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Fashadura dress

(swaddling cloth for newborn baby)

Yad

Forthcoming baby's first dress or swaddling cloth.

Notes

In Sephardic communities, women gather in a ceremony (“kortadura de fashadura,” the cutting of the textile) to prepare the forthcoming baby’s first dress or swaddling cloth. The large piece of fabric is covered with sweets and coins as symbols of a sweet and prosperous life.

Video

An explanation and ceremony of the cutting of the textile.

Translations

  • Hebrewשמלת פאשדורה
  • GermanFaschadura-Kleidung
  • RussianФашадура
  • FrenchRobe de fachadoura
  • DutchFashadura jurk
  • ItalianAbitino per la fashadura
  • CzechPrádlo pro novorozence (fašadura)
  • HungarianFasadura ruha
  • SpanishFashadura
  • GreekΈνδυμα Φασαδούρα
  • PolishSukienka faszadura
  • Arabicتقميط الطفل
  • Yiddishפֿאַשאַדוראַ־קלייד
  • LadinoVistido para enfashar el bebe

Bibliography

Kortar Fashadura: A Sephardic Baby Shower.” Exploring Sephardic Life Cycle Customs, University of Washington Sephardic Studies Program in the Stroum Center for Jewish Studies.

Juhasz, Esther, editor. Sephardi Jews in the Ottoman Empire: Aspects of Material Culture. Jerusalem: The Israel Museum, 1990, p. 256.

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