Events › Sefardi Herbalism Part II

Join San Mateo County Libraries as we welcome author Naomi Spector for Jewish American Heritage Month. In this two-session course, Naomi will teach about the earth, water and plant-based Sefardi folk traditions explored in her book, Sefardi Herbalism. In part two, Sefardi Kitchen Herbalism, we will learn about common kitchen ingredients, from chickpeas to coffee, that were important in Sefardi culture and folk healing.

Sefardi Herbalism: An Introduction to Earth, Water and Plant-Based Folk Traditions of the Sefardim by Naomi Spector explores the earth-based folk culture and healing tradition of the Jews of Spain and Portugal. Weaving together diverse sources, such as Judeo-Spanish medical texts, memoirs, interviews, testimony from inquisition records, poetry, songs, and tales, Sefardi Herbalism brings us a taste of everyday life in the homes and kitchens of Sefardi Jews, who journeyed into various diasporas following the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492. Written for those new to plants and herbalists alike, this book explores Sefardi relationships to the ocean, folk beliefs about the evil eye and the practice of crafting amulets for spiritual protection, herbs and ingredients common to the Sefardi kitchen and medicine cabinet, herbalism and amulets for birth, and finally, Sefardi end-of-life herbalism.

Registrants will be emailed a Zoom link one week prior to the event.