The Making of Yemeni Jewish Folklore in Israel: The 1975 'Yemeni Seminar'

In March 1975, around seventy elderly Yemeni Jewish men and women gathered near Jerusalem for ten days of interviews, recordings, photographs, and performances. Rather than sending researchers into the “field,” the organisers brought the bearers of tradition to the researchers, who sought to document stories, songs, prayers, dances, customs, crafts, and medical knowledge before they disappeared.

Drawing on recordings, photographs, and testimonies preserved in the Folklore Research Center archive, this lecture reconstructs that unusual encounter and some of its findings. The seminar took place during the 1970s, when Jews from Muslim countries were demanding recognition within Israeli society. It marked a shift from traditions lived in everyday life to “heritage” that had to be documented, taught, and publicly displayed.

A minimum $18 donation is greatly appreciated to help us continue and expand our programming https://tinyurl.com/DonateTapestry. Please consider a monthly recurring donation or sponsoring a class.

Dr. Tom Fogel is a…