The Society for Sefardic Studies incorporates scholars from all over the world whose research and interests are mainly concentrated in the history and culture of the Jews of Sepharad and their descendants in the east and in the west, in all fields and disciplines, including history, philosophy, mysticism, literature, languages, art, music, folklore, education, archeology, liturgy, halakhah, Biblical and Talmudic studies etc. The purpose of the Society is to promote and coordinate research, organize conferences and workshops, offer information on research, publications and academic activities in the field of Sephardic studies. The Society will also encourage publications in the field.
The definition of Sepharad for the society is the original meaning of the term, that is the entire Iberian peninsula, consisting of today's Spain and Portugal. The Society has five divisions:
1. Medieval Sepharad
2. The Eastern Sephardic Diaspora (Djudezmo Studies)
3. The North-African Sephardic Diaspora (Hakitia studies)
4. Western Sephardic Diaspora
5. Jews and Modern Spain
The Society is affiliated to the Ben-Zvi Institute for the Study of the Jewish Communities in the East.
Until the year 2017 it had its administrative center in Hispania Judaica at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
From January 2018 the Society is administrated by the Moshe David Gaon Center for Ladino Culture at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
