Sephardi Voices and the Sephardi Association of Ottawa invite you to the Zoom panel discussion: From Baklava to Beavertails: The Syrian and Lebanese Jewish Experience in Canada.

Sunday, November 15 at 6 pm (RSVP by sending an email to info@sephardiottawa.ca to receive the Zoom link). An event inspired in the documentary film “Wanted: The Joseph Esses Story” by Michelle Devorah Kahn.

The film describes, through one-on-one interviews and personal photos, one man’s escape from persecution and his journey towards freedom. This film is a dramatic re-telling of a Jewish man’s daring escape from

Aleppo, Syria in 1950. Anti-semitism was on the rise, due to the establishment of the State of Israel, and high tensions, riots and physical violence that caused Mr. Esses and his family to leave the country they had called home for decades. You can watch the film here: 

https://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentary/watch-online/play/4722/Wanted–The-Joseph-Esses-Story%20%20*

Panel discussion moderated by Dr. Henry Green (Professor of Judaic and Religious Studies at the University of Miami and the Founding Director of both the Jewish Museum of Florida and Sephardi Voices) with the participation of Michelle Devorah Kahn (award-winning filmmaker, writer, actress, professor, and granddaughter of Joseph and Olga Esses Z”L), Gracy Esses Kahn (daughter of Joseph and Olga [Abadi] Esses Z”L who was born in Beirut, Lebanon), and Clemy Srour (past president of the Sephardi Association of Ottawa and community leader who migrated to Canada with his parents and siblings from Beirut, Lebanon).