Community Magazine October 2010

It all began when Joseph J. Sitt learned from Rabbi Raymond Sultan that a unique collection of original, unpublished Torah manuscripts written by Syrian rabbis was to be put up for sale. These manuscripts were spared from the violent anti-Semitic riots that erupted in Syria after the formation of the State of Israel in 1948, during which synagogues in Aleppo were set ablaze and most of their books destroyed. This veritable treasure trove of documents includes such items as a handwritten siddur of Rabbi Haim Cohen (student of Rav Haim Vital) and a scholarly work on halacha by Hacham Mordechai Abadi z.s.l. (grandfather of Hacham Matloub Abadi z.s.l. ). “If Hacham Ovadia Yosef shelita would get his hands on this sefer ,” Rabbi Sultan remarked – referring to Hacham Mordechai’s unpublished manuscript – “he would devour every word of it. It’s a masterful work.” “It’s an amazing collection,” Mr. Sitt described, “the crown jewel of our community’s legacy.” At the time, the trove was considered the largest collection of unpublished Syrian rabbinic material in the world. “The feeling was,” Rabbi Sultan recalls, “that we could not lose these books, which convey our heritage to our children. Children today know so little about their past or where they came from. The days in the old country were the golden years. All the families in our community are connected to the greatest rabbis. These books represent the backbone of the community.” The Syrian Jewish community dates back approximately to the period of the King David, and for millennia was a thriving and exemplary center of Torah life. The Rambam, in one of his published letters, marveled at the religious devotion, Torah scholarship and work ethic that characterized the Jews of Aleppo, Syria. Some two centuries later, Syria was a natural destination for a large population of the Jewish refugees expelled from Spain. Damascus became the home of Rav Haim Vital z.s.l. (1543-1620), the most famous disciple of the Arizal (Rav Yizhak Luria z.s.l. , 1534-1572), and countless other towering Torah figures. This extraordinary community succeeded in preserving its unique identity and customs for many hundreds of years, in both turbulent and tranquil times, through war and peace, and through hunger and prosperity. DAVID MIZRAHI Photos copyright of Sephardic Heritage Museum, taken by Jason Hamacher. 30 Community magazine The most ambitious project of its kind in the history of the Syrian and Near Eastern Jewish community has been quietly and passionately moving forward under the radar for eight years now. On October 24th at Lincoln Center ’s Avery Fisher Hall, the lid will be blown off this massive and historic endeavor in what is being billed as the largest gathering of our community ever. The Biggest Syrian-Sephardic Project You’ve Never Heard About