Ladino Revival in the U.S.A.:
A Meeting between “Las Vijitas de Alhad” and “Ladinokomunita”
Reported by Paola Bolasny*
The culture and language of the Sephardic Jews of the former Ottoman Empire are still very much alive. The Greater Washington D.C. metro area serves as a backdrop for a group that has been coming together regularly since 2001 to remember and celebrate their heritage. This group is known as “Las Vijitas de Alhad”, a reference to the old tradition of Sunday visits and gatherings of family and friends. It consists of about 40 members who meet monthly on Sunday afternoons in private homes, where they share traditional Sephardic foods, songs and Ladino readings. Their family origins go back to Istanbul, Salonika, Volos, Sarajevo, Bulgaria, Izmir, Rhodes and several other places.
Flory Jagoda addressing guests.
Photo courtesy of Ruth Poulin
For most members Judeo-Spanish, commonly called Ladino, was one of the languages spoken at home. Others can read it and understand it, while all would like to improve their knowledge. Members take pride in preparing dishes the way their families had always done, and lunch translates into a delicious mini-feast of nostalgia. The group first came together when Flory Jagoda, a well known singer of Sephardic songs from her native Bosnia, began sharing the knowledge of her traditions with like-minded friends in the Washington area. Occasionally guests are invited to come share their interests in Sephardic culture.
On June 10, 2018 Las Vijitas de Alhad hosted a group from Ladinokomunita that was traveling through Washington as part of their annual destination reunion. This group was founded by Rachel Amado Bortnick in 1999, with the intent of preserving and advancing Ladino and Sephardic culture through internet communication and annual reunions. Ms. Bortnick, who was born in Izmir and now lives in Dallas, also serves as moderator and language specialist for the group.
Ladinokomunita now has about 1,670 members in 42 countries worldwide, and 60,000 email addresses. It is easy to join and new memberships are encouraged; simply send an e-mail to ladinokomunita-subscribe@yahoogroups.com to subscribe. All postings must be in Ladino and they are moderated and edited to reflect a correct Ladino usage. The group began organizing annual reunions in 2008 and since then they have met in Israel, Turkey, Argentina, Spain, Brazil, Portugal, the Caribbean and the Balkan areas.
The “Vijita” on June 10 was a resounding success in bringing together people of similar backgrounds who could appreciate a table loaded with familiar and delicious foods, join in old familiar songs, exchange stories from different parts of the world and, above all, the pleasure of each other’s company! Readers of Sephardic Horizons involved in similar efforts to encourage the revival and maintenance of Sephardic language and culture are invited to report on their activities to this journal.
* Paola Samakovlija-Bolasny was born in Milan, Italy, with roots from Italy and Bosnia. She works as a Conference Planner in the Washington, DC area. Her interests reflect a love of foreign languages and cultures. Paola is a regular participant of the “Vijitas de Alhad”.