Jews of the Middle East

Once almost a million Jews lived in the Middle East and North Africa. They lived in communities that predate the Arab conquests and the arrival of Islam by more than a thousand years. Despite systematic discrimination and regular violence by the new Arab rulers, these Jews built vibrant lives. Now, their communities are for the most part only memories and they and their descendants live in Israel, making up the majority of the country’s population.

At Inland Empire for Israel’s first coffee and conversation last month we discussed these Jews and what their lives were really like. Even if you didn’t attend the December event (or if you did) and want to learn more about Jews from the region we wanted to provide you with a couple of resources.

The Jewish Refugees Blog, https://www.jewishrefugees.org.uk/, run by HARIF, a British charity representing Jews from North Africa and the Middle East. It provides regular blog posts plus as you explore, you will find an extensive list of resources.

If you read only one thing, read Matti Friedman’s essay “Mizrahi Nation.” Unless you subscribe to Mosaic, the article is behind a pay wall. But you should be able to find the entire article for free at www.torahclass.com/archived-articles/2373-mizrahi-nation-by-matti-friedman.