Sephardic & Mizrahi Jews in the United States: Identities, Experiences, and Communities

'- Sephardic and Mizrahi identities in the U.S. are diverse, fluid, and highly context-dependent. Individuals interpret “Sephardic” and “Mizrahi” in multiple ways—ancestry, culture, practice, or community affiliation—and these meanings vary across communities. - Across communities, shared themes emerge: strong family networks, traditional religious practice (broadly defined), communal cohesion, and pride in heritage. Yet each community (Syrian, Persian, Bukharian, Latin Sephardic, etc.) demonstrates distinct histories, institutions, and social patterns. - Community life is shaped by post-1965 immigration patterns and by the need to maintain cultural continuity while navigating American social and racial frameworks. Many interviewees resist American racial labels—especially terms like “Jew of Color”—finding them externally imposed or misaligned with lived identity. - Religious identity often sits outside Ashkenazi denominational frameworks. Many describe religiosity as “being Sephardic” rather than identifying with Orthodox/Conservative/Reform labels, even though practices often align with traditional or Orthodox norms. - Communities maintain strong internal institutions, including schools, synagogues, community centers, and social networks, which serve as anchors of identity and continuity—especially among Syrians and Persians. - Patterns of integration vary by community. Some groups integrate deeply into broader American society, while others remain more socially insular to preserve tradition, language, and endogamy. - Respondents emphasize the need for better representation in American Jewish life, noting exclusion or misunderstanding in Ashkenazi-majority spaces and calling for more accurate and inclusive educational, cultural, and communal frameworks. Overall, the study shows a rich but underrecognized mosaic of Sephardic and Mizrahi experiences, shaped by migration histories, cultural pride, and complex negotiations of identity within American and Jewish communal contexts.