The Organization of the Jews in Bulgaria “Shalom” aims to develop activities in the field of culture, support and promote Jewish creativity, assist artists of Jewish origin, and cooperate with cultural institutions, foreign cultural institutes, organizations, and structures in the country. This goal is inherited from the organization’s predecessors - the Consistory and the Cultural and Educational Public Organization of the Jews in Bulgaria. There is no field of art and culture in Bulgaria without a достойно Jewish presence, both historically and today - from Elias Canetti and Valeri Petrov to Pancho Vladigerov and Nikolay Kaufman, from Leon Daniel and Itzhak Finzi to Jules Pascin and Boris Schatz - there is much to be proud of.
Jewish musical and vocal art has long-standing traditions in Bulgaria. Many well-known Bulgarian performers, musicians, and composers of Jewish origin have contributed to the development and popularization of Jewish music. Today, within the Organization of the Jews in Bulgaria “Shalom,” active creative groups include the “Agada – Benedict Molkhov” Choir, conducted and led by Dorian Molkhov, and the vocal formation for Jewish songs “Dulce Canto,” led by soloist Lika Eshkenazi. The face of Jewish song in Bulgaria, Lika Eshkenazi, has recorded albums of Jewish songs in Hebrew and Ladino, traditionally performed within the Bulgarian Jewish community at holidays and family occasions. Vocal groups and performers of Jewish music frequently participate in festivals both in Bulgaria and abroad. The Jewish community takes pride in the recognition enjoyed by numerous composers, singers, and musicians of Jewish origin—Pancho Vladigerov and Lyuben Vladigerov, Petar Stupel, Nikolay Kaufman, Jules Levy, Simo Lazarov, Maxim Eshkenazy, Veselin Panteleev-Eshkenazi, Aron Aronov, Etien Levi, Benedict Molhov - who bring honor both to Bulgaria and to the Bulgarian Jewish community.
Dance, although practiced mostly at a non-professional level, is extremely popular among members of the Jewish community. Children learn Jewish dances at the summer camp, young people regularly gather for dance marathons organized by trained dancers from the “Keren Shemesh” dance ensemble, and anyone interested can explore Jewish dance through lessons offered by the “Kedar Manseva” dance group. Like the choirs, these ensembles frequently present Jewish art at various forums, festivals, and concerts.
Theatrical and stage arts have attracted Jewish interest since ancient times. Over the years, there have been many attempts by prominent Bulgarian theater figures of Jewish origin to establish a Jewish theater. Although no formal structure currently exists, within OEB “Shalom” there is continuous creation of performances, productions, plays, and even musicals for various occasions in the life of the Bulgarian Jewish community. Productions organized by volunteers from the “Yosif Shamli” theater school help transmit Jewish traditions both within the community and beyond it. Notable theater figures of Jewish origin include Ida Daniel, Kassiel Noa Asher, Aleksandra Sarchadzhieva, and Yosif Shamli, while the legacy of Leon Daniel, Luna Davidova, Leontina Arditi, Itzhak Finzi, Yosif Sarchadzhiev, Eva Volitzer, and others continues to inspire younger generations.
Applied arts also have a place within the Jewish community and its various clubs and programs. Of particular importance is the Sephardic applied arts group “Manos Bendichas,” which creates traditional Jewish ritual items—kippot, holiday and Shabbat table covers, parochets, and other items essential for Jewish home and religious life.
A significant contribution to preserving Sephardic heritage has been made by Yuliana Farkhi. For over 20 years, she has researched and preserved the traditions of the Jewish community in Bulgaria as head of the “Sephardic Heritage” project of OEB “Shalom.” Beginning her work in 1991, she recognized the importance of tradition passed down through generations as family memory, religious identity, folklore, and both material and spiritual culture. Through her work, she has collected a vast archive of memories, photographs, artifacts, recipes, songs, and jewelry. Her book “I Love You!”, published by the Shalom Publishing Center, presents much of this research, introducing readers to Jewish traditions, women’s lives, family, clothing, and daily culture, along with theater scripts, a Ladino glossary, recipes, and Sephardic song texts.
In the field of visual arts, the Jewish community in Bulgaria takes pride in artists such as Andrey Daniel, Gredi Assa, Zhanna Behar, Ivo Mirchev, Nelly Sand, Reni Pilosof, Slav Bakalov, Selma Todorova, Stavri Kalinov, and many others. The community also makes special efforts to promote the work of globally renowned artists like Anna Kremer-Behar, Jules Pascin, Sammy Bidzherano-Sabin, David Peretz, Marco Behar, and Boris Schatz through exhibitions and presentations.
Literature is another art form that plays a central role in the life of the Bulgarian Jewish community across all age groups. It is a field rich with prominent names recognized both within the community and in Bulgarian society as a whole. Bulgaria’s only Nobel laureate, Elias Canetti, along with Dora Gabe, Valeri Petrov, Angel Wagenstein, and Eddie Schwartz, are writers whose works are widely known and deserve broad readership. The organization makes dedicated efforts to meet the strong interest of its members in literature.
The organization also works to preserve the linguistic heritage of the community by regularly organizing lectures, presentations, seminars, and international conferences focused on Hebrew and Ladino - the language of the Sephardic Jews, who make up the majority of Bulgaria’s Jewish community.
Finally, it is important to mention photographers of Jewish origin who have contributed significantly in Bulgaria - Solomon Frances, Simon Varsano, Zafer Galibov, and others. They regularly organize exhibitions that attract interest beyond the community. In recent years, photography has become one of the primary ways the community presents its activities and values to the broader public, with exhibitions held in galleries and open spaces such as Sofia’s City Garden and the area in front of the National Palace of Culture.
