It’s no secret to my family and friends that I have a deep passion for teaching, that I especially love teaching young students, and that my number one go-to topic is the wisdom and brilliance of great Sephardic rabbis. How cool that last week in Tiberias, in the shadow of rockets and a brewing war up north, all three of these passions magically came together for me, with a cohort of brilliant students in the Elul Min Ha’Mizrah program.
The brainchild of Sephardic-Mizrahi intellectuals and activists in Israel, Elul Min Hamizrah (Elul from the East) is a unique program that places the literature, halakha, philosophy, liturgy, poetry, art and music of Sephardic-Mizrahi Judaism at the center of the experience, for a select cross section of young Israeli men and women from all backgrounds and walks of life. Through these intellectual and artistic mediums – taught by master teachers and scholars – the students explore identity, diversity, current-day social and political issues, and the meaning of Sephardic-Mizrahi traditions and philosophy in the modern world.
Different than programs who might “include one Sephardic session” as a token gesture, at Elul Min Hamizrah, Sephardic-Mizrahi Judaism is the heart, mind and soul of the program.
There are two versions of Elul Min Hamizrah – a one-month program down south in Yeruham, and a ten-day version up north in Tiberias. I was privileged to teach both, and I loved both! The students were super cool, diverse, brilliant, spiritual, educated and smart. They were curious, open-minded, and eager to explore their Sephardic-Mizrahi roots in ways they had never done before. For most, this was the first time their Sephardic-Mizrahi heritage took center stage as a voice for social change in Israel.
I taught some of my favorite texts – Rabbis Uziel, Nissim, Messas, Ovadia Yosef – on women’s issues, halakha and the modern world, teshuva and humanism, and halakhic views on the hostage crisis. Together we studied, debated, shared stories, laughed, cried and ended our sessions with big hugs of friendship.
I loved both groups, but developed a special bond with the one in Tiberias. I taught them on Thursday, and they asked if I can come again. Flattered and thrilled, I couldn’t say no to that – so after a wonderful Shabbat with Ilan in his new home on Kibbutz Degania – I went back on Sunday for one more round with this beautiful group. I look forward to meeting with them again and again throughout the year.
I feel confident that these passionate young minds will take the Sephardic-Mizrahi wisdom of Elul Min Hamizrah and spread it beyond Elul – for all of Israeli society’s benefit.
Israel’s future has never looked so bright, and it’s certainly never had such a cool Sephardic-Mizrahi vibe.
Tizku L’Shanim Rabot and Shana Tova
Rabbi Daniel Bouskila is the international director of the Sephardic Educational Center.
