3rd Tikkun Olam Award (Joseph Bernard Jr. of Haiti)

Dear Friends, 

We are pleased to recognize Joseph Bernard Jr. for our 3rd Tikkun Olam award.

 

We were introduced to Joseph through Eleanor Miller, an American Journalist for the Haitian Times, who was on assignment in Port-au-Prince (CLICK HERE for Haitian Times article). In July, he sent us a copy of his book which we have forwarded to the Center for Holocaust, Genocide and Memory Studies at UMASS at Amherst, to translate relevant parts for inclusion in the upcoming exhibition (2011) on Jews in Haiti, during the Holocaust. 

Joseph has a truly remarkable Jewish background. He states, “The first member of the Naar family in Haiti would be Josiah Naar who left Curacao for Cape Haitien in 1758. The Sephardic Jews of Curacao came from the Netherlands where the Jews from Spain and Portugal took refuge after the Alhambra Decree.  

“I was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on July 5th, 1984. I went to elementary and high school at Institution Saint Louis de Gonzague from 1990 to 2003. I just ended with my medical studies at Université Notre Dame d’Haïti (2003-2010). I am also studying Psychology at Faculté des Sciences Humaines of Haiti’s State University. I teach German at the Deutsch-Haitianishes Kulturinstitut since 2004. I published two books : Histoire de la colonie allemande d’Haïti (History of Haiti’s German Colony) in 2009, and Histoire des colonies arabe et juive d’Haïti (History of Haiti’s Arab and Jewish Colonies) in 2010. I speak 6 languages : French, Haitian Creole, English, German, Spanish and Italian. 

Joseph’s grandfather Andre Emanuel Naar

“I am of Jewish descent through my mother, born Naar. My grandfather, Andre Emmanuel Naar, used to talk about our Jewish origins. The Naars came to Haiti from Curacao during the colonial period. They were Sephardic Jews who in time converted to Catholicism.”

 

(Click on the award to see an enlarged image)

Some special words to Joseph: We are immensely grateful to you for coming on board and sharing your impressive background and family’s compelling journey. Connecting with you is a highlight of our work, making it all the more meaningful and inspiring. We look forward to learning more about your background and accomplishments as a doctor.

CLICK HERE to learn about Joseph’s upcoming book, Haiti’s Jewish History.

CLICK HERE to order the French edition of Joseph’s book, Histoire Juive d’Haiti

Biography of Joseph BERNARD jr

Born on July 5^th, 1984, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Jewish descent (Naar family of Haiti)

Educational Background

Faculty of Medicine of University Notre Dame of Haiti (2003 – 2010): Doctor in Medicine

Faculty of Human Sciences, State University of Haiti: Minor in Psychology (2012)

Professional experience:

Medical Doctor (since 2010)

German professor at the German-Haitian Institute (2004-2009)

Professor of Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Toxicology at the Faculty of Medicine of University Notre Dame of Haiti (since 2010)

Professor of Pharmacology at the Faculty of Dentistry, State University of Haiti (since 2011)

Historian

Publications in Haitian History:

June 2009 : Histoire de la colonie allemande d’Haïti (History of Haiti’s German colony). Imprimeur II, Haiti.

June 2010 : Histoire des colonies arabe et juive d’Haïti (History of Haiti’s Arab and Jewish colonies). Editions Henri Deschamps, Haiti.

June 2011 : Histoire de la colonie allemande d’Haïti, seconde édition (History of Haiti’s German colony, second edition). Imprimerie Henri Deschamps, Haiti.

June 2011 : Histoire de la colonie italienne d’Haïti (History of Haiti’s Italian colony). Editions Henri Deschamps, Haiti.

Upcoming publications in Haitian History:

May 2012 : Haiti’s Jewish History – Histoire juive d’Haïti (English and French version). Editions CIDIHCA, Montreal, Canada.