Public Statement by Hazzan Isaac Azose to the

Sephardic Community of Seattle

Isaac Azose 

Seattle, WA 98118

iazose@aol.com

 October 24, 2021

The University of Washington Sephardic Studies Program has recently announced its intention to sponsor an important Sephardic cultural initiative in my name. The Isaac Azose Community Engagement Initiative at the University of Washington will support public programming and digital scholarship centered on Sephardic arts and culture by convening scholars, artists, and cultural activists whose work advances our understanding of Sephardic art, music, literature, and more, both past and present.  I am truly humbled by this honor and would like to extend my gratitude to the University along with the sponsors of this program, in particular, Joel and Maureen Benoliel and the Isaac Alhadeff Foundation, for their recognition and generosity. 

 In accepting this honor, I feel it is also necessary to address a recent controversy arising in our Seattle Sephardic community involving the chair of the University of Washington Stroum Center for Jewish Studies Sephardic Studies Program, Professor Devin Naar. As many in our community are aware, Professor Naar was one of numerous signatories of a statement dated May 22, 2021 and titled “Statement on Israel/Palestine by Scholars of Jewish Studies and Israel Studies”.  While the University of Washington Sephardic Studies Program has been, and will continue to be, an invaluable repository of scholarship and culture for the Sephardic community, and I believe it is important to continue to promote its mission, I would also like to make clear that my acceptance of this honor in no way serves to condone Professor Naar’s signing of this statement. I vehemently disagree with the assertions made in this statement and I have communicated my disapproval to Professor Naar.