Nosotros – An evening of Latino Art and Music in Washington Heights

The Jewish and Latino communities that make up the mosaic of today’s Washington Heights neighborhood have a special connection. There is a shared Hispanic and Jewish Sephardic heritage that dates back to as early as 1492 in the Americas.

Yeshiva University and members of the local Latino community will celebrate their shared heritage at this unique Sephardic music and cultural event – organized by Yeshiva University and The Philos Project, a community of Christian leaders who advocate for pluralism in the Near East. The goal is to convey in bold expressions the parallel histories, common aspirations, and shared values of both communities.

In addition to an extensive art exhibit showcasing paintings by renowned Latino artists depicting the historic and modern connection between Jewish and Latino culture, the evening will feature a musical presentation by the renowned Jazzphardic Project, with Yehonatan Elazar – a multi-instrumentalist born in Miami to a family of Caribbean Sephardic Jews – and Grammy award-winning jazz pianist Tal Cohen.

The event comes on the heels of a $1 million federal grant which was awarded to Yeshiva University in March with the help of Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), who represents Washington Heights in Congress. The grant will provide significant upgrades to the University’s Weisberg Commons Auditorium – a space that serves as a central event hub for Yeshiva University and the wider Washington Heights community and will be the venue for the celebration.

Sephardic Jews have their roots in the Iberian Peninsula. Following their expulsion from Spain in 1492, they created a vibrant global diaspora, eventually finding refuge throughout Latin America and becoming a vital and integral part of their societies.

“The creative synergy between Jewish and Hispanic culture is a story that is still being written,” said Dr. Ronnie Perelis, event organizer and Director of The Rabbi Arthur Schneier Program for International Affairs at Yeshiva University, which has a Washington Heights campus in the heart of New York City’s most vibrant Latino community.

Nosotros is sponsored by American Sephardi Federation, Yeshiva College, Care Café at the Wurzweiler School of Social Work, Bernard Revel Graduate School, Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein Honors Program, YU Libraries, Stern College Judaic Studies, International Club, Music Club, and YUPAC.