Jeffrey S.
Malka - Bergenfield, NJ: Avotaynu, 2003.
7"x10"
hardcover 384pp. $45.00
A review by S. Alfassa-Marks, Foundation for the Advancement of
Sephardic Studies and Culture
www.sephardicstudies.org
This nice sized volume brings together in printed
form for the first time a collection of sources for obtaining genealogical
information which may be of use to Sephardic Jews researching their family tree.
It is a well assembled work of some 360 pages with a very useful set of indexes
divided by Sephardic surnames as well as general terms. Broken up into four core
divisions, the book covers history of the Sephardim, fundamentals of genealogy,
country resources divided by specific country, and Internet resources. There are
multiple appendices which cover material such as forms, charts and historical
data. Under the country headings is a very useful recommended reading list for
each specific country. Other than
the United States, the author includes data on countries from where the
Sephardim came from which include Algeria, the Balkans, Egypt, Italy, Iran,
Iraq, Morocco, Netherlands, Spain, Sudan, Syria, Turkey (and the Ottoman Empire)
as well as countries of the Caribbean and South
America.
The reader will particularly appreciate large amount of Sephardic
surnames which have etymological origins, as well as their own index. It covers
source material both in the modern era, as well as potential sources for
genealogical information prior to the Iberian expulsion. An index of subjects
printed in Jewish journals related to the Sephardim provides a handy reference.
The utility of this work is found in the listing of specific addresses where one
can send correspondence to seek information. Under each country are archival
sources, listed with various points of contact. The fifteen page bibliography is
itself a tool for those conducting Sephardic ancestral
research.
Dr. Malka accurately explains the little known fact that
“population trades” existed between Spain and Morocco. This helps understand who
is “Sephardic” when looking back at ones own history. He incorporates both
Mizrahi (eastern Jews) with Jews whose descent is from Iberia in his definition
of “Sephardic.” Though many Judeo-Spanish Sephardim do not support this
inclusion, he is correct in his grouping of Jewish people from countries which
made up the former Ottoman Empire as being Sephardic. This includes such modern
countries of Egypt, Syria and Iraq. Utilizing expert opinions such as those by
the late Sephardic scholar Daniel Elazar, the author upholds a popular academic
and religious point of view that Sephardim--are those who follow the religious
rite and laws which are outlined in the Babylonian Talmud and the Shuklan
Arukh, the Code of Jewish Law.
The title of the book “Sephardic Genealogy: Discovering Your
Sephardic Ancestry and Their World,” is appropriate. The author has assembled a
well written condensed section of Sephardic Jewish history, from the times of
the Prophets to modern day. The
incorporation of Sephardic history in a book on genealogy gets my praise, as I
feel one who researches their own family history, should also learn something
about their people’s history. Peppering the initial portion of the book with
paragraphs on Jews in Babylon, the Gaonim and subjects as unusual as Jews in the
Amazon, make this book more than just a simple list of
sources.
There are 19 illustrations and maps which though are fundamental,
can aid understanding of some key issues. In the sources for genealogical
information sections under specific country headings, it is clear that the
author has integrated up to date information. As one example, he notes that in
Egypt, though it is difficult and may take years to obtain genealogical data,
the elderly members of the Jewish community are currently seeking Hebrew readers
from abroad to help them “organize their records.” Sometimes gathering material
from Sephardic lands, former or present, may involve issues pertaining to
politics, language barriers and indifference. Malka clearly states this, and
occasionally provides tips on how to address some of these
issues.
While “Sephardic Genealogy: Discovering Your Sephardic Ancestry
and Their World” documents the existing sources where one potentially may obtain
data, the genealogical professional may be left looking for a slightly deeper
examination of each of these sources. I would be remiss if I did not mention one
of the most significant strong points of this publication, it is its existence.
Until this was published, there were no books for the genealogist who is
descendant from a Sephardic family. Malka’s documentation of obscure sources are
impressive.
Written at a time when Sephardic genealogy is quite popular, this
book will fill a vacuum which has existed since the Internet helped develop the
explosive growth of researching ones family tree. Unlike numerous recent Jewish
genealogical books, usually by non-Sephardic Jews, Malka himself is Sephardic,
and he is writing for the masses with an intrinsic interest to help lead his
fellow Sephardi to obtain information. A large majority of the material which
went into this work came from the authors own website, which he had previously
researched and assembled. Given the “here today gone tomorrow” aspect of the
Internet, the printing of this book allows the material to have a permanent
record. “Sephardic Genealogy” is an embarkation into the new genre of Sephardic
genealogical research. With this book, Malka has planted the seeds where I
suspect new flowers will germinate. The book is recommended to all persons
interested in researching their Sephardic Jewish family roots.