Casa Sefarad at Nahalat Shalom
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By Schelly Talalay Dardashti
Who are we? Somos quienes?
Casa Sefarad, a 10-year program of Congregation Nahalat Shalom, gathers and unites the Sephardic Jews of New Mexico. Known as conversos , crypto-Jews or bnai anusim , the group gathers for celebration, community and learning. Programs include dinners, art exhibits, readings, concerts and dance.
At its core is a shared deep historical trauma resulting from the Inquisition’s aftermath, which split families and turned them against each other, attempted to destroy their identity and cut them off from their faith and, through exile, the land of their ancestors.
The groups’ roots are deep; some people began talking about a program 30 years ago. Some 16 years ago, pioneering Sephardic Shabbat services aired on KUNM-FM, led by Lorenzo Dominguez ( z’l ) and Dr. Maria Sanchez.
Included in the programming have been poetry, portraits and art shows in the synagogue and at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. One such project – Selfies for Sefarad – is an ongoing social media collection of photos of Sephardic Jews from around the world (Spain, Morocco, Mexico, Guatemala, Chile, the Caribbean, Jamaica, Netherlands, Dominican Republic, Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Cuba, Puerto Rico, the US, Canada, Germany and Portugal).
The Casa Sefarad umbrella at Nahalat Shalom provides an open door to those seeking a way into the Jewish community, and provides resources for genealogical research and Spanish/Portuguese citizenship. It ensures continuity for our younger and future generations, who will learn about their ancestors and family traditions.
Currently, some 150 individuals are on our mailing list. Many remain hidden and hesitant to enter a synagogue. A monthly Sephardic Shabbat potluck vegetarian-only dinner utilizes prayer and song in Ladino, Hebrew, Spanish and English. It is usually held on the second Friday of the month at 6.30pm, but please check for calendar changes at nahalatshalom.org.
The main activity now is the annual Festival Djudeo-Espanyol which, in 2018, will be the eighth festival focused on the history and culture of the Iberian Jewish presence in New Mexico and beyond through workshops, Shabbat programs, social activities and sharing of food, music and art.
With the establishment of a leadership committee and an advisory board, and with a generous 2017 grant from the New Mexico Jewish Federation, the group is exploring additional activities to increase outreach and education, including a Sephardic traditions weekend, continue the festival, plan Sephardic music concerts, a Sephardic film festival, an interfaith study group and provide Spanish/Portuguese citizenship information.
For more, call Nahalat Shalom, 505-343-8227, or email office@newmexicojewishelink.com . Maria Apodaca, of the leadership committee, can be reached at apodacam2003@newmexicojewishelink.com .
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