Foundation for the Advancement of Sephardic Studies and Culture

The collection consists of correspondence, articles, documents, publications and other materials gathered by Elie Faust-Levy personally and arising from her work as a journalist and as managing editor for the Women's American ORT Reporter. One major topic in the collection is the dissent in the American Jewish community during the 1970's concerning the controversial organization Breira, an associate of which was one of Levy's contributors at the Reporter. Contains articles produced by Breira, (1975-1976), internal publicity and membership information, copies of InterChange, a Breira publication (1975-1977), and mailings relating to it (1976-1977), as well as materials from a 1977 Breira national membership conference. Also includes articles relating to the debate about Breira in the Jewish press (1977-1978), as well as Levy's own, and ORT's internal correspondence regarding their involvement in the controversy, based on a 1977 article in Vol. 27, no. 3 of the Reporter by a writer linked to Breira. The American Sephardic community is the other major topic in the collection, and included are materials from several Sephardic organizations from the 1970's, such as the American Sephardi Federation, the Sephardic Caucus at the 1972 American Zionist Federation, and the Central Sephardic Jewish Community of America. There also are publications and correspondence of The Foundation for the Advancement on Sephardic Studies and Culture, established to promote the Sephardi heritage. Of particular interest are materials relating to the organizations's response to Stephen Birmingham's depiction of American Sephardim in his 1971 book, The Grandees, of which Levy had written a review. Several Sephardic American periodicals and newsletters, or articles on Sephardic American Jewry in Jewish periodicals (1972-1976) are also included.

The collection documents the work of Henry Besso and reflects various aspects of his professional life, personal research and writings in the field of Sephardic culture, Spanish language and linguistics, and Sephardic and Spanish history. Collection also documents Besso's involvement with Sephardic organizations and communities. Collection includes audio materials, brochures, booklets, clippings, conference procedures, correspondence, government publications, minutes, notes, photographs, printed matter, reports, speeches, and writings and translations by Henry Besso and others.