Shi(u)r Piyyut: The View from Ibn Gabirol
About the event
An iconic figure of the Golden Age of Sephardic Jewry, Shlomo Ibn Gabirol’s work in piyyutim (poetry), theology, and philosophy has had a pervasive impact on the world of Jewish thought and beyond. Dr. Samuel Torjman Thomas will present a Shabbat morning lecture as scholar-in-residence, focusing on Ibn Gabirol, his place in the history of Sephardi culture, and the impact of several of his important works.
leader, scholar, artist
Dr. Torjman Thomas is a multi-instrumentalist (saxophone, oud, vocals, nay, clarinet, percussion), composer, bandleader, and a professor of ethnomusicology, cultural studies (Sephardic Jewish studies), and interdisciplinary studies. As an artist-scholar, his work centers on musics and cultures of the Middle East and North Africa, worldwide Jewish musical traditions, jazz traditions, improvisation, and composition. Dr. Torjman Thomas is bandleader of ASEFA, ASEFA-Jazz, and Traveling in Pairs, as well as artistic director of the New York Andalus Ensemble – a multiethnic large ensemble featuring a choir and instrumentalists performing traditional musics of North Africa and Spain, in Hebrew, Arabic, and Spanish.
Dr. Torjman Thomas is also a faculty member in both the ALEPH and Academy of Jewish Religion Cantorial Programs, as well as Director of Musical Arts at Brooklyn’s Sephardic Community Center (JCC). He is a frequent guest speaker, ḥazzan, and facilitator in ecumenical spaces, cultural institutions, and music and spiritual retreats worldwide.
Kehilat Derech Yeshara (KDY), led by Rabbi Avraham Benhamu, was founded with the goal of providing a strong foundation for the next generation in accordance with the Syrian Sephardic ritual to foster a deeper connection to G-d through: Kiyum Torah through the establishment of Torah by study, experience, and its sincere implementation; Pursuit for Truth through engagement of healthy discussion on all issues faced by the Jewish Nation; and Responsibility through hands-on service for the Jewish community and world at large to promote educational and social activities for its members and their families.
In partnership with:
