JUDY FRANKEL

Ahavath Achim's Sephardic Film Festival begins Nov. 11

By DEBORAH MOON

article created on: 2008-11-01T00:00:00

The second annual Sephardic Film Festival, which begins with a double feature Nov. 11, will focus on communities that have largely disappeared since the Holocaust and the creation of Israel.

The free series at Congregation Ahavath Achim is sponsored by Barry and Susan Menashe and Ruben and Elizabeth Menashe. Following each film, a guest speaker will provide context and answer questions about the film. (See box for schedule).

“We want to introduce people to the culture of non-Ashkenazic Jews,” said David Tver, who will co-host the film series with Golda Edwards. “We have films of Sephardic and Mizrachi (eastern) Jews from the Arab lands of the Middle East, from Persia, China and India. One film is a comedy dealing with a culture clash in Israel.”

“A lot of Jewish communities were destroyed by the Arab expulsion of Jews after the creation of the state of Israel,” said Ahavath Achim President Richard Matza. “Several of the films reflect that theme.”

One film will look at the Sephardic Jews of Mexico who now find themselves in the minority with the increase of Ashkenazi Jews since the Holocaust.

Avi Tayar, who sits on the film festival committee, will speak following the March 17 film on the Jews of Lebanon. His mother’s family was from Lebanon and in 1941, she moved to the area that became Israel. Tayar said the film looks at the Labanese Jewish community before the creation of the state of Israel.

Tver said that the perspectives presented in the film are diverse. For instance, the director of the Dec. 9 film, “Jews of Iran,” is a Muslim woman who received permission from the Iranian government to make the film.

The series begins with two films on the Jews of Segovia, Spain, produced by University of Portland Professor Kate Regan, who will speak at the opening event Nov. 11. “Fiestaremos and Sepahardic Legacy of Segovia Spain presents the story of musician, singer and performer Judy Frankel, who died earlier this year. Interspersed with her recordings of songs are her insights on the importance of this rich musical tradition and footage of her work with Sephardic individuals.

Frankel learned many of the Sephardic songs from Jewish descendeants of 15th century Spain and Portugal. She has been credited with preserving much of the Sephardic music tradition.

Regan is a professor of Spanish and chair of the Foreign Languages department at the University of Portland. She conducts extensive research into the Sephardic literature and culture of Medieval Spain, among other areas.

Regan’s second film to be shown Nov. 11 is “The Sephardic Legacy of Segovia Spain: Pentimento of the Past.” This documentary about the recovery and restoration of the medieval Jewish quarter of Segovia, Spain, looks at the cultural legacy of Sephardic Jews in a post-Inquisition, post-Holocaust world.

The series continues through April 14. All films are free and begin at 7 p.m. followed by guest speaker and group discussion. Films are shown at Ahavath Achim, 3225 SW Barbur Blvd. Light refreshments will be served at each film. For more information, call Ahavath Achim at 503-227-0010.