International photographer Zion Ozeri shares remarks during the opening reception for the “Jewish Identity/Jewish Diversity” photography exhibition.
On Tuesday, March 5, Hostos Community College hosted a reception celebrating the opening of “Jewish Identity/Jewish Diversity,” an exhibition featuring the work of international photographer Zion Ozeri, who joined us for the occasion.
The reception was co-moderated by Sofia Oviedo, Director of Research Programs, and Philip Oliveri, Chief Diversity Officer. It featured greetings from President Daisy Cocco De Filippis and guest speakers Council Member Eric Dinowitz, District 11, and Rabbi Ron Fish, Interim Regional Director of the Anti-Defamation League.
On display in the Hostos Research Center, located in C-130, the exhibition features stunning black and white photographs taken of multigenerational families, contemporary historical events, diverse celebrations and practices across the globe, from Uzbekistan to Argentina to Yemen and India, to name a few countries, that capture the multifaceted Jewish experience and the diversity of Jewish identity across the globe.
President Daisy Cocco De Filippis extended a warm welcome to the events’ special guests and attendees, and she reflected on the beautiful diversity present in the room, as well as the photographs displayed on the walls. “It’s my pleasure to welcome you to ‘Jewish Identity/ Jewish Diversity.’ Renowned photographer Zion Ozeri offers the glorious proof of the richness and variety of Jewish experience around the world,” she said during her opening remarks.
She went on to share how the photographer’s quest to document and showcase the diversity of the Jewish community has taken him around the world and ultimately led him to Hostos, where his work is being showcased as part of the multi-year CUNY Anti-Hate Initiative, which aims to educate the CUNY community about diverse groups' identities and experiences. This year focuses on Jewish and Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islanders. Next year, the initiative will spotlight Black/African American and Hispanic/Latinx demographics, followed by Muslims and the LGBTQIA+ groups in the third year.
“With prejudice, bigotry and violence against minorities on the rise, it is more important than ever to stand up for the values of love, understanding, and acceptance,” said President Cocco De Filippis. “Hostos proudly supports and celebrates the diverse backgrounds of our students and the abundance of communities they represent. All are welcomed at Hostos. It was true when the College was founded over 50 years ago, and it is true today.”
Orlando Soto, Student Government Association (SGA) Vice President and Chair of Senate, joined the President to recite the poem “Can Any Beauty Match This?” by Hafiz, in English and in Spanish.
L-R: Council Member Eric Dinowitz, President Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Zion Ozeri, Rabbi Ron Fish
The College then welcomed Council Member Dinowitz and Rabbi Fish, who shared their reflections on the exhibition. In his remarks, Council Member Dinowitz spoke of the importance of fostering community through education, which he commended Hostos for doing and said he saw evident in the photos on display. “You see in so many of these pictures, people are reading and learning, and they are doing it as a community,” he said. “These photos really, I think, highlight what it means to me to be Jewish.”
Rabbi Fish remarked on how Ozeri’s photographs capture “just how broadly and widely the Jewish experience can be lived” and shared his hope that the images “will be a window into seeing that greater reality that the Jewish community has carried within.”
The reception capped off with brief remarks from Ozeri. The photographer spoke about his family’s migration from Yemen to Israel, where he was born, and how it inspired him to capture the experiences of others in the diasporic Jewish community and “showcase the complexity of Jewish life and identity.” He invited attendees to use the QR code provided by each image to gain additional information and context about the places and people featured.
Ozeri’s work has appeared in The New York Times, Newsweek, The Jerusalem Report, Moment, the Middle East Insight, and The Economist, and other publications. His work has been exhibited in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, the Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv, the Spertus Museum in Chicago, The Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York, Centro Cultural Recoleta in Buenos Aires, the 92nd Street Y in New York, the Skirball Museum in Los Angeles, and The Jewish Museum.
“Jewish Identity/Jewish Diversity” will be on display in the Hostos Research Center through May 2. The exhibit is made possible through the generous support of Hostos Community College, the CUNY Anti-Hate Initiative, and The Covenant Foundation.