Sana’a, Yemen – Remaining Jews Gradually Leave Ancestral Homeland

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    Sana’a, Yemen – Yemen’s religious diversity is under threat with many of the remaining Jews in the district of Raida in Amran preparing to leave for Israel, some in the next few days, according to Rabbi Yahya Yousef.

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    In Amran, there are only 250 Yemeni Jews left. Yemen’s Jews are thought to have roots dating back nearly 3,000 years to King Solomon.

    The community used to number 60,000 but shrank dramatically when most left for the newborn state of Israel in ‘Operation Magic Carpet’ between June 1949 and September 1950.

    This was the first in a series of operations whose purpose was to transport entire communities of Jews from Arab countries to Israel during the 1950s and 1960s.

    Although the majority of Yemen’s Jews prefer to stay in their ancestral homeland as long as the government ensures their safety, they are responding to increasing harassment and threats as well as the growing US and Israeli pressure to bring them out of Yemen and settle them in other destinations.

    The Jewish Agency for Israel and a coalition of American organizations that includes the United Jewish Communities, New York’s federation, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, and the United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg have presented attempts to bring Jews out of Yemen as an essential, life-saving operation.

    The sons of Moshe Yaish Al-Nahari, Jewish community leader killed last year, left the country for Israel on Tuesday, (as was reported here on VIN News), said the murdered man’s brother, the chief rabbi of the district of Raida Rabbi Yahya Yaish. The rest of the family is expected to follow suit.

    The immigration of Jewish families from Yemen has picked up this year following the murder of Al-Nahari in December 2008 at the hands of Abdulaziz Al-Abdi, a Muslim who had warned him to convert to Islam or die.

    Al-Abdi was condemned to death this June, but the sentence has yet to be carried out.

    Al-Nahari’s daughters also made the journey to Israel, termed ‘aliya’ in December last year.

    Rabbi Yahya Yousef, who lives with almost 70 Yemeni Jews in the Tourist City in Sana’a said, “Those who haven’t left [Amran] yet are preparing to do so by selling their houses and other items. One family is leaving on Monday.”

    He also assures that the Jews in the Tourist City are safe and will continue living in peace with Yemeni Muslims.
    “President Ali Abdullah Saleh, may God protect him, issued directives to transfer the Jews in Amran to Sana’a but those responsible to carry out the directives haven’t done so.”
    “Peace and security is all they [Yemeni Jews] are looking for.”

    Many people in Yemen do not know the difference between Judaism as a religion and of Zionism, the movement that is creating unrest between Palestine and Israel.

    Arwa Othman, head of the Yemeni House of Folkore in Sana’a, said that many Yemenis who come to visit are surprised that there are pictures of Yemeni Jews hanging amongst photographs of other Yemenis.
    She complained that even high-ranking officials do not know the difference.

    “Up until now, nothing has been done to protect the Jews in Amran,” said Rabbi Yahya Yousef.
    Little has been done to help the sidelined Yemeni Jews integrate into mainstream society to safeguard a historical heritage that dates back centuries.

    Although the government boasts support and tolerance to the Jews, it has been slow to fulfill its promise of providing them with safe havens. The only step the government has taken so far is to resettle some families in the Tourist City.

    “We are Arabs, we are Yemenis, we have nothing to do with the Jews in Israel,” Ibrahim Al-Nahari, Masha nephew previously said to the Yemen Times when asked if he would like to immigrate to the US or Israel.

    “They won’t find a place like Yemen,” said Rabbi Yahya Yousef, lamenting their departure. “I will never leave Yemen,” he said.


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    6 Comments
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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    This is another sad & familiar chapter of Jews being exiled from their adopted homeland. However, as always life comes first. We do not risk lives for the sake of preserving sentimental or historical connections.

    Although I don’t know if the Yemenite Jews are familiar with Ashkenazi history, Germany, among others, has taught us to flee from danger while the possibility still exists.

    Bugsy Siegel
    Bugsy Siegel
    14 years ago

    Are you so sure Israel is safer? Israeli soldiers die in wars. Terrorism, car accidents, etc.

    srgnmb
    srgnmb
    14 years ago

    Its time to move. to ISRAEL why stay where you as a jew are not WANTED!!! its the plae tobe/ i moved from the usa to israel morethen 20 years ago withmy kids.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    For 60 years we have had a respite here in America. Do you think that will continue forever? This is Galus and our day will come too.