Sephardic Balkans

While YIVO is primarily known for its scholarship and collections related to East European Ashkenazic Jewry, its library and archives also hold important books and artifacts related to Sephardic Jewish heritage. For instance, the YIVO Archives is home to the Records of the Jewish Community of Salonika and the William Milwitzky Papers.

Milwitzky, a linguist, folklorist, and teacher of foreign languages, traveled through the Balkans in 1898-1899, collecting linguistic, literary and folkloric data relating to Judesmo (Ladino) and Sephardic Jews. The YIVO Library holds Milwitzky’s collection of books in Ladino. This collection also includes books in Western European languages on Jews in the Iberian peninsula. The Milwitzky Collection includes classic religious texts, such as the Me'am Lo'ez commentary; Ladino translations of foreign novels and dramas; and curiosities such as a Ladino Singer Sewing manual.

Scholar Joseph Benatov will lead two tours of the Sephardic Balkans in June and July 2014. For more information, please write to him at benatov@gmail.com.