SAMi Young Jewish Professionals (YJP) Inaugural National Retreat Celebrating Mizrahi Heritage Month!
On November 17th -19th, 2023, 40 Young Jewish Professionals from across the country, aged 21 through 32, gathered at the magical Isabella Freedman Retreat Center in Falls Village, Connecticut. The efforts of SAMi (Sephardic American Mizrahi Initiative) and Moishe House's Immersive Jewish Learning Retreat attracted a culturally diverse group of YJPs including Bukharians, Persians, Moroccans, Tunisians, Egyptians, Iraqis, Kurds, and Kafkazis. This retreat aimed to support Sephardic and Mizrahi young professionals while building a richly diverse leadership pipeline. Through interactive and educational workshops, all attendees gained leadership and entrepreneurial skills as they connected with like-minded peers, and developed an individual leadership approach within the Jewish community. To say the least, this retreat was a true success and laid the foundation for more future fun YJP events to come.
When I first arrived at the retreat center, I was met with one of the warmest welcomes I have ever encountered. I immediately felt comfortable with the participants and program leaders. Along with learning about the different cultures around me, I could feel the generations of hospitality. I did not know what I was missing until I felt the meaning of treating one another like family.
Throughout Shabbat, we engaged in topics that pushed the boundaries of terminology, tradition, and geographical demonyms. What does it mean to be Sephardic? Mizrahi? What is the importance of our identity? What is so essential about Mizrahi Heritage Month? Where is our generation headed? Bukharians Vs. Moroccans? What is 'kugel'? Why does Manashe look so different in person than in pictures?
"Mizrahi is a term used to describe Jewish communities with origins in the Middle East, North Africa, West Asia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus… traditions can be traced back to the first Holy Temple in Jerusalem…Mizrahi Jews have resided in what is known now as Muslim and Arab countries for years. Still, their community is older than Islam itself. Being Mizrahi is more than an ethnic background, cuisine, or customs; it is a Jewish way of life that is unique in its way that I believe all Jews can learn and benefit from." said Manashe Khaimov, founder and CEO of SAMi.
The weekend was packed with interesting conversations and workshops by notable Mizrahi and Sephardi leaders from all fields. Rozeeta Mavashev taught us about famous philosophers and how they shaped today's Jewish community. Jonathen BenShimol sparked an exciting conversation about free will in Judaism. Manashe Khaimov challenged our inner identities by introducing the idea of labeling ourselves as 'Mizrahi' or 'Sephardi'. We engaged in a lively back and forth about how we identify differently (or not at all) based on tradition and ancestral background. The program was wrapped up with a dive into entrepreneurship by Entrepreneur, Author, and Executive consultant Lior Arussy. All of these hot topics were graciously spilled into the entirety of the retreat as we caught ourselves at 2 AM talking about the linguistic differences between Farsi and Judeo-Persian.
As a Persian Jew from Los Angeles, California, I had no idea how much of a cultural comfort bubble I was in until I attended this retreat. Everywhere I go, Persian Jews are the majority, but amidst the New York-based attendees, we were the cultural minority. Being the first time in my life meeting Bukharian Jews, it was an eye-opening experience.
All in all, the bond I created with new people over those 48 hours was much stronger than that with many I have known for years. I am truly grateful for the countless opportunities SAMi and Moishe House have provided for us to create connections that will last a lifetime. I speak for most attendees when I say I cannot wait for the next SAMi retreat!
