The history of Jews who resided in Arab lands and Iran is sadly one that has been erased from the history books. This erasure has included the expulsion of nearly one million Jews from their homelands in the Middle East and North Africa in which they had resided for more than 2,500 years. This expulsion coincided with the creation of the State of Israel. It is one of largest, but also least known tragedies of 20th century Jewish history. The State of Israel is proud to bring to light the stories of these communities, who have a rich, vibrant, and storied culture. Israel honors this mission each year on November 30th, as we celebrate the traditions and history of these peoples with the National Day for the Commemoration of Jewish Refugees. 

Until the 20th century, under Islamic rule, Jewish communities flourished in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, Iran and Iraq and enjoyed some, albeit limited, opportunities for advancement in society in education, religion and business. With the rise of antisemitism in the 20th century, especially influenced by Nazi propaganda that penetrated into and spread in the Muslim world. Inspired by this malign influence, Jews were stripped of their human and civil rights and suffered at the hands of their rulers and neighbors alike. Jews were victims of widespread persecutions and genocides, including Nazi-inspired massacres in Libya, Egypt, and Algeria and most infamously in Baghdad, Iraq, the Farhud. Arabic for pogrom, this horrific event occurred between June 1-2, 1941. Following the British victory in the Anglo-Iraqi war, the Muslim population rose up against the Jewish population in the city, taking out their anger on them. In this horrific event, it is estimated that 200 Jews were killed, 2,000 were injured, and hundreds of Jewish owned homes and businesses were defiled and destroyed.

 

Jews’ status in Arab countries continued to degrade and worsen with the declaration of Israel’s independence in 1948, when 850,000 jews were expelled from their homes, and were forced to leave their motherlands. With their departure, thousands of years of cultural and historical heritage were eviscerated, as Arab countries sought to destroy any evidence of Jewish presence in their countries. It is the sad fact that they were largely successful. The world has forgotten about the Jewish populations who were expelled from their homes in the Middle East, North Africa and Iran. Their history is not told in the cannon of the Jewish experience. It is our hope that with Commemoration Day events like those sponsored by the State of Israel, Jews and non-Jews alike will gain awareness of the vibrant Jewish cultures of the Middle East, North Africa, and Iran, as well as their contributions to Israeli and Jewish societies at large.

On this November 30, the Consulate General of Israel in San Francisco in conjunction with the Consulate in Los Angeles, JIMENA and Hillels from across California hosted a commemoration ceremony for the National Day for Jewish Refugees from Arab Lands and Iran. The event featured David Suissa, editor-in-chief of the Jewish journal, as moderator, a Moroccan Jew, as well as three guests: Hon. Abraham Sofaer, a George Shultz Scholar at the Hoover Institute, and former US Judge, Dr. Sharon Nazarian, a Persian Jew and Vice President for International Affairs at the ADL, and Tair Haim from the Israeli musical group, A-WA . Sofaer, Nazarian and Suissa discussed the culture of the Jews of Arab lands and Iran, paying homage to the “Jews of the Sun.”  Suissa, Sofaer and Nazarian discussed their traditions, foods, experiences fleeing their homelands, and their aspirations for continued and advancing recognition of the Jewish refugees from Arab land and Iran. The event also featured musical performances from Tair Haim, the leader singer of Yemenite-Israeli group, A-WA, who shared the music of her homeland, her modern interpretations of it, and discussed its importance for women in her culture.​