Aron Rodrigue Boeken

Gabriel Arie's writings offer a rare autobiographical glimpse into the Eastern Sephardi community during a transformative period in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in Ottoman Bulgaria, Arie navigated the cultural and political shifts that marked the decline of a centuries-old social order. His memoir captures the essence of the Sephardi and Levantine bourgeoisie, detailing his experiences as a teacher, historian, and community leader. The book includes his autobiography and journal, complemented by an analysis of his life within the broader Jewish and regional contexts.

Illuminates the history of the many Jewish communities that lived in predominantly Muslim lands before European colonialism and the emergence of Zionism and Arab nationalism led to mass departures of Jews in the mid-20th century, offering a unique perspective, from within, on the historical background of some of the most vexing problems of the modern Middle East.