A Sephardi Sea: Jewish Memories across the Modern Mediterranean

A Sephardi Sea explores the memories of Jews from the southern shore of the Mediterranean who migrated from their country of birth for Europe, Israel, and beyond between the late 1940s and the mid-1960s. It examines how the memories of a bygone Sephardi Mediterranean world became preserved in three national contexts - Israel, France, and Italy - and how practices of memory- and heritage-making have filled an identity vacuum and helped the Jews from North Africa and Egypt to define their Jewishness in Europe and Israel today.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 236 pages
Publication date: 26 July 2022
Publisher: Indiana University Press

Between the late 1940s and the mid-1960s, a significant wave of Jews from the southern shores of the Mediterranean embarked on a journey to Europe, Israel, and beyond. This migration, known as the Sephardi Sea, tells the story of these individuals and their contrasting memories and feelings for a Sephardi Jewish world in North Africa and Egypt that has since vanished. While some of these Jewish migrants may have had familiarity with their new countries due to colonial ties or Zionism, the act of leaving was often filled with pain and its memory remains deeply tangible, more than fifty years later.

In his book, A Sephardi Sea, Dario Miccoli delves into the preservation of memories of this bygone Sephardi Mediterranean world in three national contexts: Israel, France, and Italy. These countries were the destinations for Jews from the Middle East and North Africa, as well as their descendants, who migrated in search of a better life. Miccoli examines how practices of memory- and heritage-making, such as the writing of novels and memoirs, the establishment of museums and memorials, the activities of heritage associations, and state-led celebrations, have played a crucial role in filling an identity vacuum for these Jews. These practices have helped them define their Jewishness in Europe and Israel while also reinforcing their connection to a vanished world that is now remembered with nostalgia, affection, and sadness.

The Sephardi Sea migration represents a significant chapter in Jewish history, marking a period of transition and adaptation as Jews sought to establish themselves in new environments while preserving their cultural heritage. The memories of this world continue to resonate among the descendants of those who made the journey, and they serve as a reminder of the rich diversity and complexity of Jewish history. Through the exploration of the Sephardi Sea, Miccoli offers a valuable insight into the ways in which memory, heritage, and identity are shaped in the context of migration and displacement.

Weight: 349g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780253062932