Basic HTML Version
MARC 1). ANGEL
Recent Books in English on
Sephardim
i n
a n
a r t i c l e
I wrote for the
Jewish Book Annual
(Vol. 35,
1977/78) I had lamented the widespread ignorance about Se
phardic history and culture. I noted that while a num ber o f
historians had devoted serious research to Sephardim o f me
dieval Spain, “the Sephardic communities (post-16th century)
have been left in darkness, without benefit o f adequate historical
study.” How can people learn more about Sephardim unless
there is research and publication? How can the impo rtan t con
tributions o f this segment o f the Jewish people become better
known and understood unless scholars study and writers write?
In the relatively short span o f time separating that article from
this one, the picture has changed significantly. T h e re has been
a burst o f interest in the Sephardic experience. Lectures, sym
posia, concerts and exhibitions on Sephardic themes have be
come much more widespread. Publications have also expanded
considerably, and there is now an impressive (and growing) lit
e ra tu re about Sephardim in English, Hebrew, Spanish, French
and o ther languages.
The following books, in English, provide insight into the Se
phardic experience. As in the case o f my previous article, I use
the term “Sephardic” in the broad sense, to include not only
Jews o f Iberian background but also those who are culturally,
liturgically and halakhically close to them.
I. THE JEW S OF SPAIN
A s h t o r , E l i y a h u .
The Jews of Moslem Spain,
3 volumes, Philadelphia,
1973, 1979, 1984.
B a e r , Y i t z h a k .
The Jews of Christian Spain,
2
volumes, Philadelphia,
1961, 1971.
48