Greek Jewry has a unique history in Europe. Greek Judaism is possibly the oldest faith on the continent. Help support our programming by becoming a sponsor or donating today tinyurl.com/JUniTDiDonate The Hellenized Romaniotes, the Sephardim from the western Mediterranean and the Ashkenazim from central Europe created a mosaic of communities across the country, each one with its own fascinating history and tradition. Thessaloniki, the ‘ Jerusalem of the Balkans’ , Ioannina, the capital of the Romaniotes, Larissa, Volos, Patra, Crete, Corfu, Rhodes, Athens, and many others. These Jewish communities, together but also individually, are an integral part of the Greece’ s rich history. Please note that this talk began recording late, but most of the information was repeated at the end. About the speaker Anastasios Karababas is a French-Greek historian, teacher and political analyst. He pursued his higher education studies in Paris (France). Between 2009 and 2023 he taught at several public and private schools in the Paris region, notably at the international network of schools of the Alliance Israélite Universelle. He was also lecturer and researcher at the Holocaust Memorial in Paris. He is the author of La Shoah. L’obsession de l’antisémitisme depuis le XIXe siècle (Bréal, 2017, reprinted in 2020). In 2011, he began his research on the Jews of Greece. His book In the Footsteps of the Jews of Greece, based on historical archives from Europe, Israel and the United States, has been published in Greek (2022) and translated into French (2023) and English (2024). His research focuses on genocides of the 20th century, the preservation of Jewish memory and its transmission to younger generations. He now lives in Athens where he works as a political analyst and columnist. He is a regular contributor to radio and television broadcasts in France and Greece. He is also scientific advisor for the Organisation for the Modernisation of the Greek Justice system, particularly in the domain of youth violence.

Dr. Dayan Yehonatan Elazar De Mota, a senior research fellow at Emory University and Ab Bet Din for the Bet Din Zedek of the Dominican Republic, discussed his work leading the Sephardic Jewish community across the country and his new book "Ata Mulana." He explained how the book aims to preserve and transmit the Sephardic intellectual tradition by documenting oral transmission methods in a written format. Help us continue to strengthen and share Jewish heritage and essence by supporting out programs - reach out to offer you story or skills, and donate today https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/64ee6c1a-87bf-4b75-82e0-43c01b9bd79b?fbclid=IwAR0FY50oF4qzZxoYc59I3f-XIgtAJOvdJ5soaXIdCnfyeQtxO2Mp_-HhcOg Hakham Yehonatan presented on the anthropological origins of Rosh Hashanah, exploring its biblical foundations in Leviticus and how it evolved during the Babylonian exile. He explained how Jewish assimilation into Babylonian culture led to adopting the Akkadian word "Tishre" instead of the biblical "Etanim," connecting the month to themes of creation, water, and new beginnings. The presentation also covered Talmudic perspectives on Rosh Hashanah as the time of world creation and discussed the Shemitah and Yobel cycles of 7 and 50 years respectively, which influence agricultural and social practices. Hakham Yehonatan discussed the significance of Rosh HaShanah, explaining that it marks the new year for various Jewish cycles and is connected to themes of creation, newness, and divine judgment. He shared stories from the Midrash about women being remembered by God and granted children, as well as Yosef's release from prison, highlighting the theme of redemption. Yehonatan explained the origins and traditions of shofar blowing on the first day of Tishri, describing three types of sounds: Zedekiah, Shebarim, and Tequia. He detailed how different Jewish communities interpret the Shebarim sound differently, with some emulating a ram's sound alluding to the Akedah story. Yehonatan also mentioned that some communities influenced by Lurianic Kabbalah add additional sounds to complete 101 sounds, which relates to the angel Michael and the judgment period mentioned in the book of Daniel. Yehonatan discussed various dinner table customs for Rosh HaShanah across different Jewish communities. Yehonatan discussed traditional Jewish practices related to Rosh Hashanah, including greetings, Tashlikh rituals, and Salichot prayers, explaining their origins and variations across different Jewish communities. He noted that Spanish-Portuguese Jews do not practice Tashlikh due to its Kabbalistic nature, and clarified that their Rosh Hashanah meal includes apples and honey but excludes pomegranates.

This historical memoir is based on the writings of Dahlia Abraham-Klein’s grandfather—an Afghan Bukharan Jewish merchant born in 1897 in Russian-occupied Turkmenistan. His story is preserved in a rare manuscript written in Judeo-Persian using Rashi script. Help support our programs tinyurl.com/JUniTDiDonate About the book: Haim Abraham, born in 1897 in Turkmenistan, wrote out his memoir in a spiral-bound notebook covering a period of ninety years. After he passed away in 1999, the journals were discovered in his home, written in an ancient language: Judeo-Farsi. Years later, the journals were translated, unearthing a time capsule nearly lost. The former years of Abraham’s life had a recurrent theme of Russian Tsarist, Bolshevik, and Soviet violence, which heavily affected his family’s viability. Abraham’s family were not nationals anywhere. They were forced to move from country to country in search of religious freedom and the economic opportunities that often went hand in hand as merchant class Jews. What Abraham did have, which was central to his endurance, was a community of relatives and friends in every city he traveled. The mutual responsibility inherent within the Jewish community was essential to establishing worldwide business ties and mobility. Abraham came from an enclave called the Jewish Triangle, which stretched across large parts of Afghanistan, Iran, and Central Asia. Due to continued persecution and spotty educational access, much of their history is not written down and barely part of the Jewish historical lexicon. Presented is an invaluable memoir into a fascinating time period. To order the book: https://a.co/d/cR2z0ps About the author: Dahlia Abraham-Klein is a writer on Central Asian Jewish history and Jewish values. Her articles have appeared on Tablet, Chabad, Jewish Journal, and The Times of Israel. She is a teacher at Partners in Torah offering a personalized learning experience on the system of life through Jewish wisdom. Help support our programs tinyurl.com/JUniTDiDonate

We celebrate the rich heritage of India’s Jewish community through personal stories and cultural memory in Paushali Lass and Ann Samson's book “Tasting Faith: Jews of India - Unveiling Stories, Sharing Recipes, and Preserving their Vibrant Legacy”. Told through the life of Ann Samson, an Indian-born Jew in Canada, the book explores the vibrant cultural and culinary traditions of Indian Jews, their migration journeys, and deep connection to Israel. Ann’s story reflects the broader Jewish diaspora experience - balancing multiple identities while staying rooted in faith and tradition. At its heart, Tasting Faith shows how food serves as a bridge between cultures and generations. With recipes and reflections, it honors Jewish resilience and highlights the often-overlooked role of Middle Eastern Jews, especially Baghdadi Jews, in shaping India’s culture and economy. Alongside Ann’s narrative, author Paushali Lass shares her perspective as an Indian deeply connected to Jewish history and Zionism. The book challenges Eurocentric views of Jewish identity and celebrates the unique story of Indian Jews, for whom Aliyah was a return, not an escape. This is a tribute to a remarkable community - resilient, proud, and deeply tied to both India and Israel. About the authors: Paushali Lass is an intercultural educator, writer and international speaker of Indian origin, based in Germany. With a deep connection to Israel, Paushali’s work bridges Jewish and Christian communities, as well as cultures with a focus on education and faith-based initiatives. Passionate about culinary culture, Paushali likes to conduct culinary workshops that explore the intersection of food and culture. Ann Samson, born in November 1941, grew up immersed in India's rich Jewish heritage, blending Bene Israel and Baghdadi traditions. After moving to Toronto in 1966, she became a respected educator and school principal. To this day she continues to learn and spread the history of Indian Jews. To purchase the book https://a.co/d/gbTXKel Register to stay updated with our programs - and please help support our programs by donating today https://www.unitytdiversity.com/contact-donations (for sponsorship opportunities reach out to info@unitytdiversity.com.

In the context of Middle Eastern Jewry in modern times, seldom is there mention (beyond the cursory) of the Jews of Lebanon. And if at all acknowledged, Lebanese Jews are usually identified mainly in the context of Maronite-Zionist relations (during and immediately following the Mandate period), or within larger themes dealing with the destruction of European Jewry, the establishment of the State of Israel, and the prevalent narratives about the expulsions of Jews from Arab lands post-1948. The purpose of my presentation is to remedy this lacuna of neglect, revealing the Jews of Lebanon as a longstanding Lebanese community, similar to and at the same time distinct from other Lebanese communities, and likewise similar to and distinct from neighboring Jews of “Arab lands.” About the speaker: Franck Salameh is an historian and multilingual translator, biographer, memoirist, and professor of Near Eastern Studies at Boston College. He is also Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of the Middle East and Africa. His academic and public work centers primarily on Levantine minorities and the history of ideas and political thought in the Modern Middle East, with a special focus on Arabism, Zionism, Islamism, as well as Francophonie and the history of France and French missionaries in the East. His most recent books are "The Other Middle East" (Yale, 2017), and "Lebanon's Jewish Community" (Palgrave, 2019). Among his current book projects is a "biography of Franco-Lebanese relations" tracing a millennium-long story of emotional attachments and betrayals between the Maronite Church and France. Please support this and other programs by donating: tinyurl.com/JUniTDiDonate

An obsessive genealogist and descendant of one of the most prominent Jewish families since the American Revolution, Blanche Moses firmly believed her maternal ancestors were Sephardic grandees. Yet she found herself at a dead end when it came to her grandmother's maternal line. Using family heirlooms to unlock the mystery of Moses's ancestors, "Once We Were Slaves" overturns the reclusive heiress's assumptions about her family history to reveal that her grandmother and great-uncle, Sarah and Isaac Brandon, actually began their lives as poor Christian slaves in Barbados. Tracing the siblings' extraordinary journey throughout the Atlantic World, Leibman examines artifacts they left behind in Barbados, Suriname, London, Philadelphia, and, finally, New York, to show how Sarah and Isaac were able to transform themselves and their lives, becoming free, wealthy, Jewish, and - at times - white. About the speaker: Laura Arnold Leibman is the Leonard J. Milberg ’53 Professor in American Jewish Studies at Princeton University. Her work focuses on religion and the daily lives of women and children in early America and uses everyday objects to help bring their stories back to life. She is President of the Association for Jewish Studies, and the author of The Art of the Jewish Family: A History of Women in Early New York in Five Objects which won three National Jewish Book Awards. Her earlier book "Messianism, Secrecy, & Mysticism: A New Interpretation of Early American Jewish Life" won a Jordan Schnitzer Book Award and a National Jewish Book Award. Her most recent monograph, "Once We Were Slaves: The Extraordinary Journey of a Multiracial Jewish Family" was a finalist for a National Jewish Book Award and the Saul Viener Book Prize. She is currently working on a book about Jews and textiles during the long nineteenth century. Please support this and other programs by donating or sponsoring a program: tinyurl.com/JUniTDiDonate

Study of religious texts and praxis of commandments is central to Jewish life. Yet traditionally, the involvement of women in these realms was limited, In recent years, attempts have been within traditional Judaism to offer wider horizons for women's participation in these areas. However, those doing so were not aware of the riches of Sephardic rabbinic culture. Prof. Zohar has collected surprising sources from the teachings of Sephardic hakhamim (rabbis) from the 18th to the 20th centuries, that illuminate unexpected teachings of these sages with regard to women’s participation in Jewish life. About the speaker: Zvi Zohar is Chauncey Stillman Professor of Sephardic Law and Ethics (emeritus) at Bar Ilan University, where he taught in the Faculty of Law and in the Faculty of Jewish Studies. He is currently a Senior Fellow at the Kogod Research Center for Contemporary Jewish Thought of the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem, with which he has been associated for over 45 years. Zvi is interested in all aspects of Jewish life and thought, especially in modern times. His research focuses on The Culture and Creativity of Sephardic-Oriental Rabbis in Modern Times, and on The Sociology, Anthropology and Historical Development of Halakha (Jewish Law) from ancient times to the present. He has written and edited 14 books, has published more than 110 scholarly articles in Hebrew, English, French, and German, and serves on the editorial boards of Pe'amim and of Tziyyonut Datit. His most recent full length book in English, Rabbinic Creativity in the Modern Middle East, was published in 2013 by the Hartman Institute’s Kogod Library of Judaic Studies in conjunction with Bloomington Academic Press. Please support this and other programs by donating tinyurl.com/JUniTDiDonate