Community Magazine September 2011

Filling a Void Full of passion for his heritage, Yehuda Azoulay, a direct descendant of Hacham HaimYosef David Azoulay (the Hida, 1724- 1806), is determined to bring about, what he terms, “a revolution” of Sephardic education and cultural pride. As a student, he discovered a great void in the historical literature of the various Sephardic communities, particularly, the lives of the sages that have shaped halacha (Jewish law), mussar (Jewish thought), and tradition. The dearth of such material stood in stark contrast to the vast amounts of recorded history of the great Ashkenazic sages. “While I was in school,” he recalls, “I found many books in the library and in Judaic bookstores on the lives of influential Ashkenazic rabbis. But, except for a book that I found on Baba Sali z.s.l. , I couldn’t find one book on our great Sephardic sages.” With tireless energy and dedication, Azoulay set his mind on studying the great contributions that our sages had made to the Sephardic world, delving into the archives of museums and universities to uncover the stories of the lives and personalities of Sephardic Torah luminaries. “It wasn’t a question of whether this job should be undertaken,” he says. “The need for more Sephardic literature was clear – and becoming increasingly urgent. We need to know about our heritage to develop a sense of pride in our culture and in the rabbis who influenced us. This is who we are.” Azoulay aspired to “educate the uneducated” about our glorious history. His vision became a reality after years of research yielded the two-volume work A Legacy of Leaders: Inspiring S tories and Biographies of Sephardic Hachamim . These volumes, published in April, 2008 and December, 2009, have been hailed as “a wondrous, scrupulously researched collection of over one hundred stories about these revered hachamim ” that “brings their rich, spiritual legacy to life, providing inspiration to readers from all backgrounds.” They are intended both for home reading and as a research text, and the clear style and format make the works suitable for adults and children alike. The two volumes have been translated into Hebrew, French and Spanish, and distributed to Sephardic communities worldwide. MOZELLE MIMRAN At no other time in history has Sephardic pride been as visible and widespread as in our generation. With countless works about the great Sephardic luminaries of old coming to light at a breakneck pace, it would seem that we are on the cusp of a new era celebrating our heritage. Within our own community, scores of dedicated individuals have undertaken the task of recording and disseminating the rich historical account of our ancestors through print, the web, and even motion picture. Among the innovators at the forefront of this trend is Yehuda Azoulay, who had previously authored a two-volume anthology of great Sephardic sages, which illustrate the extraordinary sense of pride and commitment that is fueling this 21 st century Sephardic renaissance. Now, in his first full biography focused on a single sage, Azoulay has aptly chosen to headline an illustrious leader who himself is credited with spearheading a resurgence of Sephardic tradition and pride some 150 years ago. • • • 36 Community magazine