Activities
The Federation exists to 'promote and preserve the spiritual, historical, cultural and social traditions of all Sephardic communities as an integral part of Jewish heritage.' in the United States and the goal of its founding conference was to "dedicate itself to revitalize the Sephardi culture and heritage in the U.S. and to aid the underprivileged population of the State of Israel." The Federation's annual conferences, which also publish a number of reports about the work of the organization and issues related to Sephardic Jewry in the United States, is held in various locations throughout the United States and serves as a cultural reminder of the Middle East and African roots of the movement.
Its role in the Center for Jewish History is to serve as the only partner totally focused on the Jews of the Iberian Peninisula, North Africa, the Balkans, Middle East and Asia. In 2000, when the Center for Jewish History opened to the public, the Federation opened what was then the only dedicated Sephardic exhibition space in North America in the Center's new location.
One of the most important functions of the Federation was its role in the lives of Sephardic youth. The first National ASF Youth Convention was held in Atlanta in November 1973 and was attended by more than 450. The federation's youth education programs also help to ensure the continued growth and vibrancy of the Sephardic culture.
When the U.S. Senate began to look into the issue of Jews fleeing Arab areas in the Middle East, the Federation was involved with their research about the more than 800,000 Jews that chose to leave their homes at the time. In connection with a number of other groups worldwide, the Federation has been involved with efforts to obtain information from those affected.
Read more about this topic: American Sephardi Federation
Famous quotes containing the word activities:
“Justice begins with the recognition of the necessity of sharing. The oldest law is that which regulates it, and this is still the most important law today and, as such, has remained the basic concern of all movements which have at heart the community of human activities and of human existence in general.”
—Elias Canetti (b. 1905)
“No culture on earth outside of mid-century suburban America has ever deployed one woman per child without simultaneously assigning her such major productive activities as weaving, farming, gathering, temple maintenance, and tent-building. The reason is that full-time, one-on-one child-raising is not good for women or children.”
—Barbara Ehrenreich (b. 1941)