Softcover, 8vo, 131 pages, illustrations, 20 cm. In French. SUBJECT (S) : Descriptor: Sephardim -- History. Sefarades -- Histoire. Bibliography: pages 127-129. Discography: pages 130-131. Filmography: page 131. Sephiha (1923) is a Judeo-Spanish linguist and activist. Sephiha was born in Brussels to a Sephardi family from Istanbul. During the German occupation of Belgium, he was arrested in 1943 and deported to Auschwitz in September. He survived the death camp, where his father perished. After liberation, he resumed his studies in natural sciences, graduating in 1948 and working as a chemical engineer; however, he eventually decided to study and defend the linguistic and cultural heritage of his community. His understanding of the language is based on a clear distinction between its two fundamental modalities. Sephiha, who retired in 1991, was instrumental in securing academic acceptance and public support for the agonizing language he spoke and taught. Besides his scientific and popular publications, from 1972 he launched several calls for revival of the language and in 1979 founded the Association Vidas Largas for the Defense and Promotion of the Judeo-Spanish Language and Culture, which organizes educational work in Sephardi communities as well as the rescue of literary, musical, and architectural treasures. Judeo-Spanish has since been included among the recognized minority languages of France. In 2003, Sephiha inaugurated at the Auschwitz site a memorial in honor of the 160, 000 Judeo-Spanish victims of the Holocaust (Wilke in EJ 2007) . Ex-library with usual markings. Very Good condition. (Sef-30-8A)
