Figure 1.--This photograph taken about 1908 sows a a group of Jewish children in Sana'a, Yemen.  Theyvare all dressed alike, we are not sure why. They look to be both boys and girls. At the time, Yemen was part of the Ottoman Empire, but a depised group by most of their Arab neighbors. During the Ottoman era, small numbers of Yemeni Jews were able to migrate within the Empire, mostly to Syria in the Levant.

Jews have a long history inYemen, dating back to Biblical time more than a milennium before the advent of Islam. In modern times the Ottoman Turks extended their rule tio the south of the Arabian Peninsula and occupied Yemen (1872). The Ottomans had a traditiion of relatuve religion tolerance, having managed a diverse empire for hundreds of years. This began to chang in the 19th century, but there was much more tolerance of Jews than in Arab society at the time. Ottoman authorities who established themselves in Yemen asked an assembly of Yemeni Muslim leaders to stop Muslim children from throwing rocks at Jews. The Yemeni Muslim authorities declined. They insisted that was an ancient religious custom called 'Ada' and insisted that it could not be forbidden. Yemeni Jews were one of the most isolated Jewish communities in the world. And Yemen was one of the most backward countries in which Jews lived, virtually untouched by the modern world. As part of the Ottoman Empire, Yemeni Jews were able to move within the Empire. Small numbers begn to move to the Levant including Palestine. This was unrelated to the largly European Zionist movement. Most Yemeni Jews setlled in agricultural communities in Syria. Just before World War I, Zionist organizers made contct wih Yemeni Jews and more 1,000 Yemeni Jews came to Palestine (1911-12). World War I changed the political make up of the Middle East. The Ottoman Empire was destroyed and the British and French obtained contol of the Levant. Yemen became independent and conditions for Jews deteriorated. In particular they begn enforcing the 'orphan's decree'. British regulations made furthur emigration to Palestine difficult for Yemeni Jews. This changed with the creation of the state of Israel (1948). Attacks on Jews esclated. Jews were killed in vicious pograms The situation was even worse than in most other Arab states. Virtully the ntire Jewish comminity was evacuated to Israel as part of Operation Magic Carpet (1949-50). The effort actually began during the First Arab-Israeli War (1947-48), biy most of the Jews arrived immeduattely after the War. The Yemeni Jews because they came from such a backward Arab state proved one of the most difficult immigrant grouos to assimilate.

Yemeni Jews

Jews have a long history in Yemen, dating back to Biblical time more than a milennium before the advent of Islam. Yemeni Jews trace their history to the time of King Solomon. The sources are legendary. They believe that King Solomon dispated Jewish merchants by ship to prospect for gold and silver needed to ador the Great Temple Yemeni Jews also claim that Jewish craftsmen were requested by Bilqis, Queen of Sheba. Notably the Beta Israel or Chabashim (Ethiiopian Jews) have a similar tradition as to their origins which has the Queen of Sheba marring King Solomon. Such traditions while not the same as recorded history should not be dismissed. Both Bilqis and Solomon were historical figures. And at the time Sheba controlled parts of Yemen and Ethiopia. Yemen was conquered by the Arabs (7th century). The status of Jews in Yemeni society was radicaly changed.

Ottomam Empire

In modern times the Ottoman Turks extended their rule tio the south of the Arabian Peninsula and occupied Yemen (1872). The Ottomans had a traditiion of relatuve religion tolerance, having managed a diverse empire for hundreds of years. This began to chang in the 19th century, but there was much more tolerance of Jews than in Arab society at the time. Ottoman authorities who established themselves in Yemen asked an assembly of Yemeni Muslim leaders to stop Muslim children from throwing rocks at Jews. The Yemeni Muslim authorities declined. They insisted that was an ancient religious custom called 'Ada' and insisted that it could not be forbidden. Yemeni Jews were one of the most isolated Jewish communities in the world. And Yemen was one of the most backward countries in which Jews lived, virtually untouched by the modern world. As part of the Ottoman Empire, Yemeni Jews were able to move within the Empire. Small numbers begn to move to the Levant including Palestine. This was unrelated to the largly European Zionist movement. Most Yemeni Jews setlled in agricultural communities in Syria. Just before World War I, Zionist organizers made contct wih Yemeni Jews and more 1,000 Yemeni Jews came to Palestine (1911-12).

World War I

World War I changed the political make up of the Middle East. The Ottoman Empire was destroyed and the British and French obtained contol of the Levant.

Inter-War Era

Yemen became independent after World War I. The Imamnate of Yemen was established in the aftermath of World war I. The Imamnate was essentially a kingdom. The Ottoman educated Imam Yahya ( a Zaidi Imam ) declared the imamnate and was the first independent Yemeni imam (1918). Britain recognized Yahya as King of Yemen in the Treaty of Sevres officially ending the War (1920). The Imamnate primarily controlled northern Yemen. Britain retained control of the port of Afen in the south. Imam Yahya wanted to limit modern influences keep Yemen staunchly Islamic. Conditions for Jews deteriorated. The Yemeni Government reserected an ancient law which required Jewish orphans under age 12 be converted to Islam (1922). British regulations made furthur emigration to Palestine difficult for Yemeni Jews.

First Arab-Israeli War (1948-49)

The ability of Yemeni Jews to emigrate changed as a result of the First Arab-Israeli War and the resulting creation of the state of Israel (1947-49). Few people believed that the Jewws after declaring the state of Israel could survive. Israel was ready to accpt the United Nations Partition Plan. The Palestininsnd Arab states were not. They were determined to destroy Israel and seize all of Palestine. They were surronded by hostile Arab states with well-equipped armies. The Jews had mostly a motly collection of small arms with no heavy weapons like artillery and tanks and no airforce. Somehow the Hangenah converted to the Israeli Defense Force against all odds managed not only to stop the Arab invasions, including the sibstantial Egyptian Army, but seize more territory than originally alloted to them in the United Nations Partition Plan. This meant that there would no longer be any limitations on Jewish immigration.

Situation in Yemen

Attacks on Jews esclated Yemen. The country's largest Jewish community was located in Aden. News that the United Nations approved a plan to partition Palestine caused riots in Aden (1947). Rioters assisted by the Yemeni police carried out a pogrom that killed 82 Jews and destroyed hundreds of homes. The rioters also destroyed Jewish stores and businesses leaving the Jewish community destitute. Further rioting and looting followed trumped up charges that Jews had ritually murdered two girls (1948). Jews were killed in vicious pograms The situation was even worse than in most other Arab states. Israel organized Operation 'Magic Carpet' to rescue the endangered Jewish population.

Exodus to Israel

Virtully the entire Jewish comminity was evacuated to Israel as part of Operation Magic Carpet (1949-50). The effort actually began during the First Arab-Israeli War (1947-48), but most of the Jews arrived soon after the War. Israel organized Operation "Magic Carpet" to rescue the endangered Jewish population. There was some disagreement within he Jewish Agency and then the Government of Israel about the timing of the immigration of Yemenite Jews. There was never a serious doubt about the fact that they were Jews and should be protected and brought to Israel. There was some disagreement over the timing. Some argued against the immediate movement of the Yemenite immigrants pointed to the difficult medical situation of the Yemenite immigrants and Israel's limited resources to deal with their needs which were extensive than Europen immigrants. Some believed that Israel with its limited resources had a limited absorption capacity and could not cope with what some perceived as a serious burden. Israel has just emerged from a war with the Arab states. Israel was still coping with the need for rationing (austerity) and aange of severe severe economic problems. They argued that at this stage of Israel's development that it was preferable to bring in the Jews of Europe and the more deceloped Arab countries and postpone the effort to aid Yemeni Jews until Israel was stronger. In the end the decesion was for an immediate resue because of attacks in Jews abd the deteriorating situation in Yemen. Most Yemeni Jews were in Aden. The plan was for the Jews from all over Yemen to make their way to the Aden area where security conditions were better than in other areas. And planes could be landed there. The Jews were primarily cared for at Hashed Camp near the port of Aden. There was also Guela Camp. They stayed there until air transport could be arranfed. Hashed was an old British military camp in the desert, about a mile away from Sheikh Othman. The operation took longer than was originally planned, in part because of the numbers involved. It proved dificult to supply the camp. Hundreds of migrants died at Hashed Campl. [Parfitt, pp. 229–245.] Almost all of the Yemeni Jews left the country, about 50,000 people (June 1949-September 1950). This was the vast majority of Yenmen's Jewish community. Small number of Jews remained, about 2,000 people. They were allowed to emigrate as they desired and over time most trickled out, many to Israel. The American United Jewish Appeal played an important role in financing the effort. It was a still small Alaska Airlines that transported most of the refugees.

Assimilation

Yemeni Jews because they came from such a backward Arab state proved one of the most difficult immigrannt groups to assimilate. Unlike most Middle Eastern Jews that came from countries with considerable Western influence, the Yemni Jews were a very special case. The ancientness of their community (perhaps 8th century BC) is greater than other countries. Jewish communiies in most ofthe Middle East date only from the Roman Diaspora (1st century AD). Their long history and especially their isolation from mainstream Judaism and Western life created some special issues. Israel in contrast to the Arab states made a substabtial effort to assist and assimilate the refugees that resultd from the different Arab-Israeli wars. And for the most part the result of the effort was substantial success. Given the challenge, this has also been the case with the Yemenis. For many Yemeni Jews, the flight to Israel was like a real life time machine. And the result was huge increases in heir material life styles and health care. Threats like 'plagues and pestilence' -- infectious and parasitic diseases are no longer a threat. Women in particular hace benefitted. [Weingarten] There were distinct social, cultural, and physical characteristics. And as a result, assismilation was bound to be paticularly difficult and present unique issues. Today they tend to be at the bottom of the Israeli socio-economic scale because they do not have the same academic achievment and job skills as other Israelis. Interestingly they also have the lowest rates of crime and delinquency of any Israeli ethnic group. They retain social practices unique in Judaism as well as the imprint of living in Arab societies for cnturies. Issues included polygamy (which scores of the original families still practice) and the chewing of qat, a leaf with mild stimulant effects popular in Yemen and Somalia. Yemenite Jews also have distinct genetic patterns and hereditary conditions, such as benign neutropenia. There have been reports of abuse, including claims of missing babies.

Sources

Parfitt, Tudor. The Road to Redemption: The Jews of the Yemen, 1900–1950 (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1996).

Weingarten, Michael A. Changing Health and Changing Culture: The Yemenite Jews in Israel (Westport, Conn.: Praeger, 1992), 187p.

Created: 11:32 PM 12/29/2017
Last updated: 11:32 PM 12/29/2017