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Lazar (Moshe) papers
5282
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Table of contents
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Special Collections
Title: Moshe Lazar papers
creator:
Lazar, Moshe
creator:
Chagall, Marc
creator:
Ionesco, Eugène
Identifier/Call Number: 5282
Physical Description:
44.75 Linear Feet
66 boxes
Date (inclusive): 1967-2015
Abstract: Moshe Lazar (1928-2012) was a professor in many subjects at the University of Southern California from the late 1970s until
a year before his death. In addition to the many topics he taught at the University, he actively and avidly researched a
variety of topics related to medieval literature, antisemitism, and Sephardic studies. The materials in this collection span
the breadth of his scholarly interests and activities.
Language of Material: Most of the materials in this collection are in English. However, many articles, notes, and publications are in Spanish,
German, Ladino, Hebrew, and other languages. Assistance with the Hebrew language materials was provided by Dr. Yaffa Weisman
of Hebrew Union College.
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The collection is organized into nineteen series, either by topic or materials format.
One of the world's most eminent authorities on Sephardic studies, Moshe Lazar began his life in Rumania in 1928, though his
family moved to Antwerp, Belgium when he was still an infant. In 1940, the Lazar family was forced to flee to France when
Nazi planes bombed Antwerp. The family was placed in a transit camp for three years as they awaited deportation to Auschwitz,
but was finally able to escape with the help of the French Underground. Young Lazar was placed in a Catholic school where
he memorized English and mathematics textbooks.
A few years later, Lazar was studying comparative literature at the Sorbonne and, while in Paris, shared an apartment with
Holocaust survivor and Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel. Another notable acquaintance of Lazar was Marcel Marceau, from whom
he took pantomime lessons.
From Paris, Lazar's travels took him to Israel in 1948 where he fought in the War of Independence as well as two subsequent
Israeli wars in Sinai. In 1951, Lazar received his M.A. in French literature, romance philology, and history from Hebrew
University in Jerusalem. Later while at the University of Salamanca in Spain, he became interested in Ladino, the language
of Spanish Jews, and became a world authority in the subject as he saved and translated hundreds of manuscripts including
a Jewish prayer book for women from the late 1400s.
A doctoral thesis on the literature of courtly love earned Lazar his Ph.D. from the Sorbonne in Paris. He then went on to
become the first Dean of the School of Visual and Performing Arts at the University of Tel Aviv. Another achievement around
the same time was becoming one of the founders of Israeli television in the 1960s.
By the late 1970s, Dr. Lazar had arrived in the United States, founding the comparative literature program at the University
of Southern California. In addition to comparative literature, Lazar taught French, Italian, Spanish, Medieval drama, Medieval
Jewish culture in Spain, and subjects pertaining to the post-expulsion Sephardic diaspora.
One of Lazar's most noteworthy achievements began in the early 1980s when he learned that the ancient Jewish quarter in the
city of Girona (near Barcelona) was in danger of being replaced by a shopping center. The area--referred to as The Call--was
considered the birthplace of the Jewish Kabala and had been buried since the Spanish Inquisition and only recently become
uncovered. Moshe Lazar rallied support to rescue the area and formed a corporation called American Friends of Girona's Call.
For his efforts, he was awarded the Orden del Mérito Civil by the consul general of Spain in 1993.
For his years of teaching, research, and service to USC, Lazar received the Raubenheimer Outstanding Senior Faculty Award
in 2003. An exhibit at USC in 2005 was founded on much of Lazar's Sephardim research: "The First Renaissance of Europe:
Sefared, Al-Andalus, España. Three Cultures in Contact."
Moshe Lazar's last big project was a major study of 1800 years of anti-Semitic propaganda imagery, writings, sermons, and
films called "Satan's Synagogue." He retired from USC in 2011 and passed away in 2012 after battling Alzheimer's for several
years. He is survived by wife Sonia and daughter, Ilanit.
The 52 boxes of Moshe Lazar's papers cover approximately forty years of Lazar's research studies and academic career. Most
of the material in the collection is topic-related rather than function-related; i.e. there are numerous articles and notes
on literature, religion, etc., but very little correspondence or other personal papers. Almost all of the material was generated
after Lazar's immigration to the United States from Israel in the 1970s.
Collection stored off-site. Advance notice required for access.
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Manuscripts Librarian.
Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended
to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
[Box/folder# or item name], Moshe Lazar papers, Collection no. 5282, University Archives, Special Collections, USC Libraries,
University of Southern California.
This collection was processed with the assistance of Tiffany Chu and Ye Fu.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Antisemitism -- Caricatures and cartoons -- History -- Archival resources
Antisemitism in literature -- Archival resources
Courtly love in literature -- Archival resources
Devil in literature -- Archival resources
Dramatists, French -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Hebrew poetry -- Archival resources
Ladino literature -- History and criticism -- Archival resources
Literature, Modern -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Religion and literature -- History -- Archival resources
Sephardim -- History -- Archival resources
Audiotapes
Correspondence
Ephemera
Microforms
Slides (photographs)
Video recordings
Lazar, Moshe -- Archives
Bosch, Hieronymus -- Archives
Chagall, Marc -- Correspondence
Ionesco, Eugène -- Correspondence
University of Southern California -- Faculty