L.A.’ Chayim

THE SEPHARDIC AND MIZRAHI ROOTS OF LOS ANGELES 

The history of Judaism dates back nearly 4,000 years, and Jewish people today belong to a worldwide group that is made up of descendants of the Hebrews from the Bible. The history of Jewish people can be seen through a lens of migration and adaptation. Because of this, Jews today share many of the customs and traditions of their adopted countries while, at the same time, retaining that which is uniquely Jewish.

This exhibit, L.A.’ Chayim!, will introduce you to two groups of Jews — Sephardic as defined as Jews expelled from Spain in 1492 and Mizrahi as defined as Jews who are the descendants of the Jewish communities that had existed in the Middle East and North Africa from biblical times to today. Under these umbrella titles are found many groups of Jews from different countries such as Morocco, Syria, the Balkans, Turkey, Rhodes, Iran, Iraq, and Tunisia each with their own unique as well as blended cultural traditions.

Our goal with L.A.’ Chayim! is to introduce you to some of the exciting contributions Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews have given to Los Angeles since they began to arrive in the early 1850s, while also sharing more about their heritage with you. We believe, as Adam Kirsch of the New Yorker says, that “Judaism is less a set of ancient customs and dogmas [and more] a progressive, eternally renewed spirit.” L.A.’ Chayim welcomes and embraces how the spirit found in the Sephardic and Mizrahi Jewish communities of Los Angeles, informs, influences and leaves its mark on our city. iSalud ivida!