The Burden of Identity: Sépharade by Eliette Abecassis

Caught between multiple identities and family ties, Esther Vidal is unable to escape the constraints of something that looks like a ´project assigned to her from birth`. Assigned by her parents and her family, but also by the society. She is floating from an identity to the other - Moroccan, French, Alsacian, Jewish, Sephardi - adding more weight to her everyday spiritual burden.

Sépharade by Eliette Abecassis is a long story of many stories told in the quiet voice of the 1001 Nights, North African style. There are stories of the stories starting as far as the beginning of Jewish history. But there is hardly a topic left behind: from Jewish history to literature, anthropological insights into the  traditional world of Moroccan Jews, the relationships between different Moroccan Jewish communities, the immigration to Israel and the discrimination experiences of the Jews of non-European origin, but also the complicated political relationship between Morocco and Israel. There is suspense, and romance and unexpected situations, even a whodunit. There are culinary details that smells like dafina - the Moroccan variant of chulent (I know will be accused of cultural abuse but I take the risk) - and the many secrets of preparing the tastiest couscous in the world. 

It seems like Eliette Abecassis wants to tell everything you need to know about Moroccan Jews while creating a standalone story. There are many aspects that are fascinating, but there are also a couple of clichés, like for instance the ´classical´ unbreakable differentiation between Askenazim and Sephardim/Mizrahim (whose food is better, who is warmer, who is more respectful towards parents). Such an approach, although common in the minds and hearts of many representatives of both groups, only perpetuates the simplistic - kitsch even - mindset within both groups. None of them should be ashamed of the historical heritage and instead of drawing such cartoons, we are better grateful for the huge diversity of traditions and histories. I may love couscous and hate hering and embrace the post-Shoah trauma of my family by celebrating life and resilience.

But there is much more to Sépharade than those fake problems. The lecture offers an imaginary refuge covering many generations and historical periods, the stories are offering a lot of food for thought and challenges for everyone learning every day new juggling skills between tradition, modernity and various assigned and assumed identities. It tells stories about a world that is still here and hopefully will continue to be part of the present because it belongs to our Jewish heritage. 

I´ve read the book in the original French language.

Rating: 3.5 stars

The Askenazi failure

Every time there are elections in Israel, and the results are not satisfactory for some, it starts the search for the guilty part of the society. (Although I wish a lot, I prefer not to talk about the elections right now) Instead of focusing on the real problems and political failures, some (don't expect me to share any of their links) preferred instead to accuse the Mizrahi Jews because...they did not vote with the very confused and unstructured and unreliable leftist parties.
Lacking any inspiration and arguments, some returned to the infamous Askenazi Revolution (HaMahapechah HaAskenazit) of Katznelson. A book which I tried to read and found it libellous and extremely bad written and lacking not only argumentation - how can you have arguments for racist statements against your own people - but also the style of a good writing. The only explanation that such a literary failure was considered a success was probably the political ambiance of the 1960s when many Askenazim, not few of them of German origin, were sharing the same impressions and assumptions and Katznelson just wrote something that the public expected to read.
Ben Gurion himself, who forbade the book later, said in 1966: "We do not want Israelis to become Arabs. We are in duty bound to fight against the spirit of the Levant which corrupts individuals and societies, and preserve the authentic Jewish values as thez crystallized in the diaspora".
In April 22 1949, the journalist Aryeh Gelblum, an immigrant from Poland, wrote in Ha'aretz on the occasion of the arriving of Mizrahi immigrants: 'This is the immigration of a race we have not yet known in the country. We are dealing with people whose primitivism is at a peak, whose level of knowledge is one of virtually absolute ignorance and, worse, who have little talent for understanding anything intellectual. Generally, they are only slighty better than the general level of the Arabs, Negroes and the Berbers in the same region. In any case, they are at an even lower level that we knoa with regard to the former Arabs of Israel. These Jews also lack roots in Judaism, as they are totally insubordinated to savage and primitive instincts. As with Africans, you will find among them gambling, drunkenness and prostitution...chronic laziness, and hatred for work; there is anothing safe about this asocial element. (Even) the kibbutzim will not hear of their absorbtion'.
Being so versed into the racist German theories, result of the assimilation encouraged by the Haskala, made people like Gelblum more 'advanced'? The lack of roots in Judaism is the situation of someone who forgets about the long history of Jewish life in the Middle East, probably less assimilated then their brothers in the industrial Europe.
Years passed and at least officially, such standpoints are not the mainstream, except during and after the election time. Some people from the old generation, may still believe that their racism against Askenazim has any logical, cultural or historical, and even religious base.
A long conversation is such a discussion does have any sense does not make any logic. Just pointing out once in a while how wrong such conversations are is a must. The more we say about it and against it, the better for our sanity.

Seminary refuses to admit Sephardi girls

This is the kind of news I don't like to read at all. As somebody used with both traditions and happy with this rewarding situation, selecting the best from each - and I am not talking only about the gorgeous Sephardi meals, even though meals also are sending an important identity message, but also about music, literature and talmudic traditions - I can't stand the narrowmindness of rejecting another person, especially children, because of the color of their skin of the place of birth of their parents.

I dare to say that the problems are faced not only by the Sephardi girls, but also by Sephardi boys looking to enrol in some yeshivas. And the examples could continue.

However, I consider that it is also a good message in this story: the Separdis should mobilize more resources - including of financial nature - and more energies to create their own elites, to outline their traditions and, of course, to learn more in order of being able to create their own institutions and educational systems. I wish the final result will not be the exclusion of Askenazim.

Seeing the high number of young Sephardi eager to learn more Torah in the yeshivas from Jerusalem or elsewhere, I am optimistic and I trust their open mind and humour. Mistakes are human.

The mitzvot of wearing Tzitzit

Image via Wikipedia//Blue and white is the Sephardic style

Tzitzit are attached to the four corners of the tallit (prayer shawl) and tallit khatan.

Wearing tzitzit is a biblical commandment. The Torah states in Numbers 15:38: "Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, that they shall make themselves fringes on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and they shall put on the corner fringe a blue (tekhelet) thread”. Wearing the tzitzit is also commanded in Deuteronomy 22:12: "You shall make yourself twisted threads, on the four corners of your garment with which you cover yourself." Once a boy is old enough to understand how to wear tzitzit, meaning to keep two corners of the garment in front and two behind, and to hold the strings when reciting Shema, we are obligated to acquire a pair of tzitzit for him, and train him.(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 17:3) In addition, it serves as a reminder of the Exodus from Egypt (Numbers 15:40). The Talmud equates its observance with that of all the mitzvot. Rambam (Pirkei Avot 2:1) includes it as a major mitzvah along with brit milah.

The fringe on each corner is made of five strands, each of which is made of eight fine threads (known as kaful shemoneh). The five strands are passed through a hole (or according to some: two holes) 1-2 inches (25 to 50 mm) away from the corner of the cloth. There are numerous customs as to how to tie the fringe. The Talmud explains that the Bible requires an upper knot (kesher elyon) and one wrapping of three winds (hulya). The Talmud enjoined that between 7 to 13 hulyot be tied, and that "one must start and end with the color of the garment." As for the making of knots in between the hulyot, the Talmud is inconclusive, and as such poskim have varyingly interpreted this requirement. The Talmud described tying assuming the use of tekhelet dye, however, following the loss of the source of the dye, various customs of tying were introduced to compensate for the lack of this primary element.

Though many methods exist, the one that gained the widest acceptance can be described as follows:

The five strands of the tzitzit are passed through holes near the four corners of the garment (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 11:9-11,15) that are farthest apart (10:1). Four tzitzyot are passed through each hole (11:12-13), and the two groups of four ends are double-knotted to each other at the edge of the garment near the hole (11:14,15). One of the tzitzit is made longer than the others (11:4); the long end of that one is wound around the other seven ends and double-knotted; this is done repeatedly so as to make a total of five double knots separated by four sections of winding, with a total length of at least four inches, leaving free-hanging ends that are twice that long (11:14).

Before tying begins, a Hebrew blessing is said (it's more of a "declaration of intent"): L'Shem Mitzvat Tzitzit (For the sake of the commandment of tzitzit).

The two sets of stands are knotted together twice, and then the shamash (a longer strand) is wound around the remaining seven strands a number of times . The two sets are then knotted again twice. This procedure is repeated three times, such that there are a total of five knots, the four intervening spaces being taken up by windings numbering 7-8-11-13, respectively. The total number of winds comes to 39, which is the same number of winds if one were to tie according to the Talmud's instruction of 13 hulyot of 3 winds each. Furthermore, the number 39 is found to be significant in that it is the gematria (numerical equivalent) of the words: "G-d is One" Deuteronomy 6:4). Others, especially Sephardi Jews, use 10-5-6-5 as the number of windings, a combination that represents directly the spelling of the Tetragrammaton (one of G-d's names).

Rashi bases the number of knots on a gematria: the word tzitzit (in its Mishnaic spelling) has the value 600. Each tassel has eight threads (when doubled over) and five sets of knots, totalling 13. The sum of all numbers is 613, traditionally the number of mitzvot. This reflects the concept that donning a garment with tzitzyot reminds its wearer of commandments. Nachmanides disagrees with Rashi, pointing out that the Biblical spelling of the word tzitzit has only one yod rather than two (giving it a gematria of 590 plus 13), thus adding up to the total number of 603 rather than 613. He points out that in the Biblical quote "you shall see it and remember them", the singular form "it" can refer only to the "p'til" ("thread") of tekhelet. The tekhelet strand serves this purpose, explains the Talmud, for the blue color of tekhelet resembles the ocean, which in turn resembles the sky, which in turn is said to resemble God's holy throne - thus reminding all of the divine mission to fulfill His commandments.

Colours

Tekhelet (תכלת) is color dye which the Hebrew Bible commands the Jews to use for one, two, or four of the eight half-strings hanging down. At some point in Jewish history, the source of the dye was lost and since then, Jews have worn plain white tzitzyot without any dyes. Tekhelet, which appears 48 times in the Tanakh is a specific blue dye produced from a creature referred to as a chilazon, other blue dyes being unacceptable (Tosefta). Some explain the black stripes found on many traditional prayer shawls as representing the loss of this dye.

Where tekhelet is used, only one thread in each fringe is dyed with it, the rest being left white or self-coloured. The dyed thread is always made of wool, regardless of the material of the garment or the other threads.

The other threads in the tzitzit (all the threads, where tekhelet is not used) are described as "white". This may be interpreted either literally (by Rama) or as meaning the same colour as the main garment (Rambam). Normally, the garment itself is white so that the divergence does not arise.

Similarly the threads may be made either of wool or of the same fabric as the garment; again many authorities recommend using a woollen garment so that all views are satisfied.

The Hebron Massacre of 1929

Image via Wikipedia//The Maghen David reminding the Jewish victims in Hebron

On the night of 17 Av (23 August), the apparent peace between the 800 Jews of Hebron and their tens of thousands of Arab neighbors ended and after three days of confrontations 67 Jews were killed and the survivors relocated to Jerusalem. After the pogrom, the historical city hosting the Cave of the Patriarchs – where the Jews weren’t allowed to pray – was left without the Jews. The tragic event intervened in the context of a series of confrontations between Arabs and Jews, many instigated by the mufti in Jerusalem - who claimed that Jews were endangering Muslim holy sites on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem - and other religious leaders. The tragedy is known as Tarpat, an acronym for its date in the Hebrew calendar.

According to the tradition, in Hebron, Abraham purchased the cave of Machpelah to bury Sarah. It was the first parcel of land owned by the Jewish people in their promised land. Ever since, religious Jews revered Hebron as the burial site of their matriarchs and patriarchs. Conquered, massacred and expelled over the centuries, Jews always returned to this sacred place. After 1267, under Muslim rule, no Jews were permitted to pray inside the magnificent enclosure, built by King Herod in the 1st century, that still surrounds the burial caves. But following the expulsion of Jews from Spain at the end of the 15th century, a small group of religious Jews rebuilt a community of study and prayer in Hebron.

Jewish immigrants, many of them Askenazim, were arriving in Palestine and were considered a threat for the Arab communities. Sephardi Jewish community in Hebron had lived quietly with its Arab neighbors for centuries. In 1925, the Slobodka Yeshiva, officially the Yeshiva of Hebron was opened. Yeshiva students lived separately from the Sephardi community, and from the Arab population. Due to this isolation, the Arabs viewed them with suspicion and hatred, and identified them as Zionist immigrants. Despite the general suspicion, however, one yeshiva student, Dov Cohen, still recalled being on "very good" terms with the Arab neighbors. He remembered yeshiva boys taking long walks late at night on the outskirts of the city, and not feeling afraid, even though only one British policeman guarded the entire city.

On a Friday, before Shabbat, Arab youths started throwing rocks at the yeshiva students, the first victim being Shmuel Rosenholtz on his road to the yeshiva. Friday night, Rabbi Ya’acov Slonim’s son invited any fearful Jews to stay in his house. The rabbi was highly regarded in the community, and he had a gun. Many Jews took him up on this offer, and many Jews were eventually murdered there. As early as 8:00 a.m. on Shabbat, Arabs began to gather en masse. They came in mobs, armed with clubs, knives and axes. While the women and children threw stones, the men ransacked Jewish houses and destroyed Jewish property. With only a single police officer in Hebron, the Arabs entered Jewish courtyards with no opposition.

Rabbi Slonim, who had tried to shelter the Jewish population, was approached by the rioters and offered a deal. If all the Ashkenazi yeshiva students were given over to the Arabs, the rioters would spare the lives of the Sephardi community. Rabbi Slonim refused to turn over the students and was killed on the spot. In the end, 12 Sephardi Jews and 55 Ashkenazi Jews were murdered.

A few Arabs did try to help the Jews. Nineteen Arab families saved dozens, maybe even hundreds of Jews. Zmira Mani wrote about an Arab named Abu Id Zaitoun who brought his brother and son to rescue her and her family. The Arab family protected the Manis with their swords, hid them in a cellar along with other Jews who they had saved, and found a policeman to escort them safely to the police station at Beit Romano.

The police station turned into a shelter for the Jews that morning of 18 Av. It also became a synagogue as the Orthodox Jews gathered there and said their morning prayers. As they finished praying, they began to hear noises outside the building. Thousands of Arabs descended from Har Hebron, shouting "Kill the Jews!" in Arabic. They even tried to break down the doors of the station.

The Jews were besieged in Beit Romano for three days. Each night, ten men were allowed to leave to attend a funeral in Hebron’s ancient Jewish cemetery for the murdered Jews of the day. Teenage girls, their mothers and grandmothers were raped and killed. Rabbis and their students were castrated before they were slain. A surviving yeshiva student recounted that he "had seen greater horrors than Dante in hell." The butchery in Hebron, Zionist and religious officials alleged, was "without equal in the history of the country since the destruction of the Temple." Sir Walter Shaw, chairman of an exhaustive British royal investigation, concluded that "unspeakable atrocities" had occurred.

When the massacre finally ended, the surviving Jews - 484 survivors, including 153 children - were forced to leave their home city and resettled in Jerusalem. A couple of days later, in Safed – one of Judaism four holy cities, together with Jerusalem, Hebron and Tiberias - another massacre took place, with 18 Jews killed and 80 wounded. The events prompted the need for the creation of a Jewish defense force, and shortly after it was created the paramilitary organisaiton of Haganah, the nucleus of the Israel Defense Force.

Some Jewish families tried to move back to Hebron, but were removed by the British authorities in 1936 at the start of the Arab revolt. In 1948, the War of Independence granted Israel statehood, but further cut the Jews off from Hebron, a city that was captured by King Abdullah's Arab Legion and ultimately annexed to Jordan.

When Jews finally gained control of the city in 1967, a small number of massacre survivors again tried to reclaim their old houses. Then defense minister Moshe Dayan supposedly told the survivors that if they returned, they would be arrested, and that they should be patient while the government worked out a solution to get their houses back. Years later, settlers moved to parts of Hebron without the permission of the government, but for those massacre survivors still seeking their original homes, that solution never came.

Sources: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/hebron29.html

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203946904574300241762121888.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8AjYHgSquU

What are we talking about?

This is the question who is haunting my quiet morning, when I wanted to finish reading some very peaceful books. This "what if?" I've heard and read so many times. For a historian, this is a wrong question, leading to wrong assumptions and constructions. For a journalist, is the first step to stop being a journalist, for entering the world of fiction. And, the remarks about the "working class religious Sephardim" are nothing but repeating old stereotypes from the beginnings of the democratic state of Israel.

The Economist is also worried about democracy in Israel and insist upon the singularity of Tel Aviv, as a cospomolite city, different of Jerusalem (why not mentioning Haifa?) and other parts of the country. But, capital cities are, from various reasons, different of the rest of the country: concentration of money, attractions, affordability, tourists etc.. If the official capital city will be Jerusalem, it will change. What I suspect, in fact, is that the authors of those articles don't have any contact with young Israeli normal people - from Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, New York or Paris -, who are creating start-ups, who are living daily there, after going into the Army - or refusing to do so - and who don't have too much time for philosophy.

The comparisons with America - including in the sense of the warning, as the American Jews will not accept a dilution of democracy in Israel - are not always fitting the reality. The choice to know more than your own immediate neighborhood is very personal, but still you can live without it. Indeed, Judaism included also lots of distinctions and nuances that might be considered as prompting to various separations and isolation. But also, each Jewish community is having its own tradition and the diversity within Judaism is nothing but rich and if you have the occasion to know it directly and feel it, there are many aspects helping you to go beyond the complains about uni dimensional separatism. If some American Jews are thinking different, is the consequence of the pluralism of opinions, intrinsic to Judaism. This is why I am not worried about a "democratic failure" in Israel, but of the "thinking failure" of the fortune tellers from outside, who are taking the part - let's say Israel Beteinu - as the whole picture. Again, if the writers will have the curiosity to talk with people from the street - including the "working class" voters - they will realize - based on some historical information and lectures - that 2011 is a year when more than never before people are open to compromises and solutions. With the condition to have what to offer and with whom to negotiate.

I am sometimes afraid of the following "what if": in most part of the Arab media, talking and writing about Israel in normal terms - without using depreciative terms - is the key for being published. What if in the Western media talking and writing about Israel is acceptable only if they are expressed doubts about the democratic system - in an area when the term don't have any meaning at all - and critics about the settlements and complains about the isolation of the Palestinian population (hold hostage by Hamas, which is not too much present in the critical and harsh articles from the media, but maybe I didn't read too many articles lately). Hope this is the effect of the hope of an early spring.

Sallah Shabati

Sallah Shabati is one of the 46,000 Yemeni Jews arriving to Eretz Israel through the Operation Magic Carpet. He brought with him his family, but also his customs, the taste of arak, shesh besh and its music. They camped in one of the ma'abarot and tried to find a way of living. And the others needed to get accustomed with him too, and it was not an easy task. It was difficult to say know who was the first who said "sorry for coming"/סליחה שבאתי.

All over the world, Sephardim continue to be proud of their difference, as the Askenazim. There are often different interpretations, customs, delicious meals and prayers. But this is the old good story of our Great House.