The Smithsonian Folklife Festival: Jewish culture in unusual places

Smithsonian Building / image courtesy of wikipedia

The Smithsonian Folklife Festival, an annual summer event of lectures, outdoor exhibitions, concerts and more, free of charge, is kicking into it’s first weekend right about now. Taking place on the national mall, it’s also open from Wednesday to Sunday next week.

This year, the festival is highlighting African American culture through “Giving Voice,” Latin American music through Las Américas, and the country of Wales (Cymru in Welsh language.) Undoubtedly, the Smithsonian will do a superb job in covering many educational aspects of these communities. But there is always room for more! And what better person than the DC Jewish Life Examiner to give a brief highlight of some of the lesser known Jewish influences on these cultures? :P

African American culture

Beyond the strong bonds, forged during the Civil Rights Movement, between Blacks and Jews, there are plenty of people who subscribe to both! Most recently, Jewish and secular media was taken with the story of Rabbi Alyssa Stanton, the first Black woman to be ordained in the Reform movement, who will take up a post at Congregation Bayt Shalom in Greenville, N.C. Though born to a Christian family, Rabbi Stanton had a traditional conversion after a spiritual quest led her to become one of klal yisrael, the community of Israel (aka the Jewish people.) Mazel tov to her.

There are other people of African descent, however, who were born Jewish—most notably, perhaps, are the Ethiopian Jews, who now mostly live in the state of Israel. But you can also find them in America. Though U.S. Jewry is largely comprised of Ashkenazi, or Eastern European Jews, our community is truly diverse, and perhaps there is no better way to realize that than through the advent of the Internet. :P Check out Mixedjewgirl, who blogs and tweets about race and Judaism. Or check out Aliza Hausman, a Dominican convert. Perfect segue! ;)

Latin American culture

Jews have been in Latin America for about as long as Christians have, first traveling with Christopher Columbus from Spain in 1492 (a year famous not only due “discovering the new world,” but also because King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella expelled all of their Jewish subjects.) The largest Latin American Jewish community resides in Argentina.

But the community most in the headlines of late is the Venezuelan community, as anti-Semitic hate crimes have been on the rise since Israel’s December strike in Gaza and Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez’s cozying up to (currently contested) Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Most notably, a synagogue in Caracas was vandalized in January, it’s member records stolen, and a Jewish community center was attacked with explosives.

It’s harrowing to think that the persecution, which drove Latin America’s Jewish ancestors out of Spain and other countries may have followed them to our neighboring continent. I urge you to pay attention to world news, and not let their suffering go unnoticed.

Welsh/Cymru Jews

Like most of Europe, Wales was a largely unfriendly and dangerous place for Jews throughout most of its history. But in the modern day, a small Jewish community exists in that country, particularly in the capital city of Cardiff. Check out Wikipedia for some interesting links!

…and though Jews in Wales might be a small minority; who knows, you might know of someone with some Welsh Heebie ancestry. :P