FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW EXHIBITION:

Jerusalem and the Jews of Spain:
Longing and Reality

Contact: Lynne Winters at 212.294.8350 x2

NEW YORK, NY (October 2, 2009) Jerusalem and the Jews of Spain: Longing and Reality, curated by Shelomo Alfassa, focuses on the historic longing of the Jews of Spain to return to Jerusalem, and the realization of that dream. The Opening Program and Reception will be held October 15, 2009 at the Center for Jewish History in New York.

From time immemorial the Jews of Iberia possessed a deep longing to dwell in their holy city of Jerusalem. The Spanish Inquisition and the subsequent expulsion of the Jewish communities of Spain in 1492 coincided with a period of the expansion of the Ottoman Empire. It was during this period that a majority of Jews that had fled Spain relocated to the Ottoman Empire, being welcomed by the Sultan. With the Turkish advance into Palestine 25 years later, the Spanish Jews that had relocated to Salonika and other parts of the Empire were now free to go to Jerusalem - no passport required.

This exhibition focuses on both the longing and reality of the Spanish Jews. By employing a timeline, the exhibition will spotlight Sephardic aspirations from the 10th through the 20th centuries. The exhibition will be presented through the implementation of artistically designed textual displays, documents, poetry, pull quotes, non-photo images (e.g. lithographs and engravings), historic photos, captions, replications of historic documents, and other visuals which demonstrate the presence of Spanish Jewry arriving in Jerusalem and the holy land.

Dr. Ross Brann, 'Milton R. Konvitz Professor of Judeo-Islamic Studies,' Cornell University will present the keynote address, introducing the year-long program on the Jews of Spain.

Free for ASF members
General Admission $8 at the door
Reservations requested. Please call: 212-294-8350 ext. 0
or e-mail info@americansephardifederation.org

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