VaYashkem Moshe
This book is dedicated by the Elmaleh family in memory of their parents, Moses and Marie Elmaleh, z"l. Moses was a founding member of Minyan Sepharad Congregation in Thornhill, Ontario. For 40 years he served as the Parnass, was responsible for the Chevrah Kadisha, and performed acts of chessed with a dedication to halakhah and tradition. Marie was the Executive Administrator at Petah Tikva Congregation in Toronto, Ontario, for over 35 years. As the largest and oldest Sephardic synagogue in Ontario, Petah Tikva played a significant role in the growth of the Toronto Sephardic community. Marie's warm demeanor made the synagogue a very welcoming place and she was dearly loved by all the synagogue's members. PROJECT MANAGER: Samuel Lev Oziel HALAKHIC OVERSIGHT & FORWARD: Chacham Amram Assayag CHIEF TRANSLATOR & CONTENT EDITOR: Rabbi Shmuel Rabin EDITORS: R' Yosef Oziel, Isaac E. Oziel, Koby Benlolo, Shimon Benmergui |
On The Derekh is an organization dedicated to the preservation, enrichment, and continuity of Moroccan Sephardic Jewish heritage.
Audio of the week
Mizmor LeTodah (Tehillim 100) - The 6th psalm of Lekhu Neranena: See pg. 259 of the siddur for a commentary on this prayer. Recording and vocals: Ariel Oziel |
Our Mission
Our unique Moroccan Sephardic heritage.
The heritage of Moroccan Jewry is unique within the Sephardic world; a culture rich in Torah and tradition spanning over 1000 years. Each geographic region within Morocco, from Tangiers to Marrakesh, developed its own unique customs, prayer rituals, and melodies.
Our legacy is disappearing before our eyes.
As the communities dispersed over the last 50 years, so has the culture. Many of our special traditions and praying rituals have become blurred or lost. Every year we are further removed from our roots, which continuously hinders our ability to pass our cherished tradition over to the next generation.
A plan for preserving our cherished traditions.
Our first objective was centered on developing a Hebrew/English siddur that is inclusive of the various traditions practiced throughout Morocco. This siddur includes a unique translation and commentary as well as many novel user-friendly features. We believe this will be the most essential tool to access, educate, and inspire Moroccan Jews of all levels to rediscover their heritage.
What's next?
Now that the siddur is complete we hope to continue developing resources of Moroccan Sephardic heritage. There are a multitude of options on the table. Help us decide - post and discuss on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/onthederekh.
The heritage of Moroccan Jewry is unique within the Sephardic world; a culture rich in Torah and tradition spanning over 1000 years. Each geographic region within Morocco, from Tangiers to Marrakesh, developed its own unique customs, prayer rituals, and melodies.
Our legacy is disappearing before our eyes.
As the communities dispersed over the last 50 years, so has the culture. Many of our special traditions and praying rituals have become blurred or lost. Every year we are further removed from our roots, which continuously hinders our ability to pass our cherished tradition over to the next generation.
A plan for preserving our cherished traditions.
Our first objective was centered on developing a Hebrew/English siddur that is inclusive of the various traditions practiced throughout Morocco. This siddur includes a unique translation and commentary as well as many novel user-friendly features. We believe this will be the most essential tool to access, educate, and inspire Moroccan Jews of all levels to rediscover their heritage.
What's next?
Now that the siddur is complete we hope to continue developing resources of Moroccan Sephardic heritage. There are a multitude of options on the table. Help us decide - post and discuss on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/onthederekh.
We are proud to announce that our siddur project has received an endorsement from the former Chief Sephardic Rabbi of Israel,
Rabbi Shlomo Amar, shlit'a.
