A'ufah Eshkonah דגל יהודה • ירושלים

A'ufah Eshkonah

A’ufa Eshkonah is Degel Yehuda’s flagship educational project, held annually since 2014.

It offers an annual cycle of experiential workshops on the prayer traditions of the Sephardic and Mizraẖi Jewries, focused on Torah and Haftarah reading, Piyutim (liturgic poems), and Shabbat and Festival prayer services.

Workshops are held at introductory and intermediate levels, and follow Degel Yehuda’s inclusive approach, welcoming both men and women who seek to reaffirm their affinity to Sephardic tradition and engage in community life through liturgy and song.

Workshop Calendar 5781/2021 (Soon)

Archives (Soon)

Objective

To share the Sephardi and Mizraẖi legacy of rich and beautiful prayer traditions with the contemporary generation and preserve it for transmission to future generations.

Workshop Setting

Until recently, A’ufa Eshkonah workshops were held in small groups, face-to-face, in Jerusalem.

Since the outbreak of the COVID19 pandemic in early 2020, the lockdowns led our community and students to benefit from distance learning over the Internet. Happily, this also allowed Degel Yehuda to reach international participants interested in the Sephardic tradition.

Both settings are currently available, in keeping with the objectives of each workshop.

Study Methods

Workshops are taught in different ways according to the subject-matter, group membership levels and needs.

We also try to meet requests of communities in designing specific workshops.

Pre-Registration

All activities require participant pre-registration to ensure that workshops have the required quorum.

Teaching Language

Hebrew in Israel and English in international workshops.

We have also had opportunities to lead workshops in Spanish and French with translator support.

Tuition Fees

Once a workshop (requiring tuition fee) has been confirmed, tuition payment constitutes the formal registration that allows participation.

Facilitators

A’ufa Eshkonah workshop facilitators and lecturers, from Israel and the Diaspora, are all qualified experts in their fields.

Certification

A certificate of participation for full attendance will be available upon request.

A'ufah Eshkonah

« Sharing the Sephardi and Mizraẖi legacy of rich and beautiful prayer traditions with the contemporary generation! »

Scholarships and financial support

Degel Yehuda or sponsoring institutions may propose tuition stipends for participants, depending on the type and length of an educational activity (workshops or courses). A scholarship application form will be available for each relevant program.

Areas of Study

Shabbat – Kabbalat Shabbat and Shaẖarit
Festivals and life-cycle celebrations:
- Yamim Nora’im and Seliẖot
- Rosh haShanah
- Yom Kippur
- Sukkot
- Simẖat Torah
- Pesaẖ
- Shavu'ot
- H̱annukkah
Brit Milah and Zeved haBat
Bar and Bat Mitzvah
Wedding ceremonies
Death and Mourning
Special Occasions

Previous Cycles of Study

5780 2019-2020

Shir HaShirim:
- Moroccan cantillation with colour-coded text
Kabalat Shabbat:
- Psalms: Moroccan cantillation with colour-coded text
- Lekhah Dodi
  - 'etz HaRimon
  - LeDavid Shir uMizmor
  - Sha'ar Petaẖ Dody

5779 2018-2019

Arvit Shel Shabbat:
- Kryat Shem'a: Moroccan cantillation with colour-coded text
- Kaddish
  - Alekhem 'Yshym 'Ekr'a
  - Shulamit Beshir
- Rau Banim
  - 'Elohim Diber BeKodsho
Arvit shel Khol
- Morocan Nusakh
- Kidhush
- Hashkivenu
Arvit - Hazarah
- Moroccan Nusakh
- Yigdal Elohim Hai
  - Various melodies

5778 2017-2018

Shacharit Shel Shabat
- Haftarah: Moroccan cantillation
- Hodu L'Adonai: Nusakh
- Hoshi'enu: Nusach
- Adonai Melekh: Hish Yachish
- Lamnatzeakh Mizmor LeDavid: Moroccan Cantillation
- Barukh SheAmar: Moroccan Nusach
- Mizmor Shir leYom HaShabat: Moroccan Nusakh
- Shirat haYam:
  - Kudam Ushak
  - Nuba Rasd: Sofrim Kara, Yakum Ish Yemini, Shaal Melech
- Yehi Khevod Adonai: Nusakh
- Halleluya, Hallelu El Bekodesho: Shaar Petakh Dodi
- Ygdal: Kseida-Asaper Hasdei El
- Nishmat Kol KHai: Classic Moroccan Nusach
- Shavat Anyim: Amar Adonai leYaakov

Testimonials from Previous Participants

"This virtual space offered what no other space could: an intergenerational, women-led collective where anyone, regardless of musical ability, could learn Sefardi nusach. As a woman I have felt alienated from Moroccan liturgy learning and this was an incredible way to connect to my heritage and expand my spirituality..."

Hannah Goldman
New York

"For a woman, to learn how to lead prayer is not obvious at all, since the transmission of those oral traditions involves almost only men. Therefore, this workshop has been for me the first opportunity to begin my learning of Sephardic Hazanut, and I’m very grateful to have begun training there!..."

Avital Cohen
Paris

"...So much gratitude [...] for sharing this ancestral knowledge with women, with such care and precision. And so much gratitude to Degel Yehuda for making this course happen, and for creating this space for people to learn regardless of gender. This is so precious!"

Laura Elkeslassy
New York

The current cycle of studies 5781/2021 is generously supported by

Our facilitators:

Drori Yehoshuah

Kurdish Tradition

Ariel Carciente

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Moroccan and Algerian Traditions

Moroccan Tradition

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