Migrations and the Memory Culture of Sephardim in the Ottoman Empire

One of the common characteristics of Jewish culture is a well-developed cultural memory of Jerusalem and the Land of Israel; however, with the expulsion from Spain, the Sephardic culture came to possess another layer of memory. While adapting themselves to new conditions in the Ottoman empire, Sephardi Jews have kept their memories of their Iberian homeland alive. Ladino language is preserved, and numerous synagogues have been named after their places of origin, as evidenced by the Thessaloniki examples - Kastilia, Aragon, Lisbon Yashan, Portugal.
In this paper, I will research relation between migrations and cultural memory, and how this complex memory impacted the visual programs, forms, and terminology of Sephardic visual and material culture.
Paper MIGRATIONS AND MEMORY CULTURE OF SEPHARDIM IN THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE
is oriented towards a study of complex roles of visual culture in the transformation of identity of migrant Sephardi Jews, the preservation of their religious identity, and nurturing cultural memory.