YEMENI JEWS, MINORITY CRIMINALIZES ISRAELI AGGRESSION AGAINST GAZA
Mohammad al-Matari and Wahib al-Nusari
Yemen News Agency
J an 15 2009
Yemen
Despite their positive attitude with Palestinians, Yemeni Jewish
Minority is afraid of any reaction from their Muslims neighbors
because of brutal genocides committed by Israel against Gaza people.
Palestine and Yemeni Jews
When ever there are genocides committed by Israel against
Palestinians, Jewish community is exposed to harassment by their
Moslem neighbors. Israeli aggression against Gaza people and killing
of the Yemeni Jewish Masha Annihari are two incidents evoked shedding
lights on Jewish minority in Yemen.
"Harassments against us are increasing whenever Israel carries out
massacres against Palestinians. Killing incident of the Jewish Masha
Annihari is personal one and now is in judiciary from which we hope
justices to us," said one of Yemeni Jews.
"Israeli killings of Palestinian people force us to stay at our houses
fearing of harassments by persons do not understand that Yemeni Jews
have no thing to do with what is happing in Palestine," said Rabi of
Raida Jews, Yahya Yaeesh.
"What is happening in Palestine does not satisfy God and His
Messenger. What is happening is a crime against Palestine and against
all religions," added Yaeesh.
While Suleiman Yacoob, Yemen Jewish citizen says what Israel is doing
does not satisfy any person and that Allah prohibits killing human
being. "The Yemeni Jews are against genocides in Palestine and the
harassments we face are personal," he affirmed.
Yemeni legislations do not differentiate between Muslim and Jewish
citizens. There is no gesture in the law or in constitution denies
Yemeni Jews of their rights, says Yacoob. They are Yemeni citizens
and have the same rights and responsibilities. He even says that they
participate in political process. They vote and run in parliamentarian
and local elections.
Saeed bin Israel, another Jewish citizen, says "Jews face several
harassments from some Muslims, namely young people. These harassments
happen in markets, streets and while in their work.
But Suleiman Yaqoob affirms that Jewish sect has strong and
humanitarian relations with Muslims "we share all occasions, wedding
parities and Qat sessions."
Over returning Jewish citizen to justice because of harassments he
faces, Yaqoob says "we prefer being patients and avoiding any harm
as much as we can." He notes that political leadership gives Jewish
citizen more care and concern.
Responding to harassments against Jews, Sheikh Abdul-Naser al-Ghuli,
the head of the area where Jewish community live, Raidah, says
" incidents in Palestine and Israeli practices; killing children,
women and others are reflected on Jewish citizen in Yemen. They face
harassments by inferior people."
He affirms that dignitaries in the region interfere in protecting
Jewish minority as traditional and tribal duty not only as Islamic one.
Religious freedom does not abolish citizenship
According Yemeni inherited traditions and conventions; the Yemeni
Jewish has the right to own a weapon but is not allowed to carry
it outdoors.
"These conventions consider a Jew as Themi (Arabic meaning of Jew of
Christian under Moslems rule) which means that his protection is in
Moslems consciences. This convention represents precautionary measure
for avoiding any problem could happen with others," says Sheikh Fuad
al-Malahi, one of dignitaries in the region where Jews live.
However, Jews prefer solving their small problems themselves through
heads of quarters of the same belief. "We prefer settling our problems
as the whole Yemenis do. If there are great issues, Jews are subject
to tribal norms via the head of the quarters or dignitaries they
exist in," says Masha al-Hala.
"Jews do not mind returning to Islamic Law for settling their issues;
especially in issues do not harm their legislations and beliefs. Allah
is only one and His rules, regarding justice and rights are similar
in several religions," he added.
In Raidah area where Jews live, there are two churches to them;
the first one Kanis Yaeesh is before the house of Rabi Yaeesh bin
Yahya and the second in the local market. The Kanis or the church
is a place for worshiping and performing prayers besides teaching
children basis of Judaism. But after building two schools for Jews,
the role of the church has been limited on worshiping only. They are
only opened during times of prayers and religious occasions.
Jews are enjoying religious freedom enable them complete worship
freedom in zones they live in. They practice all their religious
rites in these churches. They are allowed to build places for their
worship without facing harassments by local Moslems.
Jewish minority is coexisting with Muslim majority in the area. Member
of local council in the region Abdurraqib Muthafar affirmed no
existence of "any racialism sigh towards the Jew from perspective of
citizenship, cohabitation and rights."
"They are (Jews) part of the society they enjoy the same services,
projects and interests within the geography they live in," he said. He
added that there is no difference between the two parts only in
religion issues.
Similar traditions
Social occasions and traditions of Jews do not differ much with of
Muslims. Differences are limited only on occasions with religious basis
such as marriage. Their religious teachings argues on early marriage,
thinking that early marriage prevents youth against committing adultery
and that female is aging early.
Like rest of Yemenis, Jews suffer from the problem of high
dowries. Marriage contract is conducted with attendance of the marrying
couple (the bride and the bridegroom).But unlike Muslim they do not
authorize relatives of the bride or the bridegroom to sign marriage
contract but the couple sign it themselves.
"Marriage contract is signed with attendance of ten Jews; two of
them are witnesses of signing the contract written by religious man
or Rabbi. the rest of the attendances are reading texts of Torah,"
said director of Ashabazi School in Raida Fayz al-Jeradi.
He further said, the contract is written in Armenian because most of
Talmud language is Armenian. "Wedding party lasts for seven days in
every house of the two families (of bride and bridegroom). The bride
does not wear the white dress, usually used by every bride in the
world but the old dress Yemeni bride used to wear in the past. She
also does not wear the crown," he added.
Over polygamy, researcher Zaid Hajar says "we find great ratio of
married men are looking for new marriage, especially among Jewish
well to do sects."
"Like Muslims, we marry more than a wife. If one of us is qualified
and able to marry, no matter of having multi-wives," said Rabi Yaieesh
bin Yahya, who died last year.
Concerning divorce, the Jewish citizen has the right to divorce his
wife if he wants. Upon this divorce the woman could get her delayed
dowry they both agreed upon. He also can restore his wife during
the early months of divorce period called in Arabic Eddah. But if he
wants to restore his wife during this period, their return to each
other becomes forbidden as the case in Islam.
"Divorce is difficult twenty times of getting married," says al-Jeradi
who is also teacher of Hebrew. Concerning male circumcision, this
process is conducted the eighth day of birth of the baby in a ceremony
to which family members invite their relatives to a banquet. The
family slaughter sheep for the banquet.
Concerning dying rituals among Yemeni Jews, they are not differ so
much of Muslims only in some cases. Before the patient’s soul leaves
the body, the dying patient is laid toward Jerusalem. Then after
washing, enshrouding and perfuming him, his relatives and friends
lead by their Rabi are mourning.
Jews Festivals
Jews give religious Eids great attention due to religious
rituals. Yemeni Jews have several festivals and the have their special
way for celebrating them.
"Jews have seven festivals around the year according Jewish calendar
starts in "Tashrine" October, the new year. Among these festivals
are three in one month, "Nisan" or April," said Saee bin Israel.
According to bin Israel, Jews festivals start on Tashrin or October. In
this Eid or festival Jews pray and perform rites such blowing in the
horn of the ram symbolizing the escape ram Allah gave it to Ibraham
to slaughter for saving Ismael.
Then there is the Hebrew New Year which is called Kippur day. This
festival marks the day when God accepted repentance of those who
worshiped the bullock. While Eid al-Fish is the greatest ceremony for
the Jews because this festival marks the day when Allah saved His
prophet Muses from Pharaoh and then Jews have been saved and freed
of Pharaoh’s Tyranny.
This Eid or festival is equal to Muslims’ Eid al-Adha. Jews slaughter
emulations for praising God.
Jews and Muslims, similar prayers
Over Jews prayers bin Israel says" Jews have three prayers a day,
Fajer (early morning), al-Asr (afternoon prayer) and Maghreb (sunset
prayer)." Every prayer has four Raka’ats or bowings but there is no
Sujoud or (prostration) except in Fajr prayer.
Over Eid praye, Jews consider this prayer additional one besides
Fajr prayer. After performing Eid praye, they supplicate to God for
forgiveness and asking happiness and protection against evil.