El Ponte: The Ladino Podcast about Bridging Cultures and Cultivating Connections
El Ponte is a podcast that explores stories, connections, and cultures of Ladino, the diasporic language of Sephardic Jews spoken throughout the world. Although currently endangered, Ladino thrives in the intersections of its many components like Spanish, Portuguese, Hebrew, Turkish, Greek, Italian, French, Arabic, and more. As hosts, Max and Ivy discuss themes of place, home, diaspora, linguistic and cultural transmission, and community. In each episode, they interview guests from all over the world about their relationships with Ladino. If you’re curious about languages, the Spanish-speaking world, Jewish culture, or the many ways in which language, culture, and community intersect, we invite you to cross El Ponte and explore with us. Email: elpontepodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @elpontepodcast Logo design by Rebecca Daniel Mottley
Listen on:
Episodes
Saturday Aug 26, 2023
Saturday Aug 26, 2023
In this episode, Ivy and Max talk to Dr. Devin Naar, a professor and scholar of Sephardic studies. Devin delves into his personal connection to Ladino, raising his two children as Ladino-speakers, and using the language as a vehicle for cross-cultural connections.
Show notes:
- A full recording and text of the "Berich Sheme" prayer in Ladino, "Bendicho su nombre," can be found here.
- A PDF of David Bunis's "A Guide to Reading and Writing Judezmo" can be found here.
- Enkontros de Alhad occurs most Sundays and can be viewed live here.
- Devin's column, Moabet, can be found at Ayin Press.
- Devin's Ladino story, "Dos Ijikos i Sus Nono," can be found on page 86 in issue 108 of Aki Yerushalayim.
Podcast Credits:
Music by KJ.
Logo design by Rebecca Daniel Mottley.
Audio Post-Production Services provided by Stampede Studios, Inc.Audio Mixer – Oscar SalinasSenior Director, Sound – Mark Herscovitz
Special Thanks to Ben Arnold.
If you want to reach out to us, email: elpontepodcast@gmail.com
Friday Feb 10, 2023
Friday Feb 10, 2023
In this episode, Ivy and Max talk to Simone Salmon, an ethnomusicologist and musician who specializes in Sephardic, Ladino, and Ottoman music. They discuss music as a cross-cultural bridge, differences between Ottoman and Western musical styles, the Turkish makam, and the story of Simone's great-grandparents Isaac and Emily Sene.
Show notes:
- The first “Misirlu” clip is by Jack Mayesh. http://www.sephardicmusic.org/labels/Mayesh/1367,1368.htm
- The book Simone mentions is by Benjamin Brinner, Playing across a Divide: Israeli-Palestinian Musical Encounters (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009)
- Music at a restaurant in contemporary Turkey: Tonoz Kumkapı Restaurant Meyhane Fasıl Canlı Müzik
- Selda Bagcan, "Sari Gelin,"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wgb764iB_4&ab_channel=SeldaBa%C4%9Fcan
- Simone's radio show: https://www.mixcloud.com/simoneharp/
- You can view a performance of Simone's ensemble at the 2022 ucLadino conference here: https://youtu.be/cwMTBiqETY4?t=26102
Podcast Credits:
Music by KJ.
Logo design by Rebecca Daniel Mottley.
Audio Post-Production Services provided by Stampede Studios, Inc.Audio Mixer – Oscar SalinasSenior Director, Sound – Mark Herscovitz
Special Thanks to Ben Arnold.
If you want to reach out to us, email: elpontepodcast@gmail.com
Thursday Sep 01, 2022
Thursday Sep 01, 2022
We speak to Ladino luminary Rachel Amado Bortnick about growing up in Izmir, rediscovering Ladino in America, and building a virtual community.
If you want to subscribe to Ladinokomunita, the online Ladino-only forum, go to https://ladinokomunita.groups.io/ or send an empty email to: main+subscribe@Ladinokomunita.groups.io
Podcast Credits:
Music by KJ.
Logo design by Rebecca Daniel Mottley.
Audio Post-Production Services provided by Stampede Studios, Inc.Audio Mixer – Oscar SalinasSenior Director, Sound – Mark Herscovitz
Special Thanks to Ben Arnold.
If you want to reach out to us, email: elpontepodcast@gmail.com
Saturday Jul 30, 2022
Saturday Jul 30, 2022
Bryan Kirschen talks to us about teaching Ladino in the 21st century & his hopes for the language.
For more information on some of the topics mentioned in this episode:
Auctioning of mitzvot in Ladino - https://bit.ly/3vvUH0P
Documentary, Saved by Language - https://bit.ly/3cN1Mnb
ESefarad and Enkontros de Alhad - https://bit.ly/3OKPHfB
Byran’s online Ladino classes - Ladino Linguist - https://bit.ly/3OLPGbe
Documenting Judeo-Spanish and Solitreo - https://bit.ly/3OL3i6O
Podcast Credits:
Music by KJ.
Logo design by Rebecca Daniel Mottley.
Audio Post-Production Services provided by Stampede Studios, Inc.Audio Mixer – Oscar SalinasSenior Director, Sound – Mark Herscovitz
Special Thanks to Ben Arnold.
Thursday Jun 02, 2022
Thursday Jun 02, 2022
Ivy and Max talk to Isaac Daniel, a native Ladino-speaker from Salonica, Greece, about his childhood, experiences during World War II and the Holocaust, and feelings about Ladino. He also shares some songs and Joha stories.
Music by KJ.
Logo design by Rebecca Daniel Mottley.
Audio Post-Production Services provided by Stampede Studios, Inc.Audio Mixer – Oscar SalinasSenior Director, Sound – Mark Herscovitz
Special Thanks to Ben Arnold.
Tuesday May 03, 2022
Tuesday May 03, 2022
Max and Ivy introduce the podcast, cover some background history, and talk about their personal journeys with Ladino.
Music by KJ.
Logo design by Rebecca Daniel Mottley.
Audio Post-Production Services provided by Stampede Studios, Inc.Recording/Mixing Engineer – Oscar SalinasSenior Director, Sound – Mark Herscovitz
Special Thanks to Ben Arnold.