Papers by Yigal S. Nizri
Objectivement, comme on dit aujourd'hui, il n'existe plus de communautés juives dans un seul pays... more Objectivement, comme on dit aujourd'hui, il n'existe plus de communautés juives dans un seul pays arabe; et on ne trouvera pas un seul Juif-Arabe qui consente à retourner dans son pays natal.
The river accumulated a massive amount of water, mainly due to snow melting, and carried branches... more The river accumulated a massive amount of water, mainly due to snow melting, and carried branches of trees, leaves, rocks, and sand. Soon, all this debris clogged the little opening of the walls of the town. The water amassed behind the forti cation walls, and when it reached the top, it destroyed the wall and gushed with overwhelming violence through the unfortunate little town. In Sefrou, where various tributaries of the river surround many homes, houses were swamped from within and without.
Studies in Contemporary Jewry, Vol. 31 (edited by Uzi Rebhun and Avriel Bar-Levav, “Textual Transmission in Contemporary Jewish Cultures”), 2020
In an approbation letter to Minh at Yehudah, a volume of exegetical texts, sermons, and commentar... more In an approbation letter to Minh at Yehudah, a volume of exegetical texts, sermons, and commentary on rabbinic texts written by R. Yehudah ibn Danan (1875Danan ( -1961 of Fes, signed on 11 Elul 5695 (9 September 1935) by the tribunal rabbinique of Fes, 1 Matityahu Siriro, Aharon Abutbul, and Moshe ibn Danan wrote the following:
The Sephardic Atlantic Colonial Histories and Postcolonial Perspectives, 2019
This chapter traces the ways in which Jews in sixteenth-century Fez perceived the “Battle of al-Q... more This chapter traces the ways in which Jews in sixteenth-century Fez perceived the “Battle of al-Qsar al-Kabir,” which took place in Morocco in the summer of 1578. These Fassi Jews, many of whom were familiar with the traumatic experiences of the expulsion from the Iberian peninsula only a few generations earlier, had historicized, ritualized, vernacularized, and ultimately “scripturalized” this battle. Similarly, another European assault, the French naval attack on the coastal towns of Tangier and Mogador in 1844, was registered in a local Hebrew scroll. Much as with the event of 1578, and in what can be seen now as a pattern of communal behavior, the Jewish community of Tangier established a special memorial day that was given the Spanish name “Purim of the Bombs” (Purim de las Bombas). The chapter examines these two literary-historical episodes through three aspects—the Jewish, the Moroccan, and the historical—as well as the interplay between them.
"قلبي معلق بالمغرب:"
بعض جوانب الإحياء الثقافي لمغاربة الشتات في إسرائيل.
يمثل المغاربة اليوم في... more "قلبي معلق بالمغرب:"
بعض جوانب الإحياء الثقافي لمغاربة الشتات في إسرائيل.
يمثل المغاربة اليوم في إسرائيل ثاني أكبر مجتمعات الشتات اليهودي المغربي بعد فرنسا. وفي السنوات التي تلت الوصول إلى إسرائيل في خمسينات وستينات القرن الماضي، اعتبر هذا الشتات المغربي أقل شأنا من طرف المهاجرين الأوائل، الذين حاولوا محو الممارسات الثقافية المغربية السابقة. ويجد المرء اليوم صورة مختلفة جدا، إذ تفتخر إسرائيل اليوم بتعدد الأشكال الثقافية اليهودية المغربية. ويتناول هذا المقال بالعرض والتحليل مظاهر وتجليات الإحياء الثقافي والمعاني الاجتماعية الثقافية المغربية الموجودة في إسرائيل المعاصرة من خلال رصد تاريخ تطورها وممارساتها المستمرة، ووضعها بالتالي في سياقات الإنتاج الثقافي للشتات الموجود في جميع أنحاء العالم.
Moroccans in Israel form the second largest Jewish-Moroccan diasporic community, after France. After arrival in Israel in mid-20th century, Moroccan immigrants were considered inferior and their cultural identity was repressed. Today, one finds a very different picture. Present-day Israel boasts multiple Jewish-Moroccan cultural forms. The essay examines the cultural practices of Moroccan-Jews in Israel, including: Andalusian orchestras, theatrical productions in Darija, a new dictionary of Moroccan Jewish Arabic, popular festivals devoted to Jewish-saint pilgrimages, and “heritage” trips to Morocco. The essay addresses the cultural revival of “Moroccanness” in contemporary Israel, situating it within a diasporic cultural production world-wide.
"In her Image | Towards an Artistic Biography of Ronit Elkabetz," in "Je T’aime, Ronit Elkabetz... more "In her Image | Towards an Artistic Biography of Ronit Elkabetz," in "Je T’aime, Ronit Elkabetz,” edited by Ya’ara Keydar ( Design Museum Holon, 2017), 41-55.
Published in the catalog of the exhibition, "Je t'aime, Ronit Elkabetz" (Design Museum Holon, 2017)
התרבות הרבנית והתרבות העממית של יהודי צפון אפריקה ויהודי המזרח:
אמונות, התנהגויות, יצירה ושיח
א... more התרבות הרבנית והתרבות העממית של יהודי צפון אפריקה ויהודי המזרח:
אמונות, התנהגויות, יצירה ושיח
אוניברסיטת חיפה, יום שלישי, כ”ז באייר תשע”ז, 23 במאי 2017
The last third of the nineteenth century saw an unprecedented effort to edit, anthologize, and ci... more The last third of the nineteenth century saw an unprecedented effort to edit, anthologize, and circulate Moroccan halakhic works. Authors, printers, and readers, many of whom belonged to different rabbinical circles, participated in the development of what I call “halakhic Morocco.” In the seminar I will focus on one aspect of this process: how Moroccan rabbis constructed intellectual and biographical genealogies in order to establish an authoritative system of scholarly recognition and patronage through which a “halakhic Morocco” emerged. We will examine rabbinic paratexts such as approbation letters (haskamot), publishers’ notes, and flattery poems, which accompanied the publication of Moroccan halakhic works between 1860 and 1918. These paratexts, I argue, became a public site for contested ideas about authority, credibility, and tradition, thereby linking approvers, financiers, authors, and readers. The approbation letters show that, in the late nineteenth century, Moroccan Jewish communities interacted in ways that gave rise to new definitions of the notion of “Moroccanness” which rabbis employed and drew on. Study of the Moroccan paratexts, I suggest, along with research on the history of printing halakhic books in North Africa more generally, offers a new way to chronicle Moroccan rabbinic culture.
Book Reviews by Yigal S. Nizri
Dissertation by Yigal S. Nizri
The last third of the nineteenth century saw an unprecedented effort to edit and anthologize Magh... more The last third of the nineteenth century saw an unprecedented effort to edit and anthologize Maghribi halakhic texts. This dissertation seeks to situate this editorial and publishing effort in the broader context of the emergence of a Moroccan rabbinic identity, and to explore the processes by which Maghribi rabbinic scribal and authoritative traditions since the late nineteenth century have been shaped both by "endogenous" factors, as well as by the accelerating integration of the Sharifan state. In this sense, the story this dissertation narrates is not "Maghribi" or Moroccan in a narrow geographical sense, but one that took place in the context of a trans-Mediterranean Maghribi-Jewish diaspora, which contributed to the development of a diasporic Maghribi Jewish identity that gradually associated itself with multiple geographical localities and centers, such as Jerusalem, Alexandria, Fes, and various Maghribi cities.
Paying closer attention to these dynamics casts new light on key questions concerning Moroccan Jewish modernity, and it is at this point that this dissertation diverges from most studies of this issue. By focusing on the ways in which Maghribi rabbis, both within and outside the Maghrib, constructed and construed authoritative and scholarly genealogies, the study seeks to show how these different genealogies were employed and rearticulated in order to establish a new system of scholarly recognition and patronage. In the Maghribi context, this system is understood as an essential aspect of the formation and experience of modernity. Drawing on several rabbinic literary genres, such as the haskamah (approbation), the author's introduction, the chronicle, and the polemic treatise, as well as on more halakhically designated textual bodies such as responsa and taqqanot (ordinances), the study demonstrates the dialectical relationship between transregional ties that spanned North Africa and the Mediterranean, the articulation of local and regional traditions, and, eventually, the emergence of "Moroccan" tradition.
Conference Presentations by Yigal S. Nizri
The paper deals with some perceptions of a “world history” event that took place in Morocco in Au... more The paper deals with some perceptions of a “world history” event that took place in Morocco in August 1578, the “Battle of the Three Kings”. This event had its impact on Jewish observers and traces of it are found in Maghribi Hebrew chronicles from the period. While Jews in Morocco at the time were not at the center of what could be seen as one of the most dramatic chapters in the history of “colonial” expansions into North African lands, the possibility of Moroccan defeat, had the Portuguese won the war, could have had significant ramifications on the lives of local Jews, many of whom were bearers of the traumatic experiences of families that were expelled from the Iberian peninsula a few generations earlier. And so, the battle of the three kings was commemorated in the Moroccan Jewish calendar in the form of “minor purim” by generations to come. My paper addresses two complementary questions: how does a “new” event become part of the Jewish calendar and what can this inclusion teach us about the emergence and circulation of local traditions in the nineteenth century, but also in earlier centuries? Through these questions I am interested in exploring specific conjectural moments in the evolution of what is often labeled “Judeo-Moroccan.” I am particularly concerned with the role different media (especially print) played in the formation of these judeo-moroccan traditions, and the transition from local traditions (however defined) to what has become Moroccan and Jewish-Moroccan traditions.
Teaching Documents by Yigal S. Nizri
2020-2021
When and where should the "history of the Jewish people," the subject matter of this course, begi... more When and where should the "history of the Jewish people," the subject matter of this course, begin? With Abraham, who allegedly introduced the belief that there is only one God, or with Jacob, who, we are told, was forced by famine to migrate from Canaan to Egypt? With Moses receiving the law from this same God on Mount Sinai, or centuries later, perhaps, with Ezra's establishment of a Jewish nation centered around the worship of this God in the temple in Jerusalem? With the completion of the books of the Bible in the second century BCE? Or should we begin not with the biblical stories of origin but in the first century CE, when the Bible began to be treated as scripture, and with the retelling of those stories by the firstcentury Romano-Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, in his Antiquities of the Jews? Placing the religious, cultural, social, and economic diversity of the Jews and their faith within a broader cultural context, this introductory and accessible full-year course (September 2020-April 2021) surveys the history, literature, and institutions of the Jews from ancient Israel to the present. The Fall term covers various historical settings including ancient Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean; the "Persian" Period; the age of Greek and Roman rule; medieval Christendom; and the Islamic lands to late fifteenth-century Europe. The structure of this course is chronological and thematic. Students will have the opportunity to engage with primary and secondary sources, originally written in Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, Arabic, and Latin. As an introduction to the discipline of history more generally, students will also learn to appreciate the transformation that Jewish ideas (and ideas about Jews) and practices have undergone over time. As part of the learning objectives of this course, students will be able to 1. Identify and analyze foundational historical questions, such as how, rather than why, the Jews have survived, and is the study of "Judaism" and the study of the history of the Jews the same; 2. Interpret religious, political, and theological sources critically and creatively; 3. Assess diverse cultural approaches and contexts; 4. Appreciate the intrinsic value of the historiographical inquiry and its relation to worldly events; 5. Evaluate the Jews' history from ancient Israelite religion to the early modern period by examining not only texts, but nontextual materials, such as artworks, artifacts, architecture, and music; 6. Examine the fundamental tension between history and theology; 7. Appreciate the place of Jewish stories and concepts in relation to other traditions and histories. All lectures and tutorials are delivered on an online platform ("synchronous delivery"). To participate in the course's educational components fully, students will need a stable, higher-speed Internet connection, a computer with a webcam and microphone, or a smart device with these features. All the reading materials and assignments will be uploaded to Quercus. The TA for the course is Maria Dawson, a PhD candidate at the History Department. Students must enroll in one of the following online sections: Tut 0101 Thursday 13:00-14:00 Tut 0201 Thursday 14:00-15:00 Tut 0301 Thursday 15:00-16:00 Grading Scheme Lecture and tutorial attendance and participation 20% Six quizzes 20% Four Document analysis I (500-800 words) 40% Two Analytical essay (800-1000 word) 20% The Arch of Titus was built on the Via Sacra near the Roman Forum by the Emperor Domitian in honor of his brother, Titus, the general who led the Romans to victory over the Jews in Palestine in 70 CE. This portion of the arch depicts the plundering of the spoils of the Holy Temple. The destruction of the Temple, here celebrated by the Romans, has been a source of bitter sorrow for Jews over the centuries.
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Papers by Yigal S. Nizri
بعض جوانب الإحياء الثقافي لمغاربة الشتات في إسرائيل.
يمثل المغاربة اليوم في إسرائيل ثاني أكبر مجتمعات الشتات اليهودي المغربي بعد فرنسا. وفي السنوات التي تلت الوصول إلى إسرائيل في خمسينات وستينات القرن الماضي، اعتبر هذا الشتات المغربي أقل شأنا من طرف المهاجرين الأوائل، الذين حاولوا محو الممارسات الثقافية المغربية السابقة. ويجد المرء اليوم صورة مختلفة جدا، إذ تفتخر إسرائيل اليوم بتعدد الأشكال الثقافية اليهودية المغربية. ويتناول هذا المقال بالعرض والتحليل مظاهر وتجليات الإحياء الثقافي والمعاني الاجتماعية الثقافية المغربية الموجودة في إسرائيل المعاصرة من خلال رصد تاريخ تطورها وممارساتها المستمرة، ووضعها بالتالي في سياقات الإنتاج الثقافي للشتات الموجود في جميع أنحاء العالم.
Moroccans in Israel form the second largest Jewish-Moroccan diasporic community, after France. After arrival in Israel in mid-20th century, Moroccan immigrants were considered inferior and their cultural identity was repressed. Today, one finds a very different picture. Present-day Israel boasts multiple Jewish-Moroccan cultural forms. The essay examines the cultural practices of Moroccan-Jews in Israel, including: Andalusian orchestras, theatrical productions in Darija, a new dictionary of Moroccan Jewish Arabic, popular festivals devoted to Jewish-saint pilgrimages, and “heritage” trips to Morocco. The essay addresses the cultural revival of “Moroccanness” in contemporary Israel, situating it within a diasporic cultural production world-wide.
אמונות, התנהגויות, יצירה ושיח
אוניברסיטת חיפה, יום שלישי, כ”ז באייר תשע”ז, 23 במאי 2017
Book Reviews by Yigal S. Nizri
Dissertation by Yigal S. Nizri
Paying closer attention to these dynamics casts new light on key questions concerning Moroccan Jewish modernity, and it is at this point that this dissertation diverges from most studies of this issue. By focusing on the ways in which Maghribi rabbis, both within and outside the Maghrib, constructed and construed authoritative and scholarly genealogies, the study seeks to show how these different genealogies were employed and rearticulated in order to establish a new system of scholarly recognition and patronage. In the Maghribi context, this system is understood as an essential aspect of the formation and experience of modernity. Drawing on several rabbinic literary genres, such as the haskamah (approbation), the author's introduction, the chronicle, and the polemic treatise, as well as on more halakhically designated textual bodies such as responsa and taqqanot (ordinances), the study demonstrates the dialectical relationship between transregional ties that spanned North Africa and the Mediterranean, the articulation of local and regional traditions, and, eventually, the emergence of "Moroccan" tradition.
Conference Presentations by Yigal S. Nizri
Teaching Documents by Yigal S. Nizri
بعض جوانب الإحياء الثقافي لمغاربة الشتات في إسرائيل.
يمثل المغاربة اليوم في إسرائيل ثاني أكبر مجتمعات الشتات اليهودي المغربي بعد فرنسا. وفي السنوات التي تلت الوصول إلى إسرائيل في خمسينات وستينات القرن الماضي، اعتبر هذا الشتات المغربي أقل شأنا من طرف المهاجرين الأوائل، الذين حاولوا محو الممارسات الثقافية المغربية السابقة. ويجد المرء اليوم صورة مختلفة جدا، إذ تفتخر إسرائيل اليوم بتعدد الأشكال الثقافية اليهودية المغربية. ويتناول هذا المقال بالعرض والتحليل مظاهر وتجليات الإحياء الثقافي والمعاني الاجتماعية الثقافية المغربية الموجودة في إسرائيل المعاصرة من خلال رصد تاريخ تطورها وممارساتها المستمرة، ووضعها بالتالي في سياقات الإنتاج الثقافي للشتات الموجود في جميع أنحاء العالم.
Moroccans in Israel form the second largest Jewish-Moroccan diasporic community, after France. After arrival in Israel in mid-20th century, Moroccan immigrants were considered inferior and their cultural identity was repressed. Today, one finds a very different picture. Present-day Israel boasts multiple Jewish-Moroccan cultural forms. The essay examines the cultural practices of Moroccan-Jews in Israel, including: Andalusian orchestras, theatrical productions in Darija, a new dictionary of Moroccan Jewish Arabic, popular festivals devoted to Jewish-saint pilgrimages, and “heritage” trips to Morocco. The essay addresses the cultural revival of “Moroccanness” in contemporary Israel, situating it within a diasporic cultural production world-wide.
אמונות, התנהגויות, יצירה ושיח
אוניברסיטת חיפה, יום שלישי, כ”ז באייר תשע”ז, 23 במאי 2017
Paying closer attention to these dynamics casts new light on key questions concerning Moroccan Jewish modernity, and it is at this point that this dissertation diverges from most studies of this issue. By focusing on the ways in which Maghribi rabbis, both within and outside the Maghrib, constructed and construed authoritative and scholarly genealogies, the study seeks to show how these different genealogies were employed and rearticulated in order to establish a new system of scholarly recognition and patronage. In the Maghribi context, this system is understood as an essential aspect of the formation and experience of modernity. Drawing on several rabbinic literary genres, such as the haskamah (approbation), the author's introduction, the chronicle, and the polemic treatise, as well as on more halakhically designated textual bodies such as responsa and taqqanot (ordinances), the study demonstrates the dialectical relationship between transregional ties that spanned North Africa and the Mediterranean, the articulation of local and regional traditions, and, eventually, the emergence of "Moroccan" tradition.
One of the immediate regional impacts of the 1948 war in Palestine/Israel was the arrival of 750,000 Middle Eastern and North African Jews in the newly-established State of Israel. “Mizrahim” has now become a common socio-political term describing Israeli Jews whose ancestors lived for many centuries in the territories that in the 20th century became Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen. This course offers a systematic study of the historical developments that shaped pivotal social and political moments, from the Yemenite Children Affair (1950's), the Wadi Salib Riots (1959), the Black Panthers Movement (1971), the establishment of Shas party (1984), the Mizrahi Democratic Rainbow Coalition (1996), to Tor Ha-Zahav (2016), and others. Students are invited to explore the long debates around the term Mizrahim and the identities and histories it claims to represent, by working closely with scholarly articles and monographs (critical Mizrahi scholarship, as well as studies about Mizrahim), political statements, personal testimonies and memoirs, poetry and fiction, music, theater, and cinema.