Almost Englishmen: Baghdadi Jews in British Burma, Library of Congress presentation

[Allen W Thrasher]

You are cordially invited to the following upcoming presentation:
 
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Almost Englishmen: Baghdadi Jews in British Burma
A talk in English by Dr. Ruth Fredman Cernea, Anthropologist
Co-organized by The Asian Division Friends Society and Library of Congress Professional Association Hebrew Language Table
http://www.lcasianfriends.org/event/almost_englishmen 
 
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
12:00pm-1:00pm
Asian Reading Room Foyer, LJ-150, Jefferson Building
101 Independence Ave., SE, Washington, DC
(Metro stop: Capitol South on the Blue/Orange Line)
 
Contact: Dr. Anchi Hoh, adia at loc.gov, (202) 707-5673, Gail Shirazi, gshi at loc.gov, (202) 707-9897
 
Description:
For more than a century, Jews from the Middle East-the Baghdadis-formed vibrant communities throughout Southeast Asia. Linked across the miles by tradition, family and economic ties, ideologically the Baghdadis existed between two promised lands: the religious ideal of Jerusalem and the political promise of England. Like other minorities in the complex society that was British India, the Baghdadis gradually refashioned their lifestyles and aspirations on the British model. The Jewish experience in the lush land of Burma is emblematic of the experience of the extended Baghdadi community, whether in Bombay, Calcutta, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Surabaya, or any of the other towns and port cities throughout Southeast Asia.
 
About the Speaker:
Dr. Ruth Fredman Cernea, Anthropologist, has reconstructed the history of the Jews of Burma through decades-long archival research and interviews in Burma, the UK, Australia, Israel, the US and other places throughout the world.  The author has done a service to Jewish and colonial studies, documenting a community and an experience that have been ignored in historical writings. She is actively involved in attempts to secure the future of the Jews who remain in present-day Myanmar. Dr. Cernea is the author of the anthropological study of the Passover Seder, Afikoman in Exile, the editor of The Great Latke-Hamantash Debate, and numerous articles on Jewish society and culture.