Explore the distinctions and overlap between the terms “Sephardic” and “Mizrahi,” delving into the history and culture of both groups and the complexities of Jewish identity.
Essential Questions
- What do terms like “Sephardic” and “Mizrahi” reveal—or conceal—about Jewish identity and history?
- How have migration, politics, and power influenced how Jews are labeled and how they see themselves?
- In a global Jewish community shaped by diversity and diaspora, what does it mean to belong to “one people”?
Big Ideas
- The Complexity in Labels: Jewish identity cannot be reduced to a single word—terms like “Sephardic” and “Mizrahi” reflect history, geography, religion, and politics, and sometimes obscure more than they reveal.
- Power Shapes Identity: Jewish identity has often been shaped both by how communities see themselves and how others, in positions of power, choose to define them.
- Unity in Diversity: Despite different customs, histories, and labels, the Jewish people share a deep, resilient connection that transcends geography and division.
When asked to name different types of Jews, many Americans might think of descriptors related to religious observance, such as “Orthodox,” “Conservative,” or “Reform.” However, historically and in many parts of the world today, many Jewish communities and individuals use geographic descriptors to identify themselves.
While the majority of Jews in America are Ashkenazi (tracing their modern ancestry to communities in Europe), Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews comprise significant portions of the global Jewish community, particularly in Israel. The terms “Sephardic” and “Mizrahi” are often used interchangeably, but what is the difference between these two groups?
“Sephardic” typically refers to Jews with Iberian origins (from the Iberian Peninsula, including Spain and Portugal) or a specific set of Jewish traditions, while “Mizrahi” refers to Jews from Middle Eastern and North African countries. However, the choice of which descriptor Jews from the Middle East and North Africa choose to identify with is often more complicated, as these identities have evolved over time.
Discussion Questions
- Resilience in Adversity: Many Jewish communities were formed as a result of discrimination or hardship, such as the Spanish expulsion in 1492, which caused Sephardic Jews to migrate to places all over the world. Yet, the communities they formed became vibrant centers of Jewish life.
- How do you think these communities found the strength to start anew and thrive in new environments?
- What lessons can be learned from their resilience that can be applied to other groups facing similar challenges?
- Cultural Integration and Preservation: As Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews integrated into new communities around the world, they faced the challenge of preserving their cultural traditions while adapting to new environments. How do you think communities balance cultural preservation with the need to integrate into a new society? What are the potential gains and losses in this process?
Learning Activities
- Identity Mapping: Have students create an “identity map” that explores the different labels they might identify with (e.g., nationality, ethnicity, religion, hobbies). Students should consider how these labels interact with each other and shape their overall identity. After creating their maps, students can discuss in small groups how their identities compare and contrast with others, and how labels can both help and hinder our understanding of who we are.
- Debate – Labels and Identity: Facilitate a classroom debate on the topic: “Do labels help or hinder our understanding of identity?” Students can be divided into two groups, with one side arguing that labels are essential for understanding and expressing identity, while the other side argues that labels are limiting and reduce the complexity of individual identities. After the debate, reflect as a class on the nuances of both positions.
- JIMENA – Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa
- ANU Museum – A searchable database of Jewish communities and family names throughout the world.
- The Forgotten Refugees (film): Longer version and shorter version.
- A film about the Jews expelled from Arab countries in the 1940’s and 50’s.