The Turkish festival is fun for the entire family: ◗ Folk Dancing Performances ◗ Turkish Arts and Crafts Vendors ◗ Kids' Games, Arts & Crafts ◗ Turkish Coffeehouse and Fortunes ◗ Cultural Activities.

SHIN-DC has worked with organizer American Turkish Association of Washington DC (ATADC) on the following Turkish Sephardic entertainment & activities:

Visit our interactive Sephardic cultural tent

• 12PM Susan Barocas, food writer & chef to share recipes & give a talk: ‘From Spain to the Ottoman Empire—Two Great Cuisines Brought Together by Turkey's Jews’
• Ladino culture & language games
• Write your name in Solitreo (Ladino script)
• Tavla (backgammon) & Avla (Ladino for "shmooze")
• Ladino music (play list from Ladino radio personality Simone Salmón)
• Order a SIGNED copy of Stella’s Sephardic Table: Jewish family recipes from the Mediterranean island of Rhodes by Stella Cohen. Cost: $40 (retails for $50 unsigned). SHIN-DC to donate 10% of each sale to Turkish Educational Foundation, a 501(c)(3) dedicated to educating children-in-need in Turkey. 

Also enjoy the entertainment @ the Festival Stage

• 1PM SHIN-DC friend and mentor Dr. Judith Cohen to perform Turkish/Ladino music with Greek master oudist Spyros Pilios Koliavasilis.
• 3:15PM SHIN-DC's Community Outreach Fellow Valeriya Nakshun to perform some traditional dances with the Silk Road Dance Company.

Free (no registration required)

Contact: info@shindc.org (including inquiries to volunteer at the Festival or our booth)

Location: Pennsylvania Ave NW between 12 & 14 Streets

#Food #Music #Dance #Culture

First-ever immersive, outdoor Syrian cultural festival in the nation's capital.

• Take home (or order) SIGNED copy of Poopa Dweck’s Aromas of Aleppo – the Legendary Cuisine of Syrian Jews. Cost: $40.00 (retails $50 unsigned). SHIN-DC to donate 10% of each sale to Syria Relief & Development, a 501(c)(3) providing humanitarian aid to Syrians affected by violence, hunger, poverty, injury & displacement.
• Enjoy Syrian Jewish music, including Asher Shasho Levy’s Aram Soba.
• Check out book The History of the Jews of Aleppo. Beautiful photos (some from Syria about 10 years ago) courtesy of Sephardic Heritage Museum
• 3PM: Syria Fest Program includes SHIN-DC’s Founding Director Franz Afraim Katzir speaking about Syrian Jewish history & culture.

Hosts: Syria Cultural House & Syria Fest

Contact: info@shindc.org

Location: Pennsylvania Ave NW & 14 St NW

Dir. Irene Orleansky | (96 min, Israel, 2016) | English Hebrew Amharic with English subtitles | Documentary
DC Premiere

Former Sephardic Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, of blessed memory, advocated for the Jews of Ethiopia.  Out of this special connectiuon, SHIN-DC co-presents this film to learn more about Jewish communities of Ethiopia.

Following a hundred-year-old account of the prominent Jewish scholar Jacque Faitlovich, filmmaker and distinguished ethnomusicologist Irene Orleansky travels to Africa to discover and explore a small and secretive group of Ethiopian Jews known as Bal Ej (craftsmen).

Frequently persecuted by their neighbors and deprived of land ownership rights, they outwardly disguise themselves as Christians and practice Judaism in strict secrecy. A fascinating investigation of the history, religious practice, and cultural (especially musical) contributions of this previously unrecorded African Jewish community.

Both screenings followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Irene Orleansky. Moderated by SHIN-DC's founding director Franz Afraim Katzir.

Address: 5/18 (E Street Cinema, 555 11th Street NW, Washington, DC) | 5/21 (AFI Silver Theatre, 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, MD)

Dir. Manoussos Manoussakis | (118 min, Greece, 2016) | Greek with English subtitles  | Narrative | DC Premiere

A smash box-office hit in Greece, Cloudy Sunday tracks a tumultuous wartime romance between a Jewish girl and Christian resistance fighter. The sweeping epic brings to screen the untold story of Thessaloniki’s Sephardic community; the drama of a love torn asunder by the cruel realities of war; and acts as a testament to the indomitability of the human spirit. Set to the haunting music of legendary Sephardic composer Vassilis Tsitsanis.

*Saturday screenings before 6:15pm are pre-sale only in observance of Shabbat. Tickets to these screenings will not be available for purchase at the door.

Address: 5/20 (8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, MD) |  5/22 (7235 Woodmont Ave, Bethesda, MD)

Dir. Konrad Wolf | (88 min, BulgariaEast Germany, 1959) German, Bulgarian, Yiddish, Ladino with English subtitles Narrative

This gripping drama, based on the personal story of screenwriter Angel Wagenstein during the Holocaust in the Balkans, sheds light on the Sephardic experience of WWII.

Stationed in a secluded Bulgarian village in 1943, Walter, an artist and sergeant in the Wehrmacht, lives an almost idyllic life far away from the war. Soon, a transit camp is set up for Jews arriving from Greece. When Ruth, one of the Greek Jews, asks Walter to help a pregnant woman in the camp, the two form an unlikely bond.

*Saturday screenings before 6:15pm are pre-sale only in observance of Shabbat. Tickets to these screenings will not be available for purchase at the door.

Address: AFI Silver Theatre (8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, MD).

Please join us to learn more about the Mountain/Kavkazi Jews of Azerbaijan and the Caucasus through the screening of this film, special guest speakers (TBA, including representaives from communities of Azerbaijan) and photography exibition 'Journey to the Kavkaz.' Light refreshments served, including happy hour baklava and pomegranate cocktail.

This film tells the untold story of the Mountain Jewish community in Israel.  It follows a group of young Mountain Jews who emmigrated there many years ago and are now embarking on a journey back to the Caucasus to explore their heritage.  Having been subjected to stigmas about their so-called violent community, they are determined to break the isolation and formalize their own identity and connection to Israeli society by reconnecting with their Kavkazi roots.

Address/Venue: TBA

Contact: info@shindc.org

We welcome neighbors of all cultures to join us as we continue to come together to celebrate this post-Passover Moroccan/North African festival of good neighbors here in North America! Indeed, in Morocco, Muslims helped Jewish neighbors obtain leavened products that otherwise would have been unavailable to them for Mimouna, the day **after Passover. Together, they welcomed spring with traditional foods Jews prepared from ingredients Muslims provided and blessed each other in hopes of a season of health and good fortune! Join us as we continue to come together to celebrate this North African tradition of good neighbors in North America. From D.C.  to Rabat and beyond.
 

• Menu: Tasty Mufletas w/ Honey (M'Semen: hearty Moroccan crepe), Moroccan Sweets, Mimouna Couscous, Moroccan Salads & Preserves; Mimosas (alc/non-alc), Moroccan Mint/Naana Tea & More.

• Live Moroccan Gnawa Music (Jouwala Collective)

• Special Guest Speakers representing the Embassy of Morocco, SHIN-DC, and Association Mimouna, and a member of the Moroccan Jewish Community originally from Rabat.

Address: Edlavitch DCJCC, 1529 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20026

Contact: info@shindc.org

*For minors, or anyone experiencing financial hardship, make any donation you like under "donation" and list or email names of those attending to info@shindc.org (must be done in advance).

**When Mimouna falls on a weekday, our annual brunch is held on the first Sunday following, which is always before the new month of Iyar on the Jewish calendar.

Co-Sponsors with SHIN-DC: The Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in Washington, D.C.; Edlavitch DCJCC; Association Mimouna; and Soussi Restaurant.

Join SHIN-DC for an exciting performance featuring Tamar Ilana & Ventanas – a Flamenco-Balkan-Sephardic world music group from Toronto. 

Though they sprang from the same Spanish soil, flamenco singing and Sephardic Jewish song could not be more different.  Flamenco singing burns with passion and fury, and performances reach an emotional fever pitch.  Sephardic singers let the wry tales in the lyrics speak for themselves with reserved precision.  Ventanas fuse passion and intimate dialogue, embracing the varied instrumental and melodic traditions of North Africa, the Balkans, Turkey and Spain to create fresh interpretations and original songs.  Oud, baglama, darbuka, and percussive flamenco footwork intertwine with surprising harmony, joy and yearning, and this unusual musical mix garnered the group two Canadian Folk Music Award nominations in 2014.  It shines with a new brightness on Arrelumbre.

Check out Tamar Ilana & Ventanas: www.VentanasMusic.com

Contact: info@shindc.org

Address: 2463 18th St. NW, DC 20009

In the spirit of Purim, SHIN-DC is excited to be partnering with Moishe House Capitol Hill to bring to our communities, a Shabbat filled with Persian food, customs and culture! This shabbat is open for all Moishe House community members, members of SHIN-DC and anyone else who would like to partake in a special and meaningful shabbat dinner.

Address: 520 4th St NE, Washington, DC 20002

Contact: info@shindc.org

Join SHIN-DC with Moishe House DC for Syrian Sweets Soiree with guest speaker Shlomo Bolts from Syrian American Council and SHIN-DC (Sephardic Heritage IN DC)! If you plan on attending, you must purchase a ticket by making a donation to Syrian American Council! Do so quickly because the response has been off the charts. Whether you can make it or not, you can show your support by making a donation today to aid those who are suffering in Aleppo and beyond.

**Location to be emailed to those who have received a ticket.

Syria is famous throughout the Middle East for its food, particularly its sweets (halawiyat)! And the DMV is home to many delicious Syrian bakeries!  Enjoy some delicious sweets (certified kosher options included) and do a Mitzvah to make the world a better place!

Address: Downtown DC - Emailed upon purchase of tix

Contact: info@shindc.org

Join SHIN-DC at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum for this special event about the historic Jobar Synagogue of Damascus with our beloved Hakham/Rabbi Avraham Hamra who was the the spiritual leader of the Syrian Jewish community in Damascus for 25 years. He was among those who left Syria and went to New York (he now lives in Israel). Syria had granted exit visas on condition that the Jews not go to Israel. The decision to finally free the Jews came about largely as a result of pressure from the United States following the 1991 Madrid peace conference. Life was definitely better for Jews in Syria before Haffez al Assad and his son.

For centuries, a synagogue in Jobar, Syria, served as a holy gathering site for Jews, Christians, and Muslims who came to see the cave where the prophet Eliyahu Hanavi, also known as Elijah, hid to escape persecution. Now the almost-six-year war in Syria has devastated the country, including Jobar.

As the violence intensified, residents banded together to save the synagogue and the precious objects within it. In the midst of violent atrocities, a Muslim leader reached across religions and nations for support, including to Rabbi Hamra. Shelling by the Syrian regime destroyed the synagogue in May 2014, but because of the heroic efforts of a Muslim man, some of its Judaica survived. His efforts testify to the humanity and character of ordinary Syrians caught in the maelstrom of war.
 

Speakers

~Rabbi Avraham Hamra, Spiritual Leader of of the Jewish Community of Damascus, Syria (the last of the chief rabbis of Damascus).

~Aahed Sulayman, Syrian Muslim who sought to save synagogue

~Adam Entous, Staff Writer, Washington Post

~Naomi Kikoler, Deputy Director of the Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide (moderator)

Address:US Holocaust Memorial Museum, 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW, Washington, DC 20024

Contact: info@shindc.org

SHin-DC welcomes you to join us with JFE at Moti's Market for a one-day series of recipe tastings, including a Syrian family recipe from SHIN-DC's founding director.

What an honor to be included among the select local cookbook authors, bloggers and Jewish foodies contributing to this feast! Meet local chefs, sample finger foods and learn recipes that will give your Superbowl party an extra kick.

In iconic Syrian cookbook author Poopa Dweck's inspiring Hanukkah message to SHINDC this year, she mentioned that a kibbe or 2 can certainly be a means for powerful ammunition. Pending approval from Moti's, SHINDC would like to serve Shurba w'Kibbeh (tomato rice soup with kibbe meatballs). In honor of the superbowl or basketball season, kibbes to be shaped like footballs or basketballs.

11:00 am – 12:30 pm
– Amazing Garlic Dip by Sheilah Kaufman
– SHINDC Sephardic soup by Afraim Katzir

12:30 pm – 2:00 pm
– Best-Ever Lasagna (pareve) by Natasha Rosenstock Nadel
– Roasted Parsnips & Carrot Spread by Sarah Newman

11:00 am – 2:00 pm
– Beer tastings from the new restaurant Al Ha’esh
– Football game cuisine
– Special dishes from Carmel Caterers

Kosher dietary laws observed. All dishes will be either meat or pareve.

Address: Moti's Market, Randolph Hills Shopping Center, 4860 Boiling Brook Pkwy, Rockville, MD 20852

Contact: info@shindc.org

Please join Kesher Israel Congregation *with SHINDC for a unique night of Yemenite food, songs, and discussion with Sara and Wolf Lebenberg rabbinic intern, David Nagarpowers who is of Yemenite Jewish heritage!

We will sing traditional Yemenite songs, enjoy traditional Yemenite foods, and talk about the uniqueness of Yemenite halakha (Jewish legal thought & practice) and history.

Yemeni foods to include: Jahnoon. A savory, slow-cooked, layered pastry roll, served with a grated tomato dip, hard boiled eggs, schug (Yemeni hot sauce), and vegetable salad.

Melavah Malkah (lit. “escorting the queen”) is a custom of celebration with singing and eating to welcome the new week by figuratively escorting the departed “Sabbath Queen” when the Jewish Sabbath ends. It is based on a tradition of escorting a guest or monarch upon his/her departure from a city.

*To consult with SHINDC to also create meaningful events celebrating Sephardic Heritage in your community, more info here.

Address: 2801 N St NW, Washington, DC 20007

Contact: info@shindc.org

We welcome people of all faiths again this year for Hanukkah's Extra Flame: Celebrate with us a unique Hanukkah custom passed on by Iberian Sephardic refugees, recalling gratitude for the safety & tolerance they found in Syria circa 1492. We will conduct the holiday lighting according to this custom, enjoy Syrian Hanukkah treats & learn more from a humanitarian perspective what we can do to help refugees in the U.S. & around the globe.

• Dubbed Syria’s first opera singer, Lubana Al Quntar will bridge the Arabic Maqam tradition (found in Syrian Jewish, Christian, Muslim & secular music) with Western Arias. 
• Refugees to share their stories; Other special guest speakers.
• Learn about Adas Israel’s efforts to sponsor refugee family resettlement.

Address: 2850 Quebec St. NW, Washington, DC 20008

Contact: info@shindc.org

Cosponsors w/ SHIN-DC: Adas Israel Congregation; Syrian American Council; Temple Rodef Shalom; Edlavitch DCJCC; Multifaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees; HIAS; PIOLA; (Standing with the refugees - Bruce and Randy Ross & Bruce L. Ross & Company); (In memory of Roger Breeze, Yosef ben Avraham, a"h, who loved family, humanity, opera & our Sephardic traditions.

Kick off Veterans Day with INSPIRING MUSIC; TASTY FOOD/DRINK; & GOOD DEEDS – COME to a special concert and reception & BRING items to include in care packages for hospitalized veterans (guidelines below):

Dr. Judith Cohen, Sephardic music guru, will celebrate the musical life & traditions of  Sephardic Jews & Portuguese Crypto-Jews, including songs reflecting on times of war & service. Sephardic & Crypto-Jewish communities gave us notable vets like Francis Salvador, first Jew known to die for American independence and Uriah P. Levy, who served in the U.S. Navy during the War of 1812 and rose to the rank of commodore despite facing anti-Semitism.

Concert to be followed by reception: kosher Iberian wines & Sephardic hors d'oeuvres.

Cost: Early Specials until Mon 11/7/16​ 11:59 pm: $15/person or $22 for 2 people (for $22 early special, buy regular tix, email us, and we'll refund the $8 difference); Reg Tix $18/person after 11/7/16  | Contact SHINDC: info@shindc.org, T: (617) 894-3751

Please bring these items to include in care packages for hospitalized veterans: *TOILETRIES (toothbrushes, toothpaste, disposable razors, sample size cans of shaving cream, deodorants/ antiperspirants, etc.) | *SOCKS (must be NEW packaged) | *SLIPPERS (store bought non-skid only) |*UNDERWEAR (must be NEW packaged) | *GAMES/PUZZLES (complete with all pieces if pre-owned) | *BOOKS, including large print, (must be very clean, in good condition)

Co-Sponsors with SHINDC (www.shindc.org):

National Museum of American Jewish Military History World Music & Dance Institute

Address: 1811 R St, NW, Washington DC 20009
Contact SHINDC: info@shindc.org