Sample Sources
The sources below are those contained in our three curated collections—covering themes of Passover, Gender Roles, and Holocaust Resistance. They represent a fraction of the thousands of sources that will be available when the full site launches in 2024.
Redressing Sepharad: Moroccan Jews, Colonial Modernity, and the Afterlives of al-Andalus
In this 1953 photo taken in Spain, members of the Moreno family from Tangier dress in a way that harkens to the Jewish past in Islamic al-Andalus and links them to modern Spain.
The Idea of the Arab Jew in Israel
Yehuda Shenhav reflects on his Iraqi Jewish roots and reclaims “Arab Jewish” identity, challenging Israel’s divide between Jews and Arabs.
The Israeli Black Panthers’ Haggadah: Voices of Mizrahi Protest
A 1971 protest text, the Black Panthers’ Haggadah blends Jewish ritual with political resistance, capturing the rise of Mizrahi activism in Israel.
Moroccan Jews in Their Hour of Decision: Carlos de Nesry’s Reflections
Carlos de Nesry’s “Moroccan Jews in Their Hour of Decision” reveals the dilemmas facing Morocco’s Jews as independence and migration reshaped their expectations for the future.
Baghdad, Yesterday: Sasson Somekh’s Memoir of Jewish Life in Iraq
Sasson Somekh’s memoir reflects on Jewish life in 20th-century Iraq—its culture, turmoil, and the mass migration to Israel.
The Bensaïd Family: Irma Ychou’s Portrait of Algerian Jews under French Rule
Irma Ychou’s 1947 novel explores Algerian Jewish life under French colonial rule, revealing generational change and cultural transformation.
Medal Honoring Moses Montefiore: The 1840 Damascus Affair
This Berlin-struck medal commemorates Moses Montefiore and Adolphe Crémieux’s 1840 mission, which freed Jews falsely accused in the Damascus Affair.
Guggenheim Bilbao
Located on the Nervión river in Bilbao, Spain, the Guggenheim Bilbao is a realization of the principles of deconstructivist architecture, a movement that emerged in the 1980s and sought to break from…
Shas and Likud: Competing for Mizrahi Voters in Israel
A 2019 Shas billboard reads “Bibi Needs a Strong Lion,” symbolizing the alliance—and rivalry—between Shas and Likud in the battle for Mizrahi voters.
Life in the Ma‘abarot: Mizrahi Jewish Immigrants in Early Israel
This image shows a family entering a transit camp (ma‘abara), where many Mizrahi Jewish immigrants from Arab lands faced challenging living conditions in 1950s Israel.
Ofra Haza’s Yemenite Songs: Reclaiming Mizrahi Roots in Israeli Music
Ofra Haza’s 1984 album Yemenite Songs fused Arabic and Hebrew music, celebrating Mizrahi and Yemenite Jewish heritage in Israeli pop culture.
“The New Colossus”: The Poem That Gave Voice to the Statue of Liberty
Sephardic American poet Emma Lazarus’s 1883 poem turned the Statue of Liberty into a symbol of refuge and welcome.