Upcoming Events

A discussion celebrating Jewish resilience with Rabbi Shlomo Pereira. Rabbi Prof Shlomo Pereira presents an overview of the evolution of the crypto Jewish community in Portugal and his own connections with them 5 hundred years later. It is a story of bitter persecution but more importantly with a glorious story of Jewish survival against all odds. Register for our newsletter to ensure you do not miss any new events. Help support our programming by sponsoring a class, sharing feedback, sharing our programming, and donating https://www.jewishtapestry.org/contact-donations.

Dr. Benjamin Berman Gladstone delivered a presentation on the overlooked history of Middle Eastern and North African Jews in the development of Zionism and Israel, arguing that understanding this perspective is essential for accurately understanding the country and its conflicts. He traced the origins of Zionist thought from the 1840 Damascus Affair through key figures like Rabbi Yehuda Alkalai, who advocated for Jewish settlement in the land of Israel based on religious and agricultural commandments, to more modern immigration operations like "Operation On Eagle's Wings" that brought Yemeni Jews to Israel. Benjamin discussed how recognizing the Middle Eastern and North African roots of most Israeli Jews challenges the colonialism narrative and provides a more complex understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, highlighting the roles of figures like Yisrael Yishayahu Sharabi in facilitating Jewish immigration and challenging stereotypes about Mizrahi and Sephardi communities. If you enjoyed this program please share it, comment, rate it and help support further programming by donating today https://www.jewishtapestry.org/contact-donations

The appearance of printing technology in the Jewish world was far more than a technical revolution—it was a spiritual and cultural upheaval that reshaped the foundations of Jewish life. For a people whose existence was bound to the word, the book, and the unbroken chain of learning, the printing press became not merely an instrument of replication but a vessel of survival. It multiplied Torah where exile had scattered it, preserved voices that might have vanished amid the turbulence of history, and gave permanence to the fragile beauty of written tradition. Monuments of Paper and Parchment is a visual and historical journey into this creative moment, centered on the brief yet extraordinary story of Hebrew printing in Portugal. Between 1487 and 1496—spanning Faro, Lisbon, and Leiria—three Hebrew printing houses flourished, producing a body of work that accounted for nearly two-thirds of all printing in Portugal during that decade. The story begins with the Pentateuch printed in Faro in 1487, the first book printed in Portugal in any language, and concludes with the Almanach Perpetuum of R. Abraham Zacuto in 1496, the first scientific book printed in the land. This volume invites the reader to rediscover a remarkable flowering of faith and intellect before the shadow of expulsion fell. It is both a tribute to the enduring brilliance of Iberian Jewry and an invitation to rediscover monuments not made of stone, but of paper and parchment. To order the book:   USA  Amazon.com – https://www.amazon.com/dp/9893515114?dplnkId=31b17c9c-f12b-43df-b73b-227baf5f2ddd&nodl=1 Portugal and the rest of the world: Amazon.es – https://www.amazon.es/-/en/dp/9893515114/ref=sr_1_1 For 25% discount and free shipping order directly through shlomo@chabadofva.org and say that you heard about the book through Jewish Unity Through Diversity. Please consider supporting our programs by donating today https://www.unitytdiversity.com/contact-donations

The Dahan Center at Bar Ilan University organized this event, with co-sponsorship from the Museum of Jewish Heritage, JewishGen, the Sephardic Heritage Project, Israel’s Ministry of Education, and the Jewish Unity Through Diversity Institute. Event Details - Students from SAR Yeshiva, Hillel Yeshiva, and Barkai Yeshiva shared family stories about leaving Arab countries after 1948, highlighting personal heritage and experiences. - Presentations explored conditions faced by Jews in Arab lands post-1948, detailing the expulsion and loss of homes after centuries of residence, told from the Jewish perspective. Program and Speakers Opening with remarks from Shimon Ohayon, Director of the Dahan Center at Bar Ilan University Greetings from Yigal Hagoel and Michal Slawny Cababia – World Zionist organization -Welcome from Jack Kiliger, president and CEO of the Museum of Jewish Heritage-A Living Memorial to the Holocaust Opening Lecture by Rabbi Elie Abadie, MD. Featured lectures include: - Mordechai Kedar - Ben-Dror Yemini - Rabbi Moshe Tessone - The Music of Arab Lands. - Sarina Roffe will speak on the experiences of Syrian Jews, focusing on the period from 1948 to 1992, when emigration finally became possible.  - Dr. Benjamin Berman-Gladstone This event is designed to educate the public about the experiences and struggles of Jews who were forced to leave Arab countries, emphasizing heritage preservation and historical awareness.

In this discussion, Rabbi Professor Michael Broyde shared his read of the Jewish literature — social, cultural and halakhic — about celebrating the unique American holiday of Thanksgiving. Spanning the breadth of the religious literature, he will use the Thanksgiving conversation to examine the question of how American do Jews really want to be, and how to consider national holidays of various types. About the speaker: Rabbi Broyde is a Professor of Law at Emory University and the Berman Projects Director in its Center for the Study of Law and Religion. In the past, he has been the rabbi of the Young Israel in Atlanta as well as a dayan and director of the the Beth Din of America. Please consider supporting our programs by donating today https://www.unitytdiversity.com/contact-donations - Suggested minimum donation, $11

In the scheme of Libya's Jewish history dating back centuries, the Italian influence of the modern era plays a major role in understanding Libyan Jews today. Although Italian colonial presence was in the years 1911-1943, their influence on the North African country and its Jews goes back further in time and remained for many years after. Dalya is passionate about finding ways to connect between diverse groups. She is pursuing a master's at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, focusing on the history of Libyan Jews, while also holding an M.Sc. in urban planning. In both fields she has focused on social connections. At Jewish Unity through Diversity, Dalya sees her position of managing content across multiple platforms as a means to building social bridges between audiences.

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.