The Diario: The Daring Escape of Two Sephardic Jews from Turkey to America During World War I - Alfred Ascher

Ascher, Gloria J.: - Gloria J. Ascher was born in the Bronx, New York to Emanuel and Esther (Ganon) Ascher, Ladino-speaking Sephardic Jews from Smyrna, now Izmir, Turkey. She attended the Bronx H.S. of Science, Hunter College, the University of Bonn (Fulbright Grant), and Yale University. As Associate Professor (now Emerita) of German, Scandinavian and Judaic Studies and founding Co-director of Judaic Studies at Tufts University, she taught Ladino Language and Culture on all levels, beginning with an introductory course in January, 2000, through May, 2017-the first regularly offered, substantially enrolled Ladino courses at a U.S. college or university. She prepared English editions of Matilda Koén-Sarano's Ladino textbooks for beginners and advanced students, and has written and presented on Ladino and Sephardic subjects, and on Old Norse and German literature. She sings and composes songs and writes poems in Ladino, and teaches the language independently.