Introduction to the SEC

The Sephardic Educational Center (SEC) was created as an educational center that all Jews could turn to learn about authentic Sephardic Judaism. Not only Judaism as a religion, but the Sephardic experience that contains the unique cultural traditions (minhag) and interpretation of laws (halacha). The SEC desires to fill the great educational and cultural needs of the 1.2 million Sephardim living in the Diaspora. Since 1980, the SEC has emphasized Sephardic history, culture, and philosophy. We have taught Sephardic minhag and halacha to Sephardim and Ashkenazim, to any Jews who want to learn. With our executive office in Los Angeles and our center in Jerusalem, we have branched out to many different cities over the years. Today you can find active SEC programs in Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Montreal, New York and other locations. We are proud to have enriched the lives of over 25,000 persons since 1980. As the world's largest international Sephardic organization, we strive to be ambassadors and advocates for the Sephardim worldwide.

The SEC believes strongly that a positive characteristic of Sephardic culture is that the Sephardic people have stayed the course and not divested from the Judaism of their forefathers. While many non-Sephardic groups have divided and sub-divided repeatedly, the Sephardim have maintained tradition, never wavering into splinter groups, never dividing into branches. Nonetheless, we realize that the Sephardim are facing unique challenges and we must respond to them. In a world filled with assimilation, intermarriage and increasing secular diversions, it is important that we remember to stay firmly planted in our traditions, that we sow the seeds that will help foster revitalized growth in our own communal family.

Origins of the SEC

The Sephardim have been slowly disappearing because of a lack of direction, no umbrella organization actualizing the changes required by a very rapidly advancing society, no collaboration between communities of differing geographical backgrounds, and no broad-based inter-communal structure. Creation of a world movement is the only solution. For many years, the necessary institutions did not exist and the much-needed educational material was not readily available. For decades, almost every Sephardic synagogue around the world had been trying to "re-invent the wheel," and during this time they were not keeping abreast of changes in the world that surrounded them. A side effect of this stagnation has been the sad realization that the Sephardic community has lost so many members of the younger generation to other movements, other synagogues or ultimately to intermarriage and abandonment of Judaism.

In the late 1960's, Dr. Jose A. Nessim, a prominent Los Angeles gynecological surgeon took it upon himself to focus on issues which affected the Diaspora Sephardic community, this included Sephardim that were facing discrimination in Israel and the ever-dwindling membership and participation in Sephardic communities in the Diaspora. His first undertaking was becoming the chairman of the Sephardic Division of the United Jewish Appeal in Los Angeles, California, and raising significant sums from Sephardim, as a demonstration of commitment and support for the newly created State. His objectives were twofold: to lend financial support to the fledgling State and politically to help Sephardim in Israel become better integrated in the life and culture of Israel. In 1979 Dr. Nessim decided that the time had come to create the first world address for a Sephardic Educational Center and leased the three historical Sephardic buildings that for centuries were the headquarters for Sephardim living in Israel and in particular Jerusalem.

Mission of the SEC

The SEC strongly promotes the approach long held by Sephardic communities, this is to remain united and not split into competing movements. This unity and loyalty to a pure Judaism practiced by our parents and grandparents is what has made our religious tradition so unique. Nonetheless, we realize that the Sephardim in the Diaspora are facing unique challenges to their identity and survival and we must respond to them. This has been the mission of the SEC over the past 25 years. While we are proud of our accomplishments, we constantly realize that there is much more to be done to bring our people back to their vibrant and meaningful Sephardic identity. Most Jewish people in the Diaspora know very little about Judaism. It is not mentioned in most homes. Intermarriage of over 25% will make us disappear in about four generations. The only way to stop the assimilation and apathy in our communities is to join together, combine our energies and resources and organize what we have proposed calling a World Sephardic Movement, the first of its kind. The SEC would like you to discuss the proposed World Sephardic Movement in your communities. In every city all Sephardic congregations must unite in forming a city-wide youth and young adult movement. Adult education city-wide is a must. Be an ambassador of the Sephardic Jews, tell everyone you know, get their opinion, and contact us for more information. If a World Sephardic Movement is established, the SEC would pledge the following:

1. Serve as a formal institution to ensure education of Jews who live in the Diaspora, ensuring they learn the rich traditions and heritage of the Sephardic people;
2. Help develop a core group of Sephardic leaders that have so much pride for their heritage that they are ready to help strengthen and lead our communities, lead them with common vision and purpose;
3. Build a strong network to help finance any community that wishes to create innovative and positive programs in partnership with the World Sephardic Movement;
4. Use the SEC center in Jerusalem as an international meeting place, campus for classes, conferences and cultural events of Sephardic interest; continue to develop the successful International Youth and Young Adult Movement by adding more chapters and expanding programs and age groups. This includes local, regional, national and international social, educational, religious and cultural events that will bring our young people closer together, forging bonds of friendship among future leaders and create an environment where singles can meet and eventually marry, as over 900 couples worldwide have because of the SEC;
5. Create written, audio-visual and online educational materials and resources to make the richness of our traditions easily available at home, office, or on the road. In other words, use modern technology to spread the education, make learning and material not only for the classroom, but help foster lifelong learning using all mediums possible.

The Sephardic Educational Center in Jerusalem

The SEC campus is made up of three main buildings. One surrounds a historic Spanish style courtyard that once housed the Sephardic Bet Din (court of Jewish Law), this building has multiple classrooms. The second is a reconstructed three story building with guest rooms, a new banquet hall and dining room. The third building has larger family suites and is where the successive Chief Rabbis of pre-state Israel once lived. The campus is just a few minutes walk to the Kotel HaMaaravi, the Western Wall, in the heart of the Old City of Jerusalem. The three SEC buildings have been in the Sephardic community of Jerusalem for many generations. On May 28, 1948 during the Israeli War of Independence, the location where the SEC exists today fell to the Jordanian Army. This includes the famous Four Sephardic Synagogues that are adjacent to the SEC. For the next 19 years, the buildings were left abandoned and neglected. In June 1967 Jerusalem was liberated, the Old City was reunited under Jewish sovereignty and the three buildings once again became a center for Jewish study. The SEC now has legal title to the buildings, ensuring they will stay securely in the hands of the next generation of Sephardim, and further into the next century. While Chief Sephardic Rabbi of Israel, HaRav Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron wrote to Dr. Nessim:

"The house that you had the privilege to redeem for the welfare of the Jewish People, served for centuries as the residence of all the Sephardic Chief Rabbis, of blessed memory, and from it Torah was spread to Jerusalem and to the whole Diaspora. Now that you have obtained these historical buildings it will become a center for world Sephardic Jewry through which the Torah will be a source of inspiration."

Today the SEC center in Jerusalem has become a modern facility. In the last few years, each room has been remodeled with a new bathroom, new floor, ceiling, doors, storage, heating and cooling unit, and electronic features to meet the needs of the contemporary world. The electrical, plumbing, heating ventilation and air conditioning systems of the building have been completely overhauled, and the new design meets the standards of the Israeli code and the Israeli Ministry of Tourism for safety and accommodation. The rooms are bright, clean and modern, with windows that open onto the beautiful Jewish Quarter. There is a modern dining room with a seating capacity for 250 people and a newly renovated kitchen. Not only does the facility serve students, but it also offers a beautiful location and full catering services. Today, families celebrate bar and bat mitzvahs, special celebrations and weddings at the SEC. Conferences and lectures are held in the modern meeting rooms of the facility.

Our Accomplishments Are Too Many to Enumerate

The SEC has published several important books, including some in Hebrew and Spanish. The daily prayer books, as well as the other books, contain explanations on each page that show the reasons for each prayer, including its history. The SEC Humash and Siddur has become the most popular Spanish language prayer book in the world, even being used by the Hassidim in many Spanish-speaking countries. The SEC also published a beautiful volume of Pirke Avot and Majzorim of Rosh Hashana as well as Yom Kipur.

The SEC invested money and effort to help the Jews in Bombay, India. SEC staff traveled to India to remove idols and clean up the Jewish school. During this campaign to help the Jews in Bombay, over one thousand Indians visited the SEC center in Jerusalem. After the SEC helped revitalize the Hebrew language and Torah education in Bombay, 1,000 Bene Yisrael from Bombay made aliyah. In Argentina during the terrible economic crisis in 2002-2003, the SEC helped pay the household bills of many Jews. The SEC purchased food for the community, and Jewish physicians treated over 1,000 patients who had no insurance. Then, an incredible 20% of SEC alumni went on to make aliyah and move to Israel!

Our Goals as an Organization

THE SEC IS A CENTER FOR ALL JEWS. The success of the SEC has been well documented and established. The abbreviation "SEC" has become a common one recognized by the majority of Jews around the world. The SEC is the only existing world Sephardic organization that deals with the perpetuation of Judaism and every aspect of Sephardic culture. There are many Sephardim who have taken a stand and feel that the Sephardic culture is too rich to be abandoned. Their parents and ancestors were enriched by it and they have determined that they will do everything in their power to ensure that the culture will live and flourish and should be available to all Jews that wish to explore it.

The SEC intends to continue its mission of serving as a world educational and cultural headquarters for Sephardim mostly in the Diaspora. As the SEC desires to support Sephardic communities throughout the world, it makes clear that it is designed to complement-not compete with local Sephardic institutions or organizations. The SEC will continue to host a variety of youth, young adults, adult and other spiritual educational, cultural and touring programs to Israel and the Diaspora. There is a feeling of urgency in creating a united and organized Sephardic World Movement and there is already a great deal of interest in certain countries to participate. Let's hear from you, wherever you live we need YOU. Uniting and organizing are the only way for Sephardim to survive as a distinctive division of Klal Yisrael. This can be done in a democratic fashion; this can be done to help ensure the survival of our people.

The honest truth is that the SEC can only do so much without the continued financial assistance of its supporters. Dedication opportunities exist for numerous items in each of the three buildings representing the Jerusalem Campus. If you would like to honor or memorialize a loved one, please request a list that includes all the locations with donation amounts. Doing so you will beautify the Old City of Jerusalem while helping the SEC help train leaders for the future. Yearly planned giving is also an option because of its flexibility and tax advantages. The SEC welcomes and encourages donations of all kinds, life insurance, bequests, property, cash, securities, memorial donations and gifts-in-kind. You may also include the SEC in your will.

The SEC Today

Through its 25 years, the SEC has championed Jewish education taught with a traditional Sephardic flavor. The Center in Jerusalem has attracted more than 25,000 students coming from around the world. The programs offered were primarily called "Travel and Learn" for the students learned about Judaism, the Sephardic philosophy and culture, as well as traveled throughout Israel. Over the years, programs for young adults have been established at SEC chapters including, Argentina, Bombay, Buenos Aires, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Miami, Montreal, New York and Toronto. SEC conventions are held yearly in North and South America attracting up to 300 young people at a time from different countries. Over 100,000 youths and young adults have participated in our activities in the Diaspora. Shabbatons, lectures and other major gatherings have continued to take place, and we have an annual Sephardic Jewish Film Festival that is an extremely popular event. In March of 2005, the SEC celebrated its 25th anniversary at a gala dinner in Jerusalem. There, with rabbinical and lay leaders from around the world, a sincere commitment and pledge to continue our goals was made in front of a crowd which had gathered from many different countries.

The SEC in conjunction with Hebrew University offers a fully accredited university program known as Makor. This program can be attended for one semester or a year. Students stay at the SEC facility and study at both the SEC and HU campuses. Scholarships are available for qualified participants on a first come first serve basis, please contact us for more information. Don't miss the opportunity.

SEC linked up with Taglit – birthright israel for a 10-day FREE trip for young adults between the age of 18-26 to learn about Sephardic heritage, Sephardic Jewish customs, communities and history. Our highly qualified staff of educators, who reside in Jerusalem, will share their enthusiasm, passion and knowledge of the Land of Israel, its People and its Torah. We will travel the country to experience its beauty and charm, from a desert oasis near the Dead Sea to the lush waterfalls in the Golan. We will meet Israeli peers, and bond with them through tours, hikes, and various outdoor activities. Experience a Shabbat that will forever be remembered in the Jewish Quarter, including a visit to the Western Wall. Participate in thought provoking seminars that include topics such as History, Religion, and Politics including Leadership training.

Sign up today at http://register.birthrightisrael.com/RegisterLogin.cfm
Select SEC- Sephardic Tour as your trip provider

Sadly, many Sephardim are very confused about their very own history, their culture and their religious philosophy. Therefore, the SEC and the proposed Sephardic World Movement has as one of its primary goals to educate them, in a relevant way on how to belong to a traditional movement which is 100% Jewish rather than belong to a movement that is classified according to different degrees of religious observance. This sort of education and instilled pride-in-heritage is open to all Jews, Sephardic or Ashkenazi. Many movements within the Jewish world have attracted Sephardim because they claim to be modern, but this is a misnomer. Most of our synagogues holding regular Shabbat morning services have very few, if any, youth and young adults in attendance.

Everything points to the end of the rich Sephardic Judaism created in Babylonia, Spain, North Africa and the land of Israel that has so illuminated the entire Jewish world. Yet, the SEC is unwavering in its commitment to change this prognosis into a very optimistic one. If all the Sephardic synagogues, organizations and institutions would consider being a part of the proposed Sephardic World Movement, uniting, pooling resources and engaging in intense study to remedy the apathy and ignorance, then with the help of the Almighty, there will be great renaissance. The time is now, we can all win.

All those interested in the SEC activities are encouraged to visit the SEC website where they can get the latest news and information about the organization, as well as information on how to start a chapter in your city. Please visit: www.secjerusalem.org or call 310-441-9361 ext. 203 for more information.