Figure 1.--Here are recently relocated Yemeni Jews and probably some of the staff at Camp Maabara Kislon in 1950. Notice the tents. This was an Israeli relocation camp. They were part of Operation Magic Carpet.

Yemeni Jews because they came from such a backward Arab state proved one of the most difficult immigrant 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). Abd unlike Palestine, Rome did not control Yemen. There was no Jewish revolt and they were not driven out of Yemen. 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 substantial effort to assist and assimilate the refugees that resulted from the different Arab-Israeli wars. Arab policies were just the opposite. All of the Arab states adopted policies not only to prevent the Palestinians from assimilating and to annext Palestinian land rather than creating aalestinian state. Israel's asimiltion effort was for the most part a 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. Special Yemeni schools were set up for the new arrivals. We can not say the assimilation effort was a failure. Given the challenge, it was a success, but not as successful as that for other immigrant group. Today the Yemeni Jews 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

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

Created: 3:16 AM 12/30/2017
Last updated: 3:16 AM 12/30/2017