as Magid shiur at Yeshivat rabbinic scholar to teach Talmud at Yeshiva an illustrious rabbinic family of Toledano and Ohel Simcha in Queens, by his father-in-law, alongside our current Sephardic Rosh Benhaim, tracing back to Meknes, Morocco Rabbi Yigal Haimoff. Since then, Rabbi Yeshiva, Rabbi Eliyahu Benhaim. After a and Spain of the Golden Era. His father, Benhaim has been teaching high school and long search, in June of 2018, they announced Rabbi Avraham Benhaim, served as a rabbi of post H.S. boys, developing many students into that Rabbi Mordekhai Benhaim will begin Sephardic communities in New York for over leaders and Rabbis of their communities. He teaching Talmud at YU in September of 40 years, and also taught in Yeshiva University currently resides in Cedarhurst NY, where he 2018 under the aegis of RIETS and YU during the 1980’s. Dr. Herbert Dobrinsky, serves as Rav of Sha’are Emunah, a Sephardic Sephardic Programs. co-founder of YU’s Sephardic Programs in Congregation in The Five Towns. SEPHARDIC STUDIES ACTIVITIES During the fall semester of 2017, he began teaching Modern Standard Highlight on: Professor Daniel Tsadik Arabic at Revel. The course is open to undergraduates as well. In the past few years, Daniel Tsadik has been working on a new book titled The Jews of Iran and Rabbinic Literature; New Perspectives, due to To mark the annual commemoration of the be published by Mosad Ha-Rav Kook (Jerusalem) in the near future. In departure and expulsion of Jews from the Arab addition, Dr. Tsadik is co-editing another book, titled Iranians and Jews; countries and Iran, Yeshiva University’s Bernard Aspects of Symbiosis and Conflict,based on the conference “Israel and Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies and YU’s Iran: From Cyrus the Great, to the Islamic Republic”, held at the Yeshiva Sephardic Community Program, in partnership University Museum in 2010. with the Consulate General of Israel in New York, presented a lecture and discussion on the cultural dimensions of modern Jewry in Arab lands and Iran, held in Koch Auditorium on the Israel Henry Beren Campus in midtown Manhattan. The event was chaired by Dr. David Berger, Dean of the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies, and by Rabbi Moshe Tessone, with opening welcoming words delivered by Dr. Herbert Dobrinsky and an 1 address from Dani Dayan, Consul General of Israel in New York. Dr. Daniel Tsadik, associate professor of Sephardic and Iranian studies at Yeshiva University, delivered the keynote lecture on the cultural life of Jews throughout the Arab world, highlighting Jewish participation in literature, theater, cinema and sports. “The Jews influenced the indigenous culture, and were influenced by it,” said Tsadik. “They were part of the society, which made the departure from their homeland even more painful. On one level their cultures have disappeared. But on another level, many elements have persisted over time and space, and have been successfully introduced and transplanted to 2 3 other countries in the region, and way, way beyond.” 1. Mr. Zargari, Faraj Benji, 2. Prof. Daniel Tsadik, 3. Dr. Herbert C. Dobrinsky Dr. Tsadik’s research focuses on the modern history of Iran, Shi’a Islam, Unidentified, Shaharm Dr. David Berger (Dean (YU Vice President for and Iran’s religious minorities. On January 4, 2018, he participated at the Delefraz, Michael Shavolian BRGS, YU) and Ambassador Univ Affairs, Founder YU (YC 17) and Farzin Simhaee. Dani Dayan(Consul General Sephardic Pgm) addresses program on Iranian Jews broadcasted by the Israeli “Hidabroot” channel. of Israel in NY). Sephardic leaders. SEPHARDIC NEWS I IN DEDICATION TO A HERITAGE 2 Highlight on: YU’s Sephardic Chair holder Professor Ronnie Perelis 1 2 n From the pearls of Hebrew poetry written by Yehuda HaLevi and the Inquisition. Perelis was invited to present his research at leading Shmuel HaNagid, to the heroism and spiritual audacity of Jews national and international universities: Hebrew University (November persecuted by the Inquisition, our students, men and women, on both 2016), Hofstra (March 2017), UC Irvine (May 2017), Universidad campuses, have an opportunity every semester to explore the rich Iberoamericana, Mexico City (July 2017), The Jewish Museum of tapestry of Sephardic history with courses taught by Professor Ronnie South Florida (February 2018) Vanderbilt University (April 2018) and Perelis, the Chief Rabbi Dr. Isaac Abraham and Jelena (Rachel) Alcalay The University of Texas at Austin, this coming October. Associate Professor of Sephardic Studies at YU. n This summer he begins his next project, a critical edition of the religious n In addition to his teaching, Professor Perelis has organized exciting writings of Luis de Carvajal manuscripts which were recently re- cultural and scholarly events. In the Fall of 2017 he partnered with discovered. His research will take him to Mexico City where he will the Sephardic Community Program and the Center for Israel Studies give a seminar related to this new project.