We record and capture the experiences of Jews from the Middle East, North Africa and Iran who settled in the UK. We've carried out over 100 interviews to date. Please get in touch if you'd like to share your story, or if you have resources or events you'd like us to share or promote.
Who are Sephardi Jews?
Jews have lived in the Islamic world since ancient times. When the Sephardi (Hebrew word for ‘Spanish’) Jews of Spain and Portugal were expelled in the late 15th century, many were welcomed by the former Ottoman Empire and in countries around the region. Jews in the Middle East and North Africa were often referred to as Sephardi, as they followed the customs and traditions of Sephardi Judaism. In recent years this terminology has changed and Jews from some of these communities are now more commonly referred to as Mizrahi (Hebrew word for ‘Eastern’) or Eastern Sephardim. We have chosen to use the term Sephardi Voices UK for our archive in a broad inclusive way.
Sephardi Jews today
The rise of nationalism and broader global politics meant that from the mid- 20th century Jewish communities began to disappear from the region. Most were dispossessed and expelled, others left to escape worsening political and economic climates.