Papers of Abraham and Irma Lopes Cardozo

Abraham Lopes Cardozo

Abraham Lopes Cardozo was born in Amsterdam, Holland on September 27, 1914. As the great-grandson of the Chief Rabbi of the Sephardim in Amsterdam (who had preached the last sermon in Portuguese, and who was later decorated by the King of Holland), and as the son of Joseph Lopes Cardozo, leader of the boy's choir of the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue, it was fitting that he read his first Haftorah at the age of seven in that same synagogue. He attended Seminary Ets Haim in Amsterdam , and became active in Hagomel, a congregational youth society. In 1939 he was appointed by Queen Wilhemina to be rabbi of the Sephardic congregation in Paramaribo, capital of Surinam. On vacation in New York in 1945 he visited Congregation Shearith Israel in NYC, and he liked it. It was mutual, for he was invited by the Congregation to become the Assistant Hazzan there in 1946, a position he held for forty years. In 1987, he released a book and accompanying cassette tapes entitled Sephardic Songs of Praise. On June 7, 2000, he was knighted by Queen Beatrix of Holland. He died on February 21, 2006 at the age of 91.

Irma Robles Lopes Cardozo

Irma Robles Lopes Cardozo was born in Paramaribo, Surinam on February 25, 1924. Her father, Judah Robles, was president of the Sephardic congregation in Paramaribo. She attended Hendriks School, and then began her long career of philanthropy by working for the Surinam war effort. She joined the Dutch army in 1943, and as Corporal Irma Robles she was sent to Washington, D.C. to work in the Pentagon with the Dutch Marines. When the war ended, she came to New York to work in a branch of a Netherlands Bank. Starting out as a secretary, she worked her way up to become an important player in the organization. After she married, she gave up her salaried position and filled her time working for a wide variety of different philanthropic organizations. Most notable among these was the Women's Division of the Central Sephardic Jewish Community of America, the Jaffa Institute, and the Misgav Ladach Hospital in Jerusalem. Her hard work led to her election as president of the Women's Division and to her receiving the Yedid Nefesh award from the Jaffa Institute in 1997. She also serves as co-president of the Sisterhood of Congregation Shearith Israel.

Robles Lopes Cardozo Family

As a youngster in Surinam, Irma Robles became acquainted with Abraham Lopes Cardozo while he served as the rabbi of her father's congregation. When she came to New York, they met once again and worked on a number of projects together, especially in the area of philanthropy. They were friends for six years before, as Irma Lopes Cardozo recalls, "Then on December 10, 1950 we had our first official date." They became engaged eleven days later, and were married on March 11, 1951. They have two daughters, Deborah, who was born in 1952 and Judith, who was born in 1955. Once married to the Hazzan, Irma Lopes Cardozo gave up her salaried work, but she continued to work diligently for a variety of philanthropic organizations.