About this talk

Embark with us on an exploration of the eclectic and multilayered story of Central Asia's ancient Jewish community—Bukharian Jews. Join us as we discover the ways in which Bukharian Jews have developed their rich culture against the backdrop of the changing societies surrounding them—including Iranian, Arab, Turkic and Russian empires. Through archival documents, music, photographs of heritage sites, and personal stories, our educator—Uzbekistan-born Ruben Shimonov—will take us on a journey through Central Asia, the Middle East, and the United States.

About Ruben

Ruben Shimonov is an educator, community builder, and social entrepreneur passionate about Jewish diversity and intercultural understanding. He is the National Director of the American Sephardi Federation's Sephardi House initiative, which works to enrich Jewish campus life and young leadership with the vibrancy, wisdom, and diversity of the Greater Sephardic world. 

He previously served as Director of Community Engagement & Education at Queens College Hillel, as well as the Director of Educational Experiences & Programming for the Muslim-Jewish Solidarity Committee. He is also the Founding Executive Director of the Sephardic Mizrahi Q Network, the sole international organization building a supportive community for LGBTQ+ Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews. 

As a visual artist, Ruben uses his multilingual Arabic-Hebrew-Persian calligraphy to build interfaith and intercultural bridges. Ruben has been listed among The Jewish Week's "36 Under 36" young leaders and changemakers. He has lectured around the world on the histories and cultures of Sephardic and Mizrahi communities.