In this 2-part class we will explore Syria's Jewish community, particularly the Musa'arabim and Sefaradim of Aleppo, and their lives both during and post-Ottoman rule. We'll look at the daily lives of the Jewish community through the lens of food, which was heavily impacted by the Silk Road, and the communal way that extended families often kept their homes together. In our second meeting, we'll learn about the devastating impact of the State of Israel's founding on the already-precarious position of the Jewish community in Syria, and one woman who made it her life's work to help rescue Syrian Jews from persecution.

Ariella Amshalem is an American-Israeli Chef and Chef Instructor. She is a food history enthusiast with a Graduate Certificate from Boston University in Food Studies.