Florence, Italy – Sephardic Transcendence
I was deeply moved by my visit to Florence. Of course, no one would be surprised by that reaction, but for me it wasn’t a result of the city of […]
My Odyssey to Discover and Touch Past and Present Spanish Jewish Life
I was deeply moved by my visit to Florence. Of course, no one would be surprised by that reaction, but for me it wasn’t a result of the city of […]
As much as I love discovering the communities of the Western Sephardim, I’ve come to realise that sometimes travel isn’t enough – some things are only preserved in the pages […]
Venice’s Jewish cemetery is reachable only by boat. It is located on the island of Lido, just to the east of the lagoon city. In fact, it’s been Venice’s place […]
Since visiting Venice for the first time last year I’ve been dreaming of going back. For me Venice is more about being there than about anything in particular that you […]
You can’t have a Caribbean Jewish history like Curacao’s Mikve Israel-Emanuel without leaving a footprint. These physical echoes not only tell us about the past, but they also can tell […]
There is a magical feeling in Curacao’s Mikve Israel synagogue (‘Snoa’). Constructed in 1732, it is the oldest surviving synagogue in the Americas. It is gorgeous. With its sand floors and […]
Even today, the signs are all still there. The Maduro and Curiel’s bank, the Senior Curacao Blue liquor, the Gomez store, the Penha building, and the Jewish year 5466 written […]
Since my arrival at Bevis Marks Synagogue I’ve felt conflicted about Benjamin Disraeli’s place within the S&P narrative. Disraeli was born a Jew in 1804, was a member of Bevis Marks, and is […]
I recently discovered more significant Jewish history in Hamburg than I had ever expected to find there. It turns out that Hamburg played an instrumental role in both the early […]
Tiny and hidden away is the second cemetery of New York’s first Jewish congregation, Shearith Israel. Located in Greenwich Village on West 11th st., it was in use from 1805-1829. This […]