Recovering the Lost World of 

Iraqi Babylonian Jews

Tuesday, February 25

USA 12:00 pm PT / 3:00 pm ET

UK 8:00 pm / France 9:00 pm / Israel 10:00 pm

The talk will last approximately 90 minutes

About this talk

Come walk with me through the history of Iraqi Jews, from the River of Babylon to the streets of Baghdad. Together, we will discover the rich culture, Judeo-Arabic language, traditional foods, and everyday life of this ancient Babylonian Jewish community. I will share family stories that trace journeys from Baghdad to Al Uzair—home to the tomb of Ezra the Scribe—to Kirkuk and Hila. We will explore how deeply integrated Iraqi Jews were in Arab society and uncover the reasons behind their departure. Today, only three Jews remain in Iraq.

About Sarah

Sarah Sassoon is an Australian born, Iraqi Jewish writer, poet, and educator. Sarah's writing follows her curiosity exploring her Iraqi Jewish history, the story of refugees and resilience, and the rich, layered 2600-year-old culture of Babylonian Jews, with a special interest in Middle Eastern women's experience. She is the author of the award winning picture book, Shoham's Bangle and This is Not a Cholent. Her poetry micro chapbook, This is Why We Don't Look Back was awarded the Harbor Review Jewish Women's Poetry prize. She is an editorial advisor for Distinctions: A Sephardi and Mizrahi Journal. She is also the co-author of the The In-Between, a literary dialogue about identity and belonging published by Verlagshaus Berlin. She lives in Jerusalem with her husband and four boys. 


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You will be asked to select one of these options:

General admission - $18

Supported admission - $9

Sponsor this talk - $36

With your contribution, you will also be donating to the American Sephardi Federation, which preserves and promotes the history, traditions, and rich mosaic culture of Greater Sephardic communities as an integral part of the Jewish experience.