Ladino Translators' Roundtable at AJS 2026

[Marina Mayorski]

Hi everyone, 

We're excited to share news about a roundtable we are organizing for AJS 2026 on the topic of Ladino Translation: History, Theory, Practice. The roundtable's aim is to discuss the present and future of Ladino (or Judeo-Spanish) translation, the role of translation of primary sources in Sephardic studies and Jewish studies more broadly, and the nexus of theory and practice in our field (more info on the roundtable below).

We're reaching out because we would like to identify additional scholars / translators for whom this topic is relevant. We are also seeking sponsorship, as some of our colleagues do not have conference funding in their institutions, but we would very much like to make this forum as inclusive and comprehensive as possible. Please let us know if you have any ideas.

Thank you in advance, and we're looking forward to seeing you in Philadelphia!

Marina Mayorski and Canan Bolel

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Ladino Translation: History, Theory, Practice

Participants: Devin E. Naar (University of Washington), Marina Mayorski (Upenn), Canan Bolel (University of Washington), Nesi Altaras (Stanford), Shai Zamir (Hebrew University).

Over the past decade, Jewish studies scholars have increasingly begun to contend with the prejudices and inequalities that characterized the field, seeking ways to diversify pedagogy and scholarship and decenter conventional approaches to pedagogy and scholarship. While the field has traditionally gravitated towards the histories of Ashkenazi Judaism, a steady increase in works centering on Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews and the Global South marks a necessary realignment. Translation of primary sources is a crucial aspect of such a realignment in scholarly and pedagogical practice, necessary to facilitate access to marginalized and overlooked perspectives. As scholars of Sephardi history and culture – as well as practicing translators of Ladino literature - the participants of this roundtable will discuss the current state of Sephardic studies vis-à-vis existing translations, the nexus of research and translation practices, the unique challenges of the Ladino language and literary corpus, and potential avenues for the promotion of translation and publication. The roundtable will address key questions such as: 

• How does historical and literary scholarship inform Ladino translation practice? 

• What role do communities and institutions play in the preservation and promotion of Ladino language and literature? 

• How do disparate audiences and forums shape translation efforts? 

• What are the dominant attitudes towards translation in the academic community, and what strides can be made to further translators’ efforts? 

• How can we bring the experience of institutions and individuals in other languages to bear on Ladino?

• How can translation practitioners bolster the recent influx of interest and engagement among non-scholarly audiences?

• Can the budding field of digital humanities contribute to Ladino scholarship and pedagogy?

Each participant will share their experience translating and researching Ladino texts and address the broader role translation plays in today’s scholarly discourse.