Foundations of Sephardic Spirituality: The Inner Life of Jews of the Ottoman Empire »

Jewish tradition teaches that each person is put on earth to accomplish a unique mission. This is true of individuals but is also true of civilizations.

Rabbi Marc Angel delves into the history of the Judeo-Spanish people of the Ottoman Empire and uncovers the cultural influences that helped them maintain their pride, honor and sense of well-being, even during the long years when they were in economic and political distress. A first-of-its-kind look at the spiritual lives of Sephardic Jews, this informative and inspiring work shows you what their culture has to say about the triumph of the human spirit then and now.

Publishers Weekly

Despite the esoteric title, this exploration of Judeo-Spanish communities is more than a scholarly treatise. Angel, rabbi of Shearith Israel, the Spanish-Portuguese synagogue in New York, grew up in Seattle with Turkish-born grandparents who spoke Ladino (a form of medieval Spanish). He documents the historical foundations, cultural values and religious underpinnings of his own Sephardic roots. In the early 20th century, the Ottoman Empire was home to more than 400,000 Jews, making it the fifth-largest Jewish community in the world. Because these Sephardim felt little need to integrate into the larger culture, they maintained a language that dated back to the expulsion from Spain in 1492. They suffered abject poverty, discrimination, humiliation and political weakness. However, because of both internal attitudes and external factors, their self-perception was bolstered with faith in God, a belief in their own rich heritage and in their place in the world to come. Angel sprinkles his readable narratives with scholarly citations as well as superstitions, rituals, Ladino folklore, songs and sayings. This valuable historic journey demonstrates the "triumph of the human spirit," resolute in its optimism and dignity. (Apr.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.