In conjunction with Israel’s inaugural Day of Commemoration for Mizrahi Refugees, Jewish organizations all over the globe are presenting events to raise honor and celebrate the history of Jews from Arab countries & Iran. See below to find events in your area. Please keep in mind that some of these events are by invitation only. We encourage you to reach out to point contacts if you would like to attend an event. If you have an event you wish to add to our list, please contact dyanna@jimena.org.
San Francisco Bay Area
YAD Blue Monday Featuring JIMENA
In honor of Mizrahi Remembrance Month, JIMENA will be partnering with San Francisco Jewish Community Federation’s Young Adult Division to bring the Mizrahi heritage to SOMA! Join us for our YAD’s hallmark happy hour event, where there will be a henna artist and Middle Eastern treats.
Monday, November 17th, 2014
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Raven Bar & Lounge, 1151 Folsom St, San Francisco CA
$18 donation at the door
RSVP: Lauren Becker, 415.512.6248, LaurenB@sfjcf.org
Info & Tickets
Forgotten Refugees Screening & Talk
Join JIMENA for a screening and discussion of The Forgotten Refugees, a 2005 documentary film that recounts the rich history of the ancient Jewish communities of the Middle East and North Africa, and their rapid demise in the face of persecution in the decades following the creation of the modern State of Israel in 1948. Special guest speaker and JIMENA co-founder, Rachel Wahba, will close out the night with remarks on her experiences as Iraqi-Egyptian Jewish refugee.
Tuesday, December 9th, 2014
6:30PM
Congregation Beth Sholom, 301 14th Ave, San Francisco CA
Free
More Information
Los Angeles
International Mizrahi Remembrance Month
Official Ceremony Honoring Jewish Refugees from Arab Countries and Iran
Please join JIMENA, Hillel at UCLA, and the Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles for a special ceremony honoring the official day of commemoration of Jewish refugees from Arab countries and Iran. The event will include remarks by Consul General David Siegel, Rabbi Daniel Bouskila, and a Mizrahi refugees. Also enjoy a special Mizrahi performance by Bazaar Ensemble, the Not Forgotten art exhibit by Erella Teitler, and traditional Sephardic treats.
Monday, November 24th, 2014
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Hillel at UCLA, 574 Hilgard Ave, Los Angeles CA 90024
Free
RSVP: Natalie Farahan, natalie@jimena.org
Info & Tickets
Portland, Oregon
Mizrahi Havdalah and Commemoration Evening
Join Moishe Houe and JIMENA to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the rich culture of Middle Eastern and North African Jewry. The evening will include a lovely Havdalah service, refreshments and a screening of Forgotten Refugees.
Saturday, November 22nd.
7:00 PM
Moishe House, Portland. 6444 SE Stark St. Portland, OR
Free
Info & Tickets
Chicago
Mizrahi Day of Remembrance
Official Ceremony Honoring Jewish Refugees from Arab Countries and Iran
Please join the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest & JIMENA for a special program honoring the official day of commemoration of Jewish refugees from Arab countries and Iran. The event will include a Sephardic reception, an abridged screening of Forgotten Refugees, a performance by Israeli musicians and a panel discussion with JIMENA’s Executive Director, Sarah Levin, and former Jewish refugees from Iran and Egypt moderated by Consul General, Roey Gilad.
Sunday, December 14th, 2014
6:00PM – 8:00PM
Anshe Emet Synagogue, 3751 North Broadway, Chicago, Illinois 60613
Free
RSVP: Nitza Gilad: pr1@chicago.mfa.gov.il or 312-380-8887
Info & Tickets
New York
Mizrahi Music, Piyyut, And The Search For Israeli Identity
In honor of the date chosen by the Knesset to commemorate the Middle Eastern Jewish experience, the American Sephardi Federation presents “Mizrahi Music, Piyyut, and the Search for Israeli Identity,” a lecture in which Dr. Aryeh Tepper will examine how Israeli society has wrestled with the eastern dimension of its identity, particularly its Arab aspect. Join an exploration of the rise of Mizrahi pop music during the 1970’s-1980’s, the emergence of eastern art music in the 1990’s, and the popular turn to Middle Eastern piyyut (liturgical music) at the beginning of the 21st century.
November 20th, 2014
7PM
Center for Jewish History, Kovono Room. 15W 16th Street, New York City
Info & Tickets
Program at the UN Headquarters
December 3rd, 2014
Ottawa, Canada
Inaugural Commemoration of Jewish Refugees from Arab Countries
The Sephardi Association of Ottawa in partnership with the Embassy of Israel and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), with the support of the SJCC, will present the untold story of Mizrahi refugees. Featuring a film screening of The Forgotten Refugees, remarks by keynote speaker Rafael Barak, Ambassador of Israel to Canada, David Cooper of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, and eyewitness accounts from the Ottowa Sephardi Community.
Sunday, November 30th, 2014
6:30 PM
Soloway JCC, 21 Nadolny Sachs Private Ottawa, Ontario K2A 1R9
Free
RSVP: ottawasephardiassociation@yahoo.com
Info & Tickets
Montreal, Canada
Festival Sefarad de Montreal
Le Festival Séfarad de Montréal vous donne l’occasion de découvrir le dynamisme d’une tradition culturelle vivante et diversifiée. Nous vous proposons une programmation accessible, des arts de la scène, ralliant à la fois la tradition, le renouveau et la fusion des genres. Les activités culturelles autour d’un colloque international ayant pour titre «Histoires des relations entre juifs et Musulmans» vous invitent à réfléchir sur le partage d’expériences communes et les perspectives d’avenir des collectivités respectives.
Sunday, November 30th au December 11, 2014
A production of Communaute Sepharade unifiee du Quebec
More Information Here
Israel
Judeo-Arabic Event
An interview with Mizrahi Justice leader, Edwin Shuker. An evening of music, anecdotes, proverbs, & food.
Wednesday, November 26th, 2014
Ramat Gan Museum, Hibat Tzion 17
8:00PM
For Details Email: odamit1@walla.co.il
International Academic Conference & Congress on Jewish Refugees from Arab Countries & Iran
Featuring academics & heads of Jewish organizations from Arab lands
Thursday, November 27th, 2014
9:30 AM-6:30 PM
Organized by the Dahan Center at Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan
For Details Call: 03-5317959
Commemoration Ceremony at President’s Residence & Honoring in Israeli Schools
Sunday, November 30th, 2014
Organized by the Israeli Ministry of Senior Citizens & Israeli Ministry of Education
JJAC Delegation Tour of Israel’s Mizrahi Museums
Monday, December 1st, 2014
Organized by Justice for Jews from Arab Countries
Knesset Commemoration Ceremony
Tuesday, Dec 2nd, 2014
Knesset Headquarters, Jerusalem
Sydney, Australia
Jews from Arab Lands Commemoration
A commemoration ceremony featuring a screening of Forgotten Refugees and guest speakers the Ambassador of Israel, Mr Shmuel Ben-Shmuel, and Dr. Racheline Barda
Sunday, November 30th, 2014
5:00 PM
Sydney Jewish Museum, 148 Darlinghurst Road Darlinghurst, NSW Australia
Free
For more information Email Joe Barda, josephbarda@bigpond.com
Paris
Jews from Arab Lands
Exhibit at Musee de l’Art ed de l’Histoire du Judaisme.
September 2014 – April 2015
For full exhibit and event program visit www.mahj.org
Jews from Egypt Event
A meeting & lunch reception of the Association of Jews from Egypt
Sunday, November 30th, 2014
For more information contact Andre Cohen: 0145352986
Testimony Film Screening: Fragments de la memoire sepharade
Film de temoignages, presente par la realisatrice Helen Trigano
Table-Ronde
animee par Josiane Sberro
Les refugies juifs du monde arab
entre memoire et politique
Georges Bensoussan, Daniel Sibony, Shmuel Trigano
Mairie du 17 arrondissement – Salle des Fetes
16, rue des Batignolles, 75017 Paris
ROme, Place de Clichy
December 10th, 18:30
London
For a comprehensive list of all programs happening in the UK, please visit www.harif.org
Shadow in Baghdad Screening & Discussion
Film screening followed by a panel discussion with Linda Menuhin Abdul Aziz (journalist, film protagonist)’Adel Darwish (author and journalist); Amal al-Jubouri (Director of the Arab Human Rights Academy) Chair: Dr. Yair Wallach (SOAS).
Thursday, November 20th
Khalili Theatre
Free
Tickets & Information
Sephardi Voices: The North African Experience
Filmed interviews by Sephardi Voices UK with Bettina Caro and Jocelyne Shrago followed by discussion. Jacques Onona and Bettina Caro from Morocco together with Rabbi Israel Elia from Tunisia discuss their experiences of life in Arab countries and the circumstances of their departure.
Tuesday, November 25th, 2014
London Jewish Cultural Center
Tickets & Information
The Demise of Jewish Communities of the Arab World: Presentation with Nathan Weinstock
On the eve of 30 November, the official day to commemorate Jewish refugees from Arab lands, Harif together with Spiro Ark, is proud to be inviting to London as its special guest the writer and historian Nathan Weinstock, author of Une si longue presence: comment le monde arabe a perdu ses juifs (French and Hebrew). Mr. Weinstock will deliver a lecture explaining how a Belgian Ashkenazi Jew came to write the story of the eradication of the Jews from Arab lands. The story demands an understanding of the dhimma – Jewish social status under Islam – but also an appreciation of the repercussions of the Zionist-Palestinian conflict, leading to the great post WW2 Jewish exodus. Q&A to follow.
Saturday, November 29th
6:45pm
The Liberal Jewish Synagogue, 28 St. John’s Wood Road, London NW87HA
£10
Contact: education@spiroark.org, tel. 0207 289 6321 or info@harif.org, tel. 07506033848. www.harif.org
Jewish Refugee Day
Sunday, November 30th
Harif together with the Board of Deputies and the Israeli Embassy will be holding a private reception. A panel discussion with prominent personalities will be filmed and made available online
Contact: info@harif.org,
Amsterdam
Commemoration of the Expulsion of the Jews from Arab Lands
Film screening of Farewell Baghdad and a lecture titled “Jews from Arab Countries and Iran in Israeli Cinema: Images, Narratives, Memory” with scholar, Miri Talmon. This program is hosted by the Embassy of Israel
Sunday, November 30th
Theatre hall of Crea Cultural Student Center Amsterdam
Nieuwe Achtergracht 180
13:30 doors open
RSVP by Thursday, Novmber 27 to culture-assistance(AT)hague.mfa.gov.il
Free
International Mizrahi Commemoration Events
