Dov Cohen
Bar-Ilan University, Literature of the Jewish People, Faculty Member
- Historical Linguistics, Sephardic Studies, Corpus Annotation, Jewish Languages, Hebrew Manuscripts, Codicology and Palaeography of Medieval Hebrew Manuscripts, and 18 moreJewish Studies, Hebrew Printed Books, Early Printed Jewish Books, Medieval Jewish History, Jewish - Christian Relations, Incunabula, Judeo-Spanish (Ladino) language, Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) Language and Literature, Ladino Language, Ladino, Judezmo (Ladino, Ladino Language & Literature, Ladino Djudeo-Espanyol, Sephardic culture, Sephardic history, Ladino, Hebrew morphology, Ladino texts, Ladino Literature, ladino poetry, and Ladino Incantationsedit
- Forthcomingedit
The Bezes Printing House was established in Salonika, in 1888, by David ben Barukh Bezes, and his sons and grandsons took over after his death in 1912. Considered to be one of the city’s leading and most prominent printing houses during... more
The Bezes Printing House was established in Salonika, in 1888, by David ben Barukh Bezes, and his sons and grandsons took over after his death in 1912. Considered to be one of the city’s leading and most prominent printing houses during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Bezes Printing House was finally forced to close its doors as World War II and the decimation of the local Jewish community loomed.
In addition to their publishing endeavors, members of the Bezes family authored original Ladino works, translated from other languages into Ladino, and were noted publicists. During the course of its over fifty years of existence, the Bezes Printing House released nearly one hundred and fifty publications, spanning a wide range of genres, including both sacred and secular literature, such as prayer books and other liturgical works, Passover Haggadot, Ethics of the Fathers, belles-lettres, newspapers, almanacs, calendars, and assorted pamphlets. The printing house’s stature was also reflected by the large number of Ladino newspapers it published – nearly two dozen – and some of them were even edited by members of the Bezes family themselves.
This article presents a previously unknown chronology, delineating the history and achievements of the Bezes Printing House, which was written by Barukh ben David Bezes in 1938. The chronology was written in Ladino using the Solitreo script, and a transcription as well as photographs of the original are included in the appendices.
Although Salonika was a major center of Hebrew printing, no comprehensive study of the history of Hebrew printing in that city has been written, and to date, information about the printing houses, the publishers, the books, and the many newspapers that were printed there has yet to be collected. Thus, in addition to the aforementioned chronology, this article also surveys the available research pertaining to Hebrew printing in Salonika.
In addition to their publishing endeavors, members of the Bezes family authored original Ladino works, translated from other languages into Ladino, and were noted publicists. During the course of its over fifty years of existence, the Bezes Printing House released nearly one hundred and fifty publications, spanning a wide range of genres, including both sacred and secular literature, such as prayer books and other liturgical works, Passover Haggadot, Ethics of the Fathers, belles-lettres, newspapers, almanacs, calendars, and assorted pamphlets. The printing house’s stature was also reflected by the large number of Ladino newspapers it published – nearly two dozen – and some of them were even edited by members of the Bezes family themselves.
This article presents a previously unknown chronology, delineating the history and achievements of the Bezes Printing House, which was written by Barukh ben David Bezes in 1938. The chronology was written in Ladino using the Solitreo script, and a transcription as well as photographs of the original are included in the appendices.
Although Salonika was a major center of Hebrew printing, no comprehensive study of the history of Hebrew printing in that city has been written, and to date, information about the printing houses, the publishers, the books, and the many newspapers that were printed there has yet to be collected. Thus, in addition to the aforementioned chronology, this article also surveys the available research pertaining to Hebrew printing in Salonika.
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The article presented herein contains an in-depth examination of the public polemic-debate conducted in the Ladino press across the Ottoman Empire, against the backdrop of dramatic cultural changes from the 1880s until the early 20th... more
The article presented herein contains an in-depth examination of the public polemic-debate conducted in the Ladino press across the Ottoman Empire, against the backdrop of dramatic cultural changes from the 1880s until the early 20th century, as to the language best suited to serve as the Sephardi Jewish communities' vehicle of communication and culture. Because Ladino constituted a prime definer of identity, the language question became an important cultural issue that evoked internal community conflict. In the absence of substantial political life in the Diaspora, the press served as the main stage for the arguments of the different factions.
The social players involved in the debate can be divided into four groups. The perception of the polemic and its understanding are influenced by thinking patterns that can be called "framing". These patterns constitute a kind of "lens" through which everyone views the language conflict. The presentation of various interests as part of the discussion about language serves to reveal the complexity of the social groups in which the polemic takes place.
The social players involved in the debate can be divided into four groups. The perception of the polemic and its understanding are influenced by thinking patterns that can be called "framing". These patterns constitute a kind of "lens" through which everyone views the language conflict. The presentation of various interests as part of the discussion about language serves to reveal the complexity of the social groups in which the polemic takes place.
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A panoramic overview of the Ladino books and other publications published in the Sephardic Old Yishuv
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The article focuses on a manuscript collection of Sephardic folktales about prominent Ashkenazic figures – such as Judah ben Samuel of Regensburg (R’ Yehuda HeHasid) and his father – which the author discovered in an eighteenth century... more
The article focuses on a manuscript collection of Sephardic folktales about prominent Ashkenazic figures – such as Judah ben Samuel of Regensburg (R’ Yehuda HeHasid) and his father – which the author discovered in an eighteenth century anthology of Ladino folktales, written in Salonika. Most of the stories in this manuscript were taken from Ma‘aseh Buch, originally printed in Yiddish in 1602.
An analysis of the folktale collection reveals its uniqueness and rarity in comparison with other eighteenth century Ladino folktale compendia, which typically include stories about characters from the Bible, the Talmud, and the Sephardic world but not classic figures from Ashkenazic culture. The article also examines the way the stories were transposed from Yiddish into Ladino. A look at a sample story suggests that the stories must have been retold and orally translated from Yiddish into Hebrew by a Yiddish-speaking storyteller, following which the writer transcribed them into Ladino.
An analysis of the folktale collection reveals its uniqueness and rarity in comparison with other eighteenth century Ladino folktale compendia, which typically include stories about characters from the Bible, the Talmud, and the Sephardic world but not classic figures from Ashkenazic culture. The article also examines the way the stories were transposed from Yiddish into Ladino. A look at a sample story suggests that the stories must have been retold and orally translated from Yiddish into Hebrew by a Yiddish-speaking storyteller, following which the writer transcribed them into Ladino.
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The following article discusses Sephardic society in the Ottoman Empire during the 19 th century-a period of dramatic upheaval in many areas. Inter alia, these changes impacted Sephardic Jewry's reading habits and literary output. Alarmed... more
The following article discusses Sephardic society in the Ottoman Empire during the 19 th century-a period of dramatic upheaval in many areas. Inter alia, these changes impacted Sephardic Jewry's reading habits and literary output. Alarmed by these developments, the conventional rabbinic establishment sought to wield its authority in an effort to safeguard and protect its congregants from what was perceived as a threat. Based on new sources-both printed and in manuscript form-this study sheds light on the traditional rabbis' reactions and responses to manifestations of modernity and secularism in general and examines the steps they took to oppose and penalize the individuals responsible for the new genres of Judeo-Spanish (Ladino) literature-including newspapers, fiction, and drama-in particular. RÉSUMÉ Cet article traite de la société judéo-espagnole dans l'Empire ottoman au xix e siècle ; époque riche en changements dans de nombreux domaines. Ces changements ont notamment concerné les habitudes de lecture des juifs sépharades et leurs domaines de création littéraire. Inquiets de ces mutations, les rabbins ont fait jouer leur autorité de manière à protéger les fidèles de ce qu'ils percevaient comme une menace. La présente étude se fonde sur de nouvelles sources-imprimées et manuscrites-et indique les réactions de l'establishment rabbinique, aux positions conservatrices, face aux divers changements liés à la modernité et de la sécularisation et les mesures prises contre les porteurs de ces changements, notamment dans les domaines de la presse, la littérature et le théâtre judéo-espagnols (ladino).
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Jewish circumcision registers are personal documents which were kept by the mohel (the ritual circumciser) on his own initiative and for his own specific purposes, and he used them to record every circumcision that he performed. The... more
Jewish circumcision registers are personal documents which were kept by the mohel (the ritual circumciser) on his own initiative and for his own specific purposes, and he used them to record every circumcision that he performed. The mohel’s individual character and talents influenced the register’s contents and aesthetic features. Due to both the explicit and implicit information contained in the registers, they can serve as an important research tool for historians studying Jewish communities around the world. This article presents and describes two circumcision registers belonging to Rabbi Shaul Moshe Molho, a mohel who was active in the years 1913-1947, first in Salonika and later in Tel Aviv. These rare registers are unique because of the amount of information they include, the large number of circumcisions, and the fact that they are the only known existing circumcision registers from Salonika’s Jewish community. Rabbi Shaul Molho’s registers shed light on social trends in Salonika, a Jewish community which was decimated during the Holocaust. Presumably, many of the children listed in these registers later perished during the Holocaust, and thus, these records are perhaps the sole testament to their memories. Although at first glance, circumcision registers seem to contain little information, they have great potential as a valuable yet still underused historical source for researchers studying Salonika Jewry.
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The Discovery of the First Printed Translation into Ladino of Pirkey Avot (Thessaloniki, ca. 1570).– Between 1552 and 1965, numerous Ladino translations of Pirkey Avot (“Ethics of the Fathers”) were published using either Hebrew or Latin... more
The Discovery of the First Printed Translation into Ladino of Pirkey Avot (Thessaloniki, ca. 1570).– Between 1552 and 1965, numerous Ladino translations of Pirkey Avot (“Ethics of the Fathers”) were published using either Hebrew or Latin characters at various locations throughout the Ottoman Empire as well as in Italy, Amsterdam and London. The first known printed Ladino translation using Hebrew characters was published in 1601 at Giovanni di Gara’s printing house in Venice. Previous research has proven that this Venice translation more strongly resembles later translations originating from Eastern Mediterranean diaspora communities, especially Thessaloniki, than it does
those published in the Italy, Amsterdam or London (Schwarzwald 1989, 1990[92]). A version of a Ladino translation of Pirkey Avot from Thessaloniki ca. 1570 has recently been discovered among remnants of the Cairo Genizah in Cambridge. A comparison of the 1601 and 1570 versions shows that not only are they very similar, but that it is also
evident that the 1601 version is based on the Thessaloniki translation ca. 1570. Other texts published in Venice at the same printing house support this conclusion. This edition is now considered the oldest known version published in Ladino.
those published in the Italy, Amsterdam or London (Schwarzwald 1989, 1990[92]). A version of a Ladino translation of Pirkey Avot from Thessaloniki ca. 1570 has recently been discovered among remnants of the Cairo Genizah in Cambridge. A comparison of the 1601 and 1570 versions shows that not only are they very similar, but that it is also
evident that the 1601 version is based on the Thessaloniki translation ca. 1570. Other texts published in Venice at the same printing house support this conclusion. This edition is now considered the oldest known version published in Ladino.
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The following article discusses one of the 19th century’s most fascinating Judeo-Spanish egodocuments: the memoir of Salonikan poet and publisher Sa'adi Halevi-Eskenazi, an influential cultural and literary icon, renowned in Sephardic... more
The following article discusses one of the 19th century’s most fascinating Judeo-Spanish egodocuments: the memoir of Salonikan poet and publisher Sa'adi Halevi-Eskenazi, an influential cultural and literary icon, renowned in Sephardic communities throughout Turkey and the Balkans. This article examines an expanded version of the memoir, which has yet to be studied by researchers. In his article, the author addresses issues such as Halevi-Eskenazi’s motivations for writing the memoir, the chain of events leading to its publication in Ladino newspapers, its significance as a historical source, the search for existing copies of the memoir, and more. Two selected chapters from the memoir are presented as an appendix to the article.
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A comprehensive project conducted over the past few years to locate and document every book printed in Ladino, revealed that between the years 1490–1960, nearly four thousand titles were published. In this article, I will show that many... more
A comprehensive project conducted over the past few years to locate and document every book printed in Ladino, revealed that between the years 1490–1960, nearly four thousand titles were published. In this article, I will show that many Ladino books were lost over the generations. Some of those missing books were referenced in assorted sources. Others did not come to researchers’ attention until fairly recently. This study contains several examples of Ladino books from the 16th century, which were lost and then rediscovered – due to the fact that their fragments were preserved in the Cairo Genizah or found in the bindings of antique books.
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In recent years, previously-unknown ladino books and editions have been found in public libraries, in private collections, and among the vast amount of material preserved for centuries in the Cairo Genizah. The thousands of fragments... more
In recent years, previously-unknown ladino books and editions have been found in public libraries, in private collections, and among the vast amount of material preserved for centuries in the Cairo Genizah. The thousands of fragments contained in the Genizah include fragments of undocumented Sephardic Bibles dating back to the Ottoman Empire. This article focuses on the latest findings in the area of sixteenth-century Sephardic Bibles and presents an updated bibliographic inventory of these editions.
En los últimos años se han ido descubriendo libros y ediciones desconocidos en judeoespañol, entre otros, en bibliotecas públicas, en colecciones privadas y entre los diversos materiales conservados durante siglos en la Guenizá de El Cairo. Entre los miles de fragmentos que se han acumulado en la Guenizá se han encontrado también fragmentos de ediciones de biblias sefardíes del antiguo Imperio otomano, que hasta ahora no habían sido documentados. El presente artículo señala las últimas novedades en el área de las ediciones de biblias sefardíes del siglo XVI, y presenta un inventario bibliografico actualizado de estas ediciones, a partir de los nuevos hallazgos.
En los últimos años se han ido descubriendo libros y ediciones desconocidos en judeoespañol, entre otros, en bibliotecas públicas, en colecciones privadas y entre los diversos materiales conservados durante siglos en la Guenizá de El Cairo. Entre los miles de fragmentos que se han acumulado en la Guenizá se han encontrado también fragmentos de ediciones de biblias sefardíes del antiguo Imperio otomano, que hasta ahora no habían sido documentados. El presente artículo señala las últimas novedades en el área de las ediciones de biblias sefardíes del siglo XVI, y presenta un inventario bibliografico actualizado de estas ediciones, a partir de los nuevos hallazgos.
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Saadi Halevi-Ashkenazi was a man of many talents who was involved in a wide range of cultural pursuits. A fourth-generation publisher, he transformed his family’s printing house into one of the Ottoman Empire’s leading establishments and... more
Saadi Halevi-Ashkenazi was a man of many talents who was involved in a wide range of cultural pursuits. A fourth-generation publisher, he transformed his family’s printing house into one of the Ottoman Empire’s leading establishments and released hundreds of books, in both Hebrew and Ladino. The two long-lasting newspapers – one in Ladino and one in French – that he founded and edited in Salonika ranked among the most important and influential of their kind. His numerous Ladino poems were reprinted repeatedly and were popular even in far-flung Sephardic communities.
Saadi Halevi-Ashkenazi was known for his liberal views and was considered to be ahead of his time. His memoir – in and of itself a groundbreaking endeavor in the society in which he lived – serves as a significant primary source for information about Jewish communal life in that era.
Yet, in spite of his prominent position and major contributions, no comprehensive study of his life exists. Furthermore, much of what has been written about him is incomplete, inaccurate, or vague and unclear. This article sets the record straight and presents an updated biography of Saadi Halevi, based on a variety of sources and in light of new findings.
Saadi Halevi-Ashkenazi was known for his liberal views and was considered to be ahead of his time. His memoir – in and of itself a groundbreaking endeavor in the society in which he lived – serves as a significant primary source for information about Jewish communal life in that era.
Yet, in spite of his prominent position and major contributions, no comprehensive study of his life exists. Furthermore, much of what has been written about him is incomplete, inaccurate, or vague and unclear. This article sets the record straight and presents an updated biography of Saadi Halevi, based on a variety of sources and in light of new findings.
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R. Yaʿakov ben Asher (circa 1270-1343) is regarded as one of the greatest Jewish sages of all times. He was born in Germany but spent most of his life in Spain. His comprehensive halachic work, Arbaʿah Turim, cemented his place in the... more
R. Yaʿakov ben Asher (circa 1270-1343) is regarded as one of the greatest Jewish sages of all times. He was born in Germany but spent most of his life in Spain. His comprehensive halachic work, Arbaʿah Turim, cemented his place in the Jewish world just behind Rambam’s Mishneh Torah, and he became known as Baʿal Ha-Turim.
There are two different opinions about Baʿal Ha-Turim’s burial place: the scientific view which claims that he was buried in Toledo, Spain, and the popular folk tradition which maintains that he was buried on the Greek island of Chios. As a result of this folk tradition, the gravestone attributed to him in Chios as well as the island’s cemetery became a pilgrimage site for Jews from the surrounding areas. Furthermore, numerous stories and legends have arisen around Baʿal Ha-Turim and the holy site in Chios. Specifically, in Ladino literature and folklore from the early nineteenth century he is referred to as a miracle worker. A number of special prayers were composed to be recited over Baʿal Ha-Turim’s gravesite in Chios, and several even appeared in print during the mid-nineteenth century. Members of the local Jewish community would make vows to visit the gravesite as a way of ensuring the acceptance of their prayers and supplications, a rare practice among Turkish and Balkan Jewry.
In this article, we focus on the two conflicting traditions concerning Baʿal Ha-Turim’s burial place. We discuss the sources suggesting that he was buried in Spain and examine their credibility. In contrast, in light of various new findings we recently discovered, we describe the spread and extent of the popular tradition that he was buried in Chios, and we examine the way this tradition and belief affected private and communal life in the surrounding area, in Turkey, and in the Balkans.
There are two different opinions about Baʿal Ha-Turim’s burial place: the scientific view which claims that he was buried in Toledo, Spain, and the popular folk tradition which maintains that he was buried on the Greek island of Chios. As a result of this folk tradition, the gravestone attributed to him in Chios as well as the island’s cemetery became a pilgrimage site for Jews from the surrounding areas. Furthermore, numerous stories and legends have arisen around Baʿal Ha-Turim and the holy site in Chios. Specifically, in Ladino literature and folklore from the early nineteenth century he is referred to as a miracle worker. A number of special prayers were composed to be recited over Baʿal Ha-Turim’s gravesite in Chios, and several even appeared in print during the mid-nineteenth century. Members of the local Jewish community would make vows to visit the gravesite as a way of ensuring the acceptance of their prayers and supplications, a rare practice among Turkish and Balkan Jewry.
In this article, we focus on the two conflicting traditions concerning Baʿal Ha-Turim’s burial place. We discuss the sources suggesting that he was buried in Spain and examine their credibility. In contrast, in light of various new findings we recently discovered, we describe the spread and extent of the popular tradition that he was buried in Chios, and we examine the way this tradition and belief affected private and communal life in the surrounding area, in Turkey, and in the Balkans.
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Today, the term soletreo, signifying a cursive form of Sephardic writing, is common coinage among Judeo-Spanish speakers. Indeed, the term has become increasingly ubiquitous even within Judeo-Spanish academic discourse, where it refers to... more
Today, the term soletreo, signifying a cursive form of Sephardic writing, is common coinage among Judeo-Spanish speakers. Indeed, the term has become increasingly ubiquitous even within Judeo-Spanish academic discourse, where it refers to the script used by Sephardic writers throughout the generations. However, little attention has been paid to the term’s origin, meaning, etymology, and usage. Although the term solitreo does appear in up-to-date Ladino dictionaries, they do not discuss its origin, its usage over the course of previous generations, or its connotation with respect to the script itself. In an attempt at tracing the etymology of the term solitreo in the sources, this study seeks to address several questions. For instance, did Sephardim refer to the cursive script they used as solitreo? When was the term first used to signify Sephardic cursive writing? Does the term have additional meanings? What is the term’s etymological source? In which context did it first appear in the sources? This study proposes answers to these and other questions.
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The many studies published about Captain Barros Basto have taught us much about his dynamic life and tireless efforts for the “Obra do Resgate,” his rescue work on behalf of Portuguese crypto-Jews during the early twentieth century. Yet,... more
The many studies published about Captain Barros Basto have taught us much about his dynamic life and tireless efforts for the “Obra do Resgate,” his rescue work on behalf of Portuguese crypto-Jews during the early twentieth century. Yet, to date, little is known about his robust and extensive literary output. This study is meant to fill that gap and to present – for the first time - Barros Basto’s literary corpus, while systematically documenting his writings.
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Shulchan ha-Panim was published anonymously during the late sixteenth century, and in spite of numerous efforts at solving the puzzle, the author’s identity is still unknown. Yet determining who wrote Shulhan ha-Panim is not only... more
Shulchan ha-Panim was published anonymously during the late sixteenth century, and in spite of numerous efforts at solving the puzzle, the author’s identity is still unknown. Yet determining who wrote Shulhan ha-Panim is not only bibliographically significant – it was one of the first books to be printed in Judeo-Spanish – but the work is also historically, socially, and linguistically unique.
Shulhan ha-Panim, which is generally considered to be a translation of R’ Yosef Caro’s seminal Shulhan Arukh, is actually much more than that. The translator also edited and formatted the text, added his own commentary, and thus produced a new work, which was intended to provide the target audience – namely, Spanish and Portuguese Jewry, Judeo-Spanish speakers – with a useful book containing clear halachic rulings in a language they understood.
This article seeks to identify the author of Shulhan ha-Panim, who also wrote other works in Hebrew and Ladino. In addition to the bibliographic implications, revealing his identity can shed light on the spiritual world of a Sephardic sage living in the Ottoman Empire during the immediate aftermath of the Spanish Expulsion.
Shulhan ha-Panim, which is generally considered to be a translation of R’ Yosef Caro’s seminal Shulhan Arukh, is actually much more than that. The translator also edited and formatted the text, added his own commentary, and thus produced a new work, which was intended to provide the target audience – namely, Spanish and Portuguese Jewry, Judeo-Spanish speakers – with a useful book containing clear halachic rulings in a language they understood.
This article seeks to identify the author of Shulhan ha-Panim, who also wrote other works in Hebrew and Ladino. In addition to the bibliographic implications, revealing his identity can shed light on the spiritual world of a Sephardic sage living in the Ottoman Empire during the immediate aftermath of the Spanish Expulsion.
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Rabbi Abraham Hamuy (1838-1886), one of the most colorful rabbinic figures of the nineteenth century, was active in many countries - from Italy, France, and Morocco in the West, to Iraq and India in the East. He wrote over fifty works,... more
Rabbi Abraham Hamuy (1838-1886), one of the most colorful rabbinic figures of the nineteenth century, was active in many countries - from Italy, France, and Morocco in the West, to Iraq and India in the East. He wrote over fifty works, spanning a wide range of topics, and to date, fifteen of these works have been published. His writings deal with rabbinic subjects such as Jewish law, ethics, and homilies, as well as general history, geography, mysticism, magic, and folk medicine – an eclectic mix that clearly reflects his intellectual curiosity. In addition to being a prolific author, Rabbi Hamuy was also known as an active folk healer. Thanks to his Talmudic erudition and scholarship, and his charismatic personality, he was revered by many. However, his strong character and harsh statements against others, including prominent rabbis of his time, often distanced him from social and communal affairs. This article focuses on Rabbi Hamuy’s history, while examining his literary output, his work as a healer, and his social and communal ties.
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The rich world of Ladino literature has yet to be surveyed in its entirety, and therefore, this dissertation is designed to serve as a groundbreaking study of the topic. One of the research’s objectives is a new mapping of Ladino... more
The rich world of Ladino literature has yet to be surveyed in its entirety, and therefore, this dissertation is designed to serve as a groundbreaking study of the topic. One of the research’s objectives is a new mapping of Ladino literature. This treatise is based on the hypothesis that in the wake of the substantial accumulation of scientific information about Ladino literature and its history, the time had come for a new mapping. Thus, the challenging and intriguing work begun by a succession of scholars, particularly during the past century, would finally be completed. From the late nineteenth century and on, a significant number of attempts were made to survey Ladino literature and its inherent characteristics. Researchers have sought to decode its structure, to uncover its secrets, and to identify its primary thematic attributes and genres. However, they were apparently overwhelmed by its scope, and hence, their conclusions were often inadequate and insufficient.
The following study indicates that in order to create an authoritative and exhaustive mapping of Ladino literature, the researchers of the past had to examine every work which was published in this language; to keep a precise record of each work - after examining the books and the publications themselves, rather than copying the data from a secondary source (e.g., lists, catalogues, and additional research); to understand Ladino fluently - in order to record, document, and map the works; and lastly, to be extremely knowledgeable about the history of Hebrew literature in general and Ladino literature in particular. These conditions were never fully met, and as the opening chapter of this dissertation shows, the eighteen previous compilations and mappings, which attempted to survey Ladino literature, achieved only partial results. These surveys were written in English, French, German, Hebrew, Romanian and Spanish, and were even published in a wide array of literary platforms – such as encyclopedia entries, articles, and book chapters. Fifteen scholars – including bibliographers, librarians, and researchers – with different cultural backgrounds and orientations tried to survey Ladino literature. An analysis of their work reveals that Ladino literature served as a challenging and fascinating research topic even for those outside the original ethnic group for which it was intended – namely, Sephardim.
The following study indicates that in order to create an authoritative and exhaustive mapping of Ladino literature, the researchers of the past had to examine every work which was published in this language; to keep a precise record of each work - after examining the books and the publications themselves, rather than copying the data from a secondary source (e.g., lists, catalogues, and additional research); to understand Ladino fluently - in order to record, document, and map the works; and lastly, to be extremely knowledgeable about the history of Hebrew literature in general and Ladino literature in particular. These conditions were never fully met, and as the opening chapter of this dissertation shows, the eighteen previous compilations and mappings, which attempted to survey Ladino literature, achieved only partial results. These surveys were written in English, French, German, Hebrew, Romanian and Spanish, and were even published in a wide array of literary platforms – such as encyclopedia entries, articles, and book chapters. Fifteen scholars – including bibliographers, librarians, and researchers – with different cultural backgrounds and orientations tried to survey Ladino literature. An analysis of their work reveals that Ladino literature served as a challenging and fascinating research topic even for those outside the original ethnic group for which it was intended – namely, Sephardim.