Racing Pianos at The Harbour: Sephardi Jewish Masculinity Put to the Test
Abstract
This essay explores how Sephardi Jews from Thessaloniki, Greece, harnessed racial and gendered discourses to secure scarce resources, particularly immigration permits to Mandatory Palestine during the 1930s. Leaders of the Yishuv viewed their bodies as robust and well-suited for maritime labour, aligning with Zionist ideals of conquering the sea and cultivating the land. Salonican Jews capitalized on these perceptions to advance the migration of impoverished workers to Palestine. By examining archival materials and memoirs, the essay delves into the intersection of race, labour, and masculinity, revealing how Sephardi men reshaped Jewish identity within the Mediterranean landscape and Zionist ambitions.
Presentato: 01 Aprile 2025 | Accettato: 13 Ottobre 2025 | Pubblicato 15 Dicembre 2025 | Lingua: en
Keywords Thessaloniki • Masculinity • Zionism • Sephardic Studies • Haifa
Copyright © 2025 Shai Zamir. This is an open-access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction is permitted, provided that the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. The license allows for commercial use. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
Permalink http://doi.org/10.30687/979-12-5742-004-8/003