Soundtrack of the Jewish People: Rediscovering Ladino Music—Songs, Stories and Tradition with Sarah

Ladino love songs, ballads and folk music recall the lives of Jews who were expelled from Spain in 1942 and took their music with them as they spread throughout the Mediterranean basin. These songs would have faded into history if not for the heroic efforts of musicians such as Sarah Aroeste, an international singer, songwriter and author who draws upon her family roots in Greece and Macedonia (via mediaeval Spain) to help share Judeo-Spanish culture with new generations. Aroeste will tell the story of Ladino music and explore the stories and meanings behind beloved traditional songs and perform a few of her own contemporary Ladino songs. In conversation with Nadine Epstein, editor-in-chief and CEO of Moment Magazine. Co-presented by Moment Magazine.

Soundtrack of the Jewish People—is an ongoing series exploring the history of Jewish contributions to the world of music—with musicians, scholars and music lovers, based on Moment’s years-long undertaking to explore music with Jewish significance.

Sarah Aroeste is a performer, author and activist determined to preserve Sephardic culture. Inspired by her family’s Ottoman roots, Aroeste has recorded 9 albums and tours internationally presenting traditional and original Ladino songs. She also writes Sephardic-themed children’s books and is a sought-after speaker and presenter of Sephardic culture for all ages.

Award-winning journalist Nadine Epstein is editor-in-chief and CEO of Moment Magazine. A seasoned political analyst and frequent interviewer, Epstein is the author and editor of many books including RBG’s Brave and Brilliant Women: 33 Jewish Women to Inspire Everyone which she wrote in collaboration with the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She has contributed to anthology collections including Racing in the Streets: The Bruce Springsteen Reader. Nadine Epstein is also an artist and the creator of the iShadow Project.