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:
“There is, I think, no point in the philosophy of progressive education which is sounder than its emphasis upon the importance of the participation of the learner in the formation of the purposes which direct his activities in the learning process, just as there is no defect in traditional education greater than its failure to secure the active cooperation of the pupil in construction of the purposes involved in his studying.”
—John Dewey (1859–1952)
“Juggling produces both practical and psychological benefits.... A woman’s involvement in one role can enhance her functioning in another. Being a wife can make it easier to work outside the home. Being a mother can facilitate the activities and foster the skills of the efficient wife or of the effective worker. And employment outside the home can contribute in substantial, practical ways to how one works within the home, as a spouse and as a parent.”
—Faye J. Crosby (20th century)
“Minds do not act together in public; they simply stick together; and when their private activities are resumed, they fly apart again.”
—Frank Moore Colby (1865–1925)