Cultural Continuity Through Engagement

Distributed a calendar for the year 5785 (2025) tailored to Ashkenazic custom, including prayer times, customs, and commemoration dates of deceased Ashkenazic sages.

Published an English-language synopsis of the first four volumes of "Shorshei Minhag Ashkenaz" to make the research accessible to non-Hebrew readers.

Produces and publishes the multi-volume scholarly series "Shorshei Minhag Ashkenaz," researching the evolution, development, and origins of German-Jewish customs and traditions, authored by Rav Binyomin Shlomo Hamburger. Volumes cover topics including prayer customs, Shabbat and holiday practices, marriage rituals, childbirth, circumcision, and halachic practices such as wearing tefillin during Chol HaMoed. The organization is preparing Volume 6 and revised editions of earlier volumes, with plans for reprinting the entire series.

Produces and publishes the annual journal "Yerushaseinu," a scholarly compilation documenting Ashkenazic teachings, customs, heritage, and recollections. The 13th volume was published in 5785 (2025) as a 432-page volume, with Book 14 including minhagim for 5786.

Compiles, publishes, and distributes prayer texts in accordance with Ashkenazic tradition, including the 7th edition of "Tefiloh: The Weekday Liturgy According to the Ashkenaz Tradition" and a prayer book (siddur) emphasizing precise vocalization, text, and customs. Also published a guide detailing liturgical customs for the Ashkenaz Synagogue for 5786.

Provides educational programs and community network services tailored to Russian Jewish communities, fostering cultural and social engagement.

Provides educational scholarships and financial aid to members' children and needy community members through established funds such as the National Sephardic Scholars program and the Henry J. Perahia Fund for the Needy. These programs have operated since the 1920s and continue today.

Holds elections every four years to select members of the Central Council, which functions as the organization’s board of directors.

Conducted a demographic survey of the Sephardic community in America, offering incentives to increase participation and gather data on community composition.

Organizes the annual Greek Jewish Festival in Lower Manhattan to celebrate Romaniote and Sephardic heritage, serving as a public cultural event and community gathering.

Plans and leads a Sephardic-specific Birthright Israel trip to strengthen cultural and religious connections to Israel among community members.

Hosts regular Shabbat, holiday, and daily prayer services, along with cultural events including lectures, film screenings, concerts, Shabbatons, and communal meals to sustain Sephardic traditions and community engagement.

Maintains a museum established in 1997, a historical collection, and educational programming to preserve and share Romaniote and Sephardic Greek Jewish history and traditions.

Offers burial plots in a Brotherhood cemetery and covers costs related to funerals and monuments as part of membership benefits, continuing its founding role as a mutual aid and burial society.

Produces and distributes La Djente, a quarterly magazine in English and Ladino, and a weekly email newsletter (La Boz Sefaradi), to share content on Sephardic culture and community news.

Operates the Greek Jewish & Sephardic Young Professionals Network and provides youth and family education programs, including bar and bat mitzvah instruction, to engage younger generations.

Provided historical and ongoing support for the establishment and growth of Sephardic synagogues and communities in New York, including in Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, and Forest Hills.

Organized volunteer cleanup efforts after Hurricane Sandy and developed a proposal for an emergency communications system to support community resilience during catastrophic events.