With the Foreword written by Dr. Walter Zenner A’H, *Branching Out From Sepharad* outlines the history of Jews in Spain, the 1492 Expulsion, the history of Jews in Syria, and follows them to the Americas. The book is footnoted and can be used as a source for research. Roffé traces the Kassin rabbinic dynasty from 12th Century France to Spain to Aleppo to Jerusalem to the Americas.
Roffé uses DNA testing to dispute claims of an Irish family that they are descendants of Senor Shelomo Kassin, the first known member of the Kassin family tree. She indisputably proves that the Kassins and many other families in the Syrian Jewish community today had Converso ancestors. Many Jews became Conversos, converting to Catholicism, in order to remain in Spain after 1492, when Jews were expelled by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. Many Spanish families who arrived in Aleppo, had been Conversos in order to dissolve their businesses in Spain before leaving. They kept their Judaism secret and returned to open Judaism when they left. *Branching Out From Sepharad* has a complete biography of Rabbi Jacob S. Kassin A’H, Chief Rabbi of the Brooklyn community for more than half a century, and includes many documents outlining his life work and accomplishments. Kassin’s life is divided into three areas – his early time in Jerusalem, his rabbinic accomplishments, and his family life. Genealogies are also provided along with primary source documents. The book includes over 100 photos and as many documents and letters. In addition, chapters include research on the term Sephardic Jew, Genealogy in the Torah, and Sephardic Naming Practices. In the chapter on Brooklyn’s Syrian Jewish Community, Roffé writes the 100-year history of the Brooklyn community, discussing the sociological impact of careers, philanthropy, traditions, and educational beliefs as they changed over a century. A journalist, Roffé has published hundreds of articles in journals, newspapers and magazines. Her interest in her own family history moved her into the field of genealogy. To date, she has researched and written more than a dozen genealogies for Sephardic families. She is president of the Sephardic Heritage Project ( www.sephardicheritageproject.org), a nonprofit organization identifying Sephardic sources for use in genealogical research. The project has identified and produced numerous databases based on rabbinical records, including cemetery, marriage and brit milah records. The board of directors includes scholars in the field of genealogy who represent many countries. Passionate about Sephardic history and the assimilation and acculturation of Jews in America, the Ottoman Empire, and other related subjects, Sarina is an internationally recognized expert in the history of Syrian Jews in America. A Distinguished Toastmaster, Sarina speaks regularly at international historical society and genealogical conferences all over the world. She has spoken at Hebrew University, Bar Ilan University, University of Lisbon, the Center for Jewish History and has been invited twice by the Syrian communities in Mexico City to lecture there. She chairs many committees and sits on several nonprofit boards, including the Board of Governors of JewishGen and the Brooklyn Jewish Historical Initiative. She holds a BA in Journalism from the University of Maryland in College Park and an MA in Jewish Studies from Touro College and an MBA from State University of NY. Ms. Roffé is a graduate of the Academy of Women Achievers, and the City of New York’s Leadership Institute. Proceeds benefit the Sephardic Heritage Project.
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