Exhibit OverviewEnter the world of Albert D. Levy (1896-1963), one of the leading Sephardic thinkers of 20th century. From his birthplace of Salonica to New York City and later Seattle, Levy’s life serves as a prism through which to view the fascinating history of Sephardic Jews. This exhibit contains original Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) writings, photographs, and documents from Albert Levy’s prolific career in education, scholarship, and cultural activism. “A Sephardic Lighthouse” is the first online exhibit of the Sephardic Studies Digital Museum at the University of Washington. Exhibit Sections

About the Exhibit’s Author

Ashley Rae Bobman will graduate from the Honors Program at the University of Washington in 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Health and a minor in Nutritional Science. Following her graduation, she will be entering Yale University’s graduate nursing program to obtain a Master’s of Science in nursing and pursue her dream of becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner.

Throughout her time as an undergraduate, Ashley has been doing research with Professor Devin Naar on a project entitled “A Sephardic Lighthouse: Albert Levy and the Sephardic Jewish Journey.” Over the span of four years, Ashley has learned to read, write, and even speak some Ladino.

This exhibit serves to display the work she has done on this project and includes translations of Levy’s writings. In addition, Ashley is among the few individuals around the world currently writing original Ladino compositions. Read Ashley’s Ladino poem, “Muestra Kultura.” Albert Levy is Ashley’s maternal Great Grandfather, which further enhances the passion and enthusiasm with which she pursued her research.