With Daniel Jonas as our guide, we explore how Sephardi traditions merge with philosophy, language, and music to form a personal and uniquely ‘alive’ sense of Jewish identity.

Our guest

Meet Daniel Jonas, a corporate innovation expert, leader of interfaith dialogue, and prominent figure in London's Sephardic community—a path that has led him to explore his Iraqi-Indian heritage and the influence of Judeo-Arabic culture. 

Key topics

• Language and Identity: How language, particularly Hebrew and Judeo-Arabic, has shaped Daniel's Jewish expression.
• The Need for Change: Daniel advocates for systemic changes within communities and institutions to include the diversity of what it means to be Jewish.

Your guide

Short definitions of terms mentioned in this episode:

• Kippah / Yarmulke  - a brimless Jewish skullcap with variations in design and placement. Similar to a Kufi or Taquiya in Islam
• Amba - a delectable tangy mango pickle condiment of Baghdadi Jewish origin
• Reform Judaism - Jewish denomination that emphasises autonomy, and adapting to modern life.

Want to learn more? Listen to previous episodes where we discuss identity.

• S1E1 The Big Three Origin Stories

References & Resources

• Los Desterrados - A London band with a rootsy take on the ancient folk music of the Sephardic Jews.
• Nahamu - an organisation dedicated to combating religious extremism within the Jewish community
• 3yin - a London-based ground-breaking band that performs the music of the Jewish communities of the Middle East and North Africa

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Show credits

Host / Producer: Eylan Ezekiel

Post-production: Communicating for Impact

Artwork: Emily Theodore

Music: Aleksafor utransndr Karabanov

Sound effects: Serge Quadrado

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.