Pio jurnal "Los Muestros" dela mi alma, Termine la anyada i sus maldisyones! Empese la anyada i sus bindisyones! Este anio me tresali de alegria porke por la primera vez de mi vida, pasi los santos diyas de Roshana en la kolonia Sefaradi de Seward Park, aki en la sivdad de Siatli.(3)
Yes, this Rosh Ashana was entirely different for me. As some "Penserios" readers know, I have recently transplanted myself to Seattle, in the glorious state of Washington, home today to perhaps the most vibrant Ladino-speaking community in the United States. This community was first founded in 1903 when a few Turkino,(4) and later, Rodesli,(5) bachelors came to try their fortune in the fishing industry. A community soon grew in the Central area of Seattle and, after World War II, was transplanted to its present location in Seward Park.
It is well known that Seattle boasts two of the top ten industries that have the most influence in the United States this year. Microsoft (no surprise!) is number one and Amazon.com comes in at number six. In recent years, Seattle has also become a national trend-setter. This city is largely responsible for the coffee craze that has infiltrated as far as the east coast (consider Starbucks and Seattle's Best Coffee, for example).
But what is little known is that the Sefaradim of Seattle have also had an enormous impact on this city, and indeed, nation- wide. In fact, it is the Sefaradim who have earned Seattle's Jewish community its national reputation, according to one journalist writing in the early 1980's. (6) Did you know, for example, that Egghead software was founded by Victor Alhadeff, a Seattle Sepharadi ? And have you heard that the recently opened Benaroya Symphony Hall downtown bears the last name of its Seattle Sephardic philanthropists? Within the Jewish community, Sephardic Seattle also distinguishes itself. Seattle has produced more Sephardic rabbis than any other American city, according to historian Harold Droker.(7) And many of these rabbis are nationally and even internationally prominent. One of these, of course, is our own Rabbi Dr. Marc Angel, spiritual leader of New York's Congregation Shearith Israel, a founder of our dear Sephardic House, and an internationally known scholar. Rabbis from this community aound. Just last summer, at the Maimon family reunion here in Seattle, it was observed that 10 of the 138 individuals present (roughly half male) were rabbis; and that does not even include the Maimon rabbis who could not be present at this occasion. This at a time when assimilation continues as a major concern on the American Jewish agenda.
Today, there are two Sephardic synagogues in Seward Park. The one I visited is Ezra Bessarot ("help in times of need",) which has preserved a great deal of Ladino in its daily and holiday liturgy, especially in the High Holy Day prayers. Isaac Azose, who has served as hazzan for nearly 34 years, is retiring at the end of this year (1999) and will be replaced by Aryeh Greenberg (son of the Rabbi Emeritus, William Greenberg), who will ensure that the Ladino legacy endures. For those who have never heard these lovely Hebrew and Ladino cantilation and melodies, a CD of Hazzan Azose's liturgical music has recently appeared and is available through Sephardic House. Hazzan Azose has also printed a number of booklets of Ladino prayers, which the congregation still uses yearly. Thanks largely to his efforts, Ladino shall not die.
Moving to Seattle caused me much reflection. I believe that moving is one of the most soul-searching experiences in one's life. In taking an inventory of your material possessions, are you not in effect taking an inventory of your life? Of your spiritual state? Every item must be handled, considered, and meditated upon before you pack. What does this object reveal about your life? About you? Do you sell this object? Give it away? Toss it? Place it in storage? Ship it? And it is at moving time that you feel most weighed down by physical objects. You may even be overcome with an impulse to rid yourself of everything just for the sake of being free from hassle.
During my own move, I confirmed that probably 90% of my possessions are books. Now, books are wonderful objects, but they are heavy and take up so much space! So burdened did I feel that for several days I seriously considered selling or giving the bulk of my books away. But fortunately, my Nona Satula(8) came to me in a dream and advised me against it. "No, Serena, no!", me konsejo, "No puedes vender tus livros, ni echarlos abasho. Akodrate de loke muestros savios moz ambezaron: "la valuta del livro no ay presio."(9) Books are not material objects, my Nona explained, they are knowledge which simply happens to exist in a material form. And furthermore, my Nona reminded me, our Sephardic sages advise: "dime loke meldas, te dire ken sos!"(10) Thanks to my Nona's nocturnal intercession, I decided to pack up all my books and ship them to Seattle. And in the spirit of Sephardic Seattle, I have also decided to include a very recent portrait of myself, which you will find above.
And so, mis amigas i amigos,(11) I leave you with these Sephardic thoughts from Seattle. In the coming instalments, I hope to share with you more of my impressions of Sephardic Seattle, kon las kualas kedo, ni soniando, ni durmiendo, tu, Amiga Serena en Siatli.(12)
De Los Meldadores de "Sephardic House Newsletter"
Amiga Serena kere rengrasiar a Marco Crudo por su linda letra, eskrita en la lingua Espaniola. Bendicho seya el ke la bendize.
"Querida "Amiga Serena":- No se quien es Usted, pero si se que la admiro fervientemente por su notable trabajo de la columna "Penserios de Nieta".- Es lo primero que leo cuando tengo la suerte de recibir "Newsletter" de "Sephardic House." Bendicha sea la mano que escribe estos articulos.- Desde Rhode Island . Con amor - Marco Crudo."
From the Readers of "Sephardic House Newsletter"
Amiga Serena wishes to thank Marco Crudo for his lovely letter, written in the Spanish language. May he who blesses her be blessed.
"Dear "Amiga Serena":- I do not know who you are, but I do know that I admire you fervently for your remarkable work on the column, "Anxieties of a Granddaughter."- It is the first thing I read when I have the fortune of receiving the "Newsletter" of "Sephardic House." Blessed be the hand that writes these articles.- From Rhode Island - With love - Marco Crudo."
"I so enjoy reading your newsletter, especially "Penserios de Nieta." Dolores J. Sloan, Santa Monica, CA
Amiga Serena would also love to hear from readers of "Los Muestros." Please send all correspondence to:
Amiga Serena
c/o Moise Rahmani Editeur
Los Muestros 25 rue Dodonée
B-1180 Bruxelles (Belgium)
(1) Anxieties of a Granddaughter
(2) Serena in Seattle: The New Year 5760
(3) Pious Sephardic House of my soul,
May the year with its curses terminate!
May the year with its blessings begin!
This year I was overcome with happiness because, for the first time in my life, I spent the holy days of Rosh Hashana in the Sephardic community of Seward Park, here in the city of Seattle.
(4) From Turkey (in this case, Marmara, near Istanbul.)
(5) From the island of Rhodes.
(6) Cynthia H. Wilson, "On Being a Jew in Seattle," The Weekly (December 8-14, 1982): 31-37; 32.
(7) Howard A. Droker, "A Coat of Many Colors: The History of Seattle's Jewish Community," Portage: The Magazine of the Historical Society of Seattle and King County, 4:2 (spring 1983): 4-9; 6.
(8) Grandmother Satula [that is, Bula Satula, the author of the Ladino advice columns that appeared in the New York Ladino press from 1913-1934.]
(9) "No, Serena, no!", she counselled, "You mustn't sell your books, nor throw them away. Remember what our sages taught us: 'the value of the book, is priceless.'"
(10) "Tell me what you read, and I shall tell you who you are."
(11) My (female) and (male) friends.
(12) With which I remain, neither dreaming nor sleeping, your, Amiga Serena in Seattle!