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From the book “From Yemen to Zion”

The political status of Jews In Yemen

An article by Israel Yeshayahu

During the Turkish rule in Yemen, Jews in cities had some freedom and a certain version of human and citizens’ rights were granted to them, especially after the Young Turk Revolution (1909). The Turks acknowledged the Jews as obedient and loyal to their regime and, therefore, trusted them. However, this was only when the Turkish rule reigned supreme. During difficult times, the Jews suffered badly since they served as a target for the fury and anger of both winners and vanquished alike and became free for all to rob and loot. The Moslems always found the right moment to avenge the “haughty” Jews, and the Turks looked upon them with jealousy as they were living peacefully, free of threats, while they, the Turks, were constantly attacked by the gangs of rebels who, periodically, emerged from their ambush and wreaked havoc.

When the Imam entered San’a, some of the Moslems were hoping that he would abandon the Jews to them to do with as they please. However, the Imam disappointed them, emphasizing his positive attitude towards the Jews, especially regarding their property and personal safety.

Several days after he entered San’a, one of the Imam’s soldiers snatched a loaf of bread from a Jewish bread vendor. The Jew appealed to the Imam and he, immediately, mounted his horse and rode, together with the Jew, to look for the delinquent soldier. He caught him, flogged him in public and proceeded to pay the Jew for the bread, out of his own pocket.

Another important deed was carried out by the Imam, in favor of the Jews, soon after he ascended the throne: Certain lands of the KA’A EL–YAHUD which were leased to the Jews, belonged to the Moslem WAKF. The WAKF kept pestering the Jews, in various ways, either by increasing the fees for the lease or by claiming that it owned additional lands of the KA’A EL–YAHUD. The Imam decided that all the residents who lived on those lands that the WAKF claimed to be its own, will purchase the land from the WAKF authorities for reasonable prices and thus, there will come an end to the “non Kosher” and undesirable partnership between the Jews and the WAKF. A survey was held and the residents paid the price that was required. One must note that not all Jews accepted this arrangement as positive and some even regarded it to be an edict….

This affair was later called in Yemen “The EL–ARTZA Affair”.

In contrast to that, the Imam started to implement his decree of 1906 regarding the political status of Jews in his country which, in essence, read as follows: “……. For their own safety, Jews will pay the “JAZIA” (worker’s tax), every adult……. This way their blood will be secure and under supervision. …. And they must also pay half a tenth of their assets, annually…. And they must not associate against a Muslim, and their homes should never be taller than Muslim homes, and they must not disturb Muslims when they walk, or trespass their lands, or show contempt to the Islamic religion, or curse any of the prophets, or mock a Muslim for his beliefs, or ride a saddle except on the side (both legs on one side – the writer). They must not wink with their eyes in order to humiliate a Muslim, or expose their holy books except in the synagogue, or raise their voices when they read. They should not blow the SHOFAR loudly but suffice with a low and quiet tone…. And they must glorify the Muslim and honor him….. and they must not dissuade a Jew who wishes to be tried by the laws of Mohamed….”

Decreed on the Fourth Month AWAL 1324, in San’a.

In addition to all the above, many other harsh edicts were decreed upon the Jews. One of them was shutting the new synagogues that were built during the Turkish rule under the pretext that according to a certain Muslim law the Jews cannot build a new synagogue unless they pay the price of building a new mosque for the Muslims. Thus, some sixteen synagogues were shut and demolished in San’a alone before the Jews could rescue the holy vessels. They barely managed to save the Torah scrolls. These synagogues were among the most stately and affluent.

This decree caused immense anguish to Yemenite Jewry.

The second one was the edict relating to the conversion of orphans.

Any Jewish child who lost his or her parents was converted to Islam by the government. This edict was based on a certain Muslim law that obliged the government to sustain and support every orphan who lost both parents and, since the government was forbidden to incur any expenses for the sake of raising a Jewish child, the “ASHAD ADAWA” (The greatest enemy), it had to convert the Jewish orphans to Islam in order to fulfill its duties towards them.

Actually, this was a wish to “to magnify and to glorify Islam” since, in practice, the government was not taking such good care of the Muslim orphans but kept looking for Jewish ones. In addition, when Jewish relatives of the orphan made a commitment to support him and take full responsibility for him, the government absolutely refused. It was a degree and there was no way to avoid it.

This harsh decree depressed the Jews more than any other. They saw it as an issue of KIDUSH HASHEM (sanctifying God) and, therefore, were ready to sacrifice a great deal in order to avoid it. They would smuggle the orphans from one town or village to another, literally risking their lives, until the smuggled them across the border of Yemen. And, woe to he who was caught in action… not only would they seize the orphan and beat and torture the smuggler, but they would force him to convert to Islam as well…

The Jews experienced a great deal of suffering and anguish because of this which, almost, led to an open war between Jews and Muslims in Yemen, a war between the frail and the mighty where the mighty (namely, the Jews) demonstrated heroism, courage and exemplary personal sacrifice.

From then on, the attitude towards the Jews was typified by a double standard. On the one hand – excellent protection of their property and personal safety, on the other – the humiliations that had disappeared, presumably, during the Turkish rule, were renewed. The Muslim masses who were unhappy with the courteous attitude of the Imam towards the Jews, now treated them with contempt and their former covert hatred became apparent.

Muslim youth pestered Jews on the main street, threw stones at them, spat in their faces, plucked their “signs” (their side-locks) and no one protested.

“….. When a Muslim meets a Jew, he must demand that he take the left side (since the devil walks on the left and there is nothing to come between the Jew and the devil). This demand is often accompanied by a stinging slap on the face.

The Jew must greet a Muslim he knows when he meets him on his way yet, the Muslim must not greet him back. (i.e.: The Jew to the Muslim – “Good morning Mr….” Or “ElSalam Ya Sidi “ (Peace be with you, Sir). The Muslim replies: “El-Hamd El-Alla” (Thank God). And if the Muslim greets first: “Keef Etzbakhat Ya Salim” (How is your morning, Salim) the Jew must reply: “Tzukhbahem Bealkir, ya Sidi” (May your morning be good, Sir).

If a Jew rides a donkey he is to be taken off it immediately so that he is no taller than a Muslim.

If a Jew walks into the market to buy something and a Muslim follows him – the Muslim has priority even when the vendor is a Jew. The Jewish customer dare not add to the price quoted by the Muslim and take the goods (A custom that was quite common, especially in a food market).

If a Jew happens to touch the hem of a Muslim’s garment – it is an outrageous scandal since the Jew contaminated him and so, he must pay, immediately, for soap and for the charge of washing the Muslim’s garment, (which is usually soiled and filthy ad nauseam).

All Muslims call the Jew not by his name but by the name ‘Dog’, ‘Defiled’ etc. and these derogatory names are taken for granted.

When Muslims fight among themselves and call each other “Jew”, it is considered a huge insult. Even their curses involve the Jew: “Whoever doesn’t keep his word is a Jew” etc. “

On the face of it, these things happened as if of their own accord, with no guidance on the part of the government and without a special law. However, in practice, this was the way that even administrators treated the Jews: Judges, civil servants etc.

If a Jew tried to seek justice through the courts – he could never succeed as the testimony of a Jew was disqualified for a Muslim and the Muslims did not testify against each other when it came to a court case involving a Jew.

Under such circumstances of persecutions and decrees on the one hand and poverty and misery on the other, the Jews were left with no other choice but to immigrate to ERETZ ISRAEL. This became even more poignant when they continued to receive letters from The Land of Israel, evoking in their hearts the yearning for redemption that never ceased to play its tune in good times as in bad.

At first, it was easy to travel. A Jew could get up one bright morning, sell his home and his belongings (if he had any), take his family and start heading towards Eretz-Israel. However, the Muslims reacted furiously to this and considered it to be overt treason. In the meantime, the famous Hijazi delegation arrived in Yemen in 1926 composed of fanatic Muslims and haters of Zionism. They reproached the Imam for allowing such a phenomenon that helps those who plot to take over the Omar Mosque to exist in his country. They say that at that time, El-Hajwa, who also visited Eretz Israel, returned to Yemen from his voyages, carrying a picture of “The High Commissioner of Judea“, Herbert Samuel, with the inscription: “There is your king” etc. That added fuel to the fire, namely, a practical aspect to the negative attitude towards the ALIYAH of the Jews. Another decree stated that any Jew who wished to travel to Eretz Israel would have his assets confiscated (especially real estate) by the “Beit El-Mal” (The Treasury). They thought that this would stop the Jews from leaving the country – “if they cannot sell their property, they cannot travel”. However, the Jews found means and ways to bypass this decree or, they simply ignored it, left their property behind and, penniless and desolate, they embarked upon their journey towards redemption.

The long arm of Muslim hatred that was fully exposed by the voyage of Hajj Amin El-Husseini (the Mufti of Jerusalem) to Yemen in 1933, reached the Imam. The Mufti scattered venomous poison on the Imam and his entourage and was totally against the immigration of the Jews to Eretz-Israel. As a result, a harsh decree was issued, forbidding all Jews to leave the borders of Yemen, even for commerce. “Anyone who dares to defy this order – his entire property will be confiscated, his brothers and relatives will be charged and, if he is caught – he will be put to death”. When the Jews appealed to the Imam and complained about their economic distress and their inability to remain in the country and starve to death, he said:” Stay here and look for other ways to make a living”.

Thus, the Jews found themselves between the hammer of decrees and poverty and the anvil of the ban on ALIYAH; Distress, poverty, and depression prevailed, prayers were recited, pleading for help but, no one was there to save them. Every Jewish soul, trapped like a bird in a cage, was listening to every slight murmur from afar, hoping it might herald salvation and every Jewish heart was asking silently – where is the solution?

A special episode was the fate of the Jews of S’alla. S’alla is a region that was conquered from the Imam by the British (1928). The British handed the rule of the region to one of the locals who helped them in their conquest, the Emir Nasser.

Originally, there was hope that under British rule the Jews might have some peace and quiet. However, this Emir and his son Hidra were long known for their greed and lust for power and for their hatred of Jews. Soon after their ascent to power, they began to abuse the Jews and enslave them in many ways. They forced them to perform all the base manual jobs, exerted arbitrary taxes and levies on them, and trampled upon their honor and the honor of their families in a vulgar and condescending manner.

For every trivial thing and for every misdemeanor, Jews would be thrown in jail. They were strictly forbidden to leave the region either to Yemen or to Aden and, anyone who did was most severely punished.

Through the initiative of various bodies, a delegation of Yemenites residing in Aden appeared before the Governor of Aden and described the atrocities against the Jews of the S’alla Region. The governor decided to investigate the situation and even went out, himself, to the city of S’alla and demanded to receive clarifications from the Emir. The Emir said “ nothing of the kind!” and, as proof, he showed the Governor the prison house where, so it seemed, there was no Jew to be found (that was, obviously, after he had transferred the prisoners to another location). The Governor, finally, discovered the ruse and exchanged harsh words with the Emir. The Emir promised to change his attitude towards the Jews and the Governor handed a letter to the Yemenite representatives that conveyed the Emir’s promise:

May 23, 1935

Mr. Y.M.A. Levy,

In reply to your letter of 21 April 1935 regarding the Jews of S’alla I was ordered by the Governor and the Army Command to inform Your Honor that the issue is being handled with the utmost attention. The Emir of S’alla, who is the subject of this issue, has expressed his will to treat his Jewish subject equally to his other subjects, without forcing them to pay extra taxes and without preventing them from leaving his country if they so wish.

Signed: The Political Secretary

And, in fact, the situation of the Jews in that region improved slightly and most important, they were no longer forbidden from traveling to Eretz-Israel.