Rabbi Daniel Bouskila
Rabbi Daniel Bouskila assumed leadership of the SEC in 2009. Under his leadership, the SEC has become a world renowned Sephardic think-tank that translates and teaches the moderate halakhic approach and tolerant worldview of Classic Sephardic Judaism’s major rabbinic figures.
From 1993-2009, Rabbi Bouskila was the rabbi of the Sephardic Temple Tifereth Israel in Los Angeles, during which he was also an instructor in Jewish Studies at Shalhevet High School (fun fact: he coached the Shalhevet Girls Varsity Basketball Team to back-to-back national tournament championships).
He joined Westwood Village Synagogue as its Spiritual Leader in June 2018, and is excited to be in a community that loves learning, blends halakha with modernity, and advances the place of women in synagogue life – all values near and dear to his heart.
He holds a BA in History from UCLA and Rabbinic Ordination from Yeshiva University. He also learned for 2 years in Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh, served one year in the IDF’s Givati Infantry Brigade, and studied for a year at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He is a regular contributor to the Jewish Journal of Los Angeles on topics ranging from SY Agnon’s literature to issues in contemporary Israeli society. He teaches Talmud and Rabbinic Literature at AJR, and has served as rabbinic consultant to two theatre productions in Los Angeles (The Chosen at the Fountain Theatre and The Immigrant at the Sierra Madre Playhouse). His publications include a commentary to the Passover Haggadah, and he is working on a book translating and explaining the writings of 20th Century Sephardic Chief Rabbis.
He is married to Peni Tuchman from Brookline, MA, and they are the proud parents of Shira (a musical theatre actress in New York) and Ilan (graduated soldier in the IDF’s Givati Infantry Brigade).
Dr. Jose A. Nessim
Our Founder
Dr. Jose A. Nessim (z”l) created the Sephardic Educational Center with the goal of promoting and preserving the Sephardic approach to Judaism by blending tradition with modernity in a timeless expression of our faith.
Dr. Jose A. Nessim (z”l) made it one of his life missions to unite the hundreds of immensely rich and diverse Sephardic communities from around the globe. Doing so would ensure that the Sephardic traditions would be properly preserved, respected and firmly established in the modern world. The Sephardic worldview is one that stresses tradition, but moderation and tolerance. It shies away from radicalism and endeavors to find the intersection of the spiritual and traditional realms of faith and religion with the modern and secular world.
Neil J. Sheff
President Sephardic Educational Center
Neil J. Sheff serves as President of the Sephardic Educational Center and has played an important role in supporting the SEC’s leadership, programs, and continued growth. As President, he works with the Board to advance Dr. Jose Nessim’s vision, strengthen the SEC’s educational mission, recruit participants, and support fundraising efforts for the organization’s programs in Jerusalem and throughout the world.
THE SEC BOARD
The SEC Board is made up of supporters, Alumni, and believers in Dr. Nessim’s dream to create a unique Center and movement to support Judaism, Israel and our Classical Sephardic approach. Each member bring their own special background and talent, from different regions of the world. Together, our goals are to support the programs of the SEC, help recruit participants and fundraise.
Executive Committee
• Isack Fadlon — Los Angeles
• Sarita Fields — Los Angeles
• Lela Franco — Seattle
• David Mallel — Las Vegas
• Ray Mallel — Los Angeles
• Freda Nessim — Los Angeles
• Ron Nessim — Los Angeles
• Steve Nessim — Los Angeles
• Nira Sayegh — Los Angeles
• Rachel Sheff — Los Angeles
Board of Directors
• Eilat Benaron — Los Angeles
• Aaron Cohen — Los Angeles
• Hadar Cohen — Los Angeles
• Nico Emquies — Los Angeles
• Elias Harari — Mexico City
• Sandra Heffesse — Los Angeles
• Vivian Kron — Great Neck, New York
• Abe Mathalon — Los Angeles
• Jason Rimokh — Los Angeles
• Moussa Shaaya — Los Angeles
• Sammi Shaaya — Los Angeles
• Limore Shalom — Los Angeles
• Ezra Soriano — Los Angeles
Rabbi Ben-Zion Meir Hai Uziel
A Living Voice in Our Beit Midrash
Rabbi Benzion Meir Hai Uziel z”l, the first Sephardic Chief Rabbi of the State of Israel, stands at the heart of the SEC’s philosophy of Classic Sephardic Judaism.
A visionary rabbinic leader, Rabbi Uziel taught a Judaism rooted in Torah, intellectual courage, love of Israel, Jewish unity, and respect for all humanity. His writings reflect the classic Sephardic fusion of tradition and modernity — a halakhic life that is serious, compassionate, thoughtful, and deeply engaged with the world.
His connection to the SEC is not only intellectual. It is physical and historic.
Before becoming Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Uziel studied and taught in the very buildings that today form the SEC campus in the Old City of Jerusalem. Our current Beit Midrash stands in that same sacred educational setting and is proudly named Shaarei Uziel in his honor.
When students, rabbis, and educators learn in our Beit Midrash today, they are continuing the legacy of one of the great Sephardic sages of the modern era — in the very place where his own Torah once came to life.
Read Rabbi Bouskilla’s essay about R’ Uziel, titled A Rav Uziel Renaissance.
Rabbi Benito Garzon
Founding Educational Director of the SEC
Rabbi Benito Garzon was born in Tetouan, Morocco and settled in Madrid, Spain where he became a famed educator for youth of North Africa and even was well-known as the personal teacher in Jewish Philosophy to Queen Sophia of Spain in the 1970’s.
When Dr. Jose Nessim was looking to start an educational center in Jerusalem, he heard about this special educator in Spain and brought him to Los Angeles to meet and discuss his plans to open the SEC. Rabbi Garzon became the first Educational Director of the newly established Center in Jerusalem which opened to a group of English and Spanish speaking youth in the summer of 1980. Soon, there was a waiting list from Mexico for participants to attend the SEC’s summer programs, or as it was known in Mexico, “el programa del Rabi Garzon”. So popular was Rabbi Garzon’s brand of Jewish education that hundreds of youth signed up to attend the summer trips and were inspired by his classes, songs and improvisational way of transmitting a Judaism that was exciting, relatable, spiritual and lasting. Rabbi Garzon would join the SEC North American Youth Conventions, Shabbatons, and visit communities from Montreal to LA to Mexico, attracting throngs of admirers, young and old, wherever he visited. He finally made aliya with his wife Annie and family and today lives in Ra’anana, Israel where he continues to educate and inspire. And 45 years after he first made his grand impression on the youth of the SEC, you can visit Mexico City and ask anyone if they remember “el programa del Ribi Garzon”, and you will get a big smile and lots of stories.