Yemen was once a lively Jewish community but now all that is left is untended cemeteries, ghetto villages and a few families. This area is now controlled by Houthis militants who now dominate the country. The Jews that live there have been threatened by the Muslims and have no protectors. Most Western countries including the United States and Britain closed their embassies. On top of that the President Ali Abdullah Saleh who were the Jews protector is no longer in power and isn't liked by the Houthis. In 2008 Moshe Yaish Nahari a father of eight children was killed by an assailant as he stepped outside his home. Before the assailant shot Mr. Nahari he said "Jew, here's a message from Islam. Mr. Nahari family left Yemen and soon after, so did a lot of other families. Yemen Jews have suffered wave after wave of persecution. In 2007 the Houth told the Jews in Saada to leave or they would be killed in ten days. The Yemen president Mr. Saleh protected the Jews and moved them to a gated community next to the American Embassy. There use to be 400 Jews living there now its only 20 to 40. Mr. Saleh played a huge role in protecting the Jews but he is no longer in power and the Jews are left to defend for themselves.
This story caught my attention because the last chapter we read was on religion and ethnicity. I remembered discussing in my outline the same things that are taking place in Yemen. I cant believe people hate and kill other people because of their religion. Most of these people are forced to pack and move or change their appearance so they wont be killed. The article states that many of the men cut off their earlocks because it illustrates they are Jewish. The fact that people use religion to justify the violence that is taking place is unbelievable. Jews are a group of people that has encountered a lot of hatred throughout history. No matter what takes place they continue to practice and trust in their religion.
Tamaiya Davis
February 19, 2015
5:43
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