This presentation by Rabbi Tsipora Gabai will be an introduction to the Sefardi/Mizrachi heritage through the lens of Jewish Life Cycle and Year Cycle events (Shabbat and Holidays). Rabbi Gabai will frame some customs and traditions within their historical and sociological contexts and share some personal stories. She will compare these customs and traditions with those that derive from the Ashkenazi tradition. In her words: "We Jews celebrate and commemorate for the same reason: We pray the same prayers, We observe the same holidays...We have celebrated and respected our heritage together, wherever we have been, for almost 4,000 years. However, after the exile, the Jewish people were separated and eventually dispersed to totally different areas of the world. Our sojourn in different countries and within different cultures served to enrich our celebrations, customs, and ceremonies. Each group in its exile took in bits of the local color, style, and customs, and supplied added interest and beauty to those self-same things we still all do together."

Rabbi Gabai is the first female rabbi on record who is of Moroccan descent and is currently only one of four female Mizrahi – Sephardic rabbis worldwide. She is deeply versed in both Mizrahi and Sephardic sacred ancient song cycles (Piyut), prayers, and Torah trope and incorporates her knowledge and love for piyutum in the classroom, during prayer, and in workshops throughout the Bay Area.