The Road to Redemption: The Jews of the Yemen, 1900-1950Since the rise of Islam, Jews have been living in the Yemen as the only non-Muslim minority. Their status, never enviable, deteriorated in the twentieth century as the Imam Yahya sought to maintain the full force of Islamic law and local custom. The attempts to create a Jewish National Home in Palestine, Arab propaganda, new economic realities and local resentments had the effect of further undermining their position. While battling to maintain their rights, the Yemenite Jews started trying to emigrate. British immigration policies in Palestine, the Imam's efforts to prevent them from leaving, and British regulations in Aden often frustrated their efforts. This movement of people was to culminate in 1948-50 in what was then the largest human airlift the world had ever seen - Operation Magic Carpet - when the Yemenites were taken 'on wings of eagles' to Israel. |
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Aden Government Agency for Palestine Agronsky Ahmad Ahroni airlift AJDC al-Hudaydah Aliyah Arab Arabia areas arrived Audhali Aviv Barer Board of Deputies BoD Acc British authorities cabled Colonial Office Committee dhimmis diary entry emigration Eretz Yisrael Gluska Governor of Aden Habban Habbani Jews Habshush Hashed Camp Hebrew Imam Yahya Imam's Immigration Department Islam Israeli January Jerusalem Jewish Agency Jewish Chronicle Jewish community Jewish organisations Jewish quarter Jewish refugees Jewry Jews of Yemen jizya Joint journey Judaism Kafih Lahj Lapides Lawdar letter living London M.A. Weingarten Magic Carpet Messa messianic Muslim Nini noted op.cit orphans Ottoman Palestine Palestinian planes political Protectorate riyals S.D. Goitein Saada Sanaa Secretary Sémach sent Shaykh Othman Simon to H Sultan Taizz Tel Aviv tion town traditional transport tribes villages visit to Aden Viteles wrote Yavnieli Yemenite Jews Yemenite refugees Yosef Zadok Zadok Zaydi Zionist Executive