La Boz: The Sephardic Voice
By: Sarah Aroeste
Image: cstuartphotography
The littlest voices soared as they pretended to be candles while singing Flory Jagoda’s Ladino song, Ocho Kandelikas. The G1/G2 girls (the bunks of 8- and 9-year-olds) delighted the SAC audience with their sweet performance as part of the camp’s first “La Boz” competition. Based on the megahit reality TV show, The Voice, SAC’s version had 10 groups of campers (and staff!) learn a Ladino song to present in a special evening program.
In addition to being judged by their singing of a Ladino song (which they only had 45-minute sessions with me and Hacham Greenberg to learn), campers also had to create a backstory, linking this year’s camp theme of Tornad a kaza, or “Return Home” in Ladino, to the song they were singing. In one case, this meant comparing the lyrics of La Serena, a song in which a sailor steers his boat of cinnamon sticks in a sea made of milk, to the story of Sephardic Jews sailing away from Spain in 1492. Instead of just teaching a song by rote, I wanted the kids to have fun with the songs by incorporating some creativity and making them their own. In typical SAC fashion, the campers all rose to the challenge! Especially when the stakes were high, with awards of lollipops, Gatorade and the grand prize of a coveted outing to the Dollar Tree. But behind the competitive bunk spirit was the undeniable excitement of showing off a Ladino song – for many campers, it was the first time they had ever learned one.
Image: cstuartphotography
I have spent more than 20 years traveling the world as a Ladino singer and educator, and for the past three summers, visiting SAC as a Sephardic Scholar has been a highlight for me. Seeing groups of children take pride in learning about Sephardic culture is beyond gratifying. But this year, my own pride in seeing kids embrace Ladino music and ideas reached an even higher level. I had a special stake in La Boz, not only as coach to the competing bunks and as emcee of the event, but because I brought my daughter to camp with me for the first time this year.
Watching my 8-year-old sing out as one of the kandelikas in her group’s song filled me with the greatest alegria (happiness). Of course, I teach my daughter Ladino songs and traditions within our home in Massachusetts, but she has never had the chance beyond our family to be with other children taking pride in our culture in a concentrated, meaningful way. SAC is unique like this. No other camp offers this opportunity – a welcoming place for kids to explore, enjoy and relish in Sephardic life. From hearing silly Joha stories over hot cocoa each morning, to learning the Ladino word of the day at flag raising, reciting blessings in Ladino after meals, or learning beloved Sephardic songs in special programs like La Boz, the buzz around camp, day and night, is of Sephardic joy. I may have only been the coach of La Boz, but being in the audience watching the kids perform with such pride truly made me feel like the winner. I can’t think of a more beautiful way to spend part of my summer – and for my daughter to spend hers.
Image: cstuartphotography
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Thank you to Al and Jeanie Maimon for sponsoring the first ever – of hopefully many – La Boz!
