Letters to the Editor
Here is a selection of the many letters that we received. If you have any comments about Sephardic Horizons, feel free to send them to sephar@sephardichorizons.org.
The opinions of letter writers do not necessarily represent those of the editors of Sephardic Horizons.
Dear Judith,
I enjoy so much reading the Sephardic Horizons Newsletter. I wanted to let you know that I have a new CD coming out on May 22nd, and I hope this is something that can be announced in the next issue? The album (my third) is called Gracia, and it's named after Dona Gracia Naci, one of my biggest inspirations. Much of the album includes original Ladino songs that I wrote (including the title track which I composed for Dona Gracia), and also features some compositions I adapted from colleagues in the field such as Matilda Koen-Sarano and Betty Klein. The music is not traditional; instead the songs are contemporary both in style and interpretation. You can learn all about the album here:
http://www.saraharoeste.com/music
The official public release date is May 22nd, 2012— it will be available then in all major outlets mostly via the web (Amazon, iTunes, CDBaby etc). I believe Amazon is already taking pre-orders…
In the meantime, I am releasing teaser sound clips and other relevant information, via my website, leading up to the release (http://www.saraharoeste.com).
Thank you so much! Please be in touch if you have any questions or if I can provide any more information.
All best wishes,
Sarah Aroeste
Hello,
I am a historian doing research on Sephardic Jews in Los Angeles. I came across your journal in my search for information about Rabbi Michel Albagli, who was born in Rhodes , and as a result I thought that you might be able to help me obtain some information that I am looking for pertaining to Rabbi Albagli.
Specifically, I am trying to find out if he was ever at the head of a congregation in Los Angeles, and if so, what the name of that congregation was. I know that Rabbi Albagli became the head of the congregation Ahavath Achim in Portland in 1966, so he would have headed a congregation in Los Angeles before that date.
Thanks in advance if you can help me with this query.
Sincerely,
Nadia Malinovich
Associate Professor, Université d'Amiens (France)
nmalinovich@gmail.com
Cara Judith,
ho dato un'occhiata e mi ha interessato la presenza nel primo articolo di una famiglia ebraica di cognome Crispin /Crespin. Questo perché in una stele funeraria ebraica di Ravenna, dove vivo, datata alla metà del XVI secolo, compare questo cognome קרספין .
L'ho appena pubblicata in un volume sul cimitero ebraico di Lugo:
M. Perani, Antonio Pirazzini e Giacomo Corazzol, Il cimitero ebraico di Lugo, Corpus epitaphiorum hebraicorum Italiae, 2, Firenze, Giuntina, 2011.
Chissà se c'è una continuità! Hai il mail dell'autore?
Grazie, Ciao, Mauro.
*******
Prof. Mauro Gabriele Perani
Dip.to di Conservazione dei Beni Culturali
dell'Alma Mater
vicolo degli Ariani, 1 - 48121 Ravenna - ITALIA
Member of the Executive Commettee of the European Association for Jewish Studies (EAJS) http://www.eurojewishstudies.org
President of the Associazione Italiana per lo Studio del Giudaismo (AISG) http://www.aisg.it
Tel. +39.0544.936782; Fax +39.0544.936781
E-mail: mauro.perani@unibo.it
Curriculum vitae: www.dismec.unibo.it/cat3/perani/CV-Mauro-Perani-English-January-2008.pdf
Bibliography: http://www.humnet.unipi.it/medievistica/aisg/AISG_Perani/Perani.html
Opening ceremony of The 15th World Congress of Jewish Studies
Jerusalem, 2.8.2009: see video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8h1yszUvuI
from minute 0.27 to 0.33
The following two letters were forwarded to Sephardic Horizons:
Dear Dr Kirchheimer:
Mrs Rachel Amado Bortnick sent me your article about Izmir, Turkey. I was born in Izmir, and I am active with the Kol Sephardic Choir here in Los Angeles.
I was surprised that while you were in Izmir, you did not search and find your Devidas--family members of Izmir.
When I was a child, our neighbors were Nisim, Devidas, Raphael Devidas, Benjam Devidas, etc.
I do not know if they are alive today. Certainly their descendants are alive.
Many of us regret that we left Turkey. Certainly all of us have nostalgia about the old days in Izmir.
Sincerely,
Eliezer Kapuya, Esquire
lawkapuya@cs.com
-----
Dear Dr Kirchheimer,
It is O.K for my letter to be printed in Sephardic Horizions. Occasionally, i write in Ladinokomunita & in Loz Iamirliz. Recently I wrote in L.K. about the Jews of Milas. My mother is Milasli; also my wife is Milasli. My mother came to Izmir and married an Izmirli, Joseph Kapuya. My father died in Afyon, when he went for business at age of 33 years old, I was one and half years old when he died. I never saw my father. In 1950, due to poverty, my mother sent me to Israel to Aliyat Hanoar, so the government will take care of me. The few years I lived in Izmir, I remember my childhood vividly. In fact, one of the Devidas brothers, the older one Nissim Devidas, approached my mother, and he wanted to marry her. I remember when he tried to flirt with her. As you know, in Turkey it was very hard for a bachelor marrying a woman
with a small child.
As a child I attended every Friday and Saturday the Beth Israel synagogue in Izmir. I used to walk to the synagogue all alone. Two miles each way. I do not want to bore you with my life. However here in Los Angeles we have the Kol Sephardic Choir, the only Sephardic adult choir in the world. We just produced our first C.D. “Todas las kantigas de Espanya estan Maraviosas.” Please send a copy of this e-mail to Ms Judith Roumani, I will write to her later
separately,
Kon muncho gusto,
Eliezer Kapuya
From the same correspondent:
Dear Ms. Roumani:
I know very well Mr Leon Taranto. We have been corresponding together for many years. He sent me all that he found about the Kapuya Family. His report is about 58 pages long. Recently, he told me that my grandfather and one of his relatives were doing business together. I learned from Leon Taranto that my father died on June 30, 1940. Occasionally, I give him some tips about different people. Of course you can print my writings in Sephardic Horizons. Also, if you tell me how to subscribe to your magazine, I would be very happy to receive the magazine. Also, if you are going to publish something with my name, I would like to have one copy of that page. At this time, I will find the occasion to introduce to you our unique Sephardic Adult Choir in Los Angeles. The name of the choir is Kol Sephardic Choir. We just recently published a CD of all the judeo-espanol songs. The owner of the choir and its director is Mr Raphael Ortasse. He happens to be visiting me today in my office. I wll give him a copy of this email. I will tell him to write directly to you concerning the choir.
Kol Sephardic Choir is a non-profit choir. I know that Mr Ortasse will communicate with you concerning the choir. If you have additional questions, please contact me.
E .Kapuya
Dear book friend,
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Recent Books From Israel
No. 446, April 2012 (Nissan, 5772).
The catalogue contains 404 new titles which are divided into few files:
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2. Non-Hebrew titles.
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We hope you enjoy this new selection of Israeli books.
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WE WISH YOU A WONDERFUL AND HAPPY AND KOSHER PESAH.
Oren Mass
Manager
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