Carnegie Hall

Sephardi culture refers to the traditions of Jewish people who settled in Spain and Portugal a long time ago. They are known as Sephardim (from the Hebrew word Sepharad, which means “Spain”). After they were forced to leave, beginning in 1492, Sephardi Jews carried with them the old Spanish and Portuguese dialects, and the Hebrew they had used before the expulsion. In their new homes across the Ottoman Empire—in places like Turkey, North Africa, and the Balkans—the old Spanish and Portuguese languages blended together with new influences to become Ladino. Ladino is like a kind of language map of the Sephardi diaspora—blending with Hebrew, Turkish, Arabic, Persian, Old French, Old Italian, Greek, and even Bulgarian—making it a language shaped by the travels of its people. If you know some Spanish or Portuguese, you might recognize a few familiar words!

Lily is a singer and musician who brings Sephardi Ladino folk music to life by blending it with her own style. She mixes Sephardi Ladino songs with American, Celtic, and Middle Eastern music, creating a sound that feels both old and new. Lily works with experts and elders in the Sephardi community to keep the music’s traditions alive while adding her own touch. Her performances take her around the world, where she shares stories of love, loss, and resilience through her music. Lily’s work helps people connect to Ladino culture, reminding them of its rich history and how it’s still part of the world today.