As we speak, the few remaining Jews in Yemen (50-100 people) who experience systemic violence regularly are being rounded up by the pro-Iranian Houthi militia in what could be the end of thousands of years of Jewish life in Yemen. 1/ https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/283474

Yemen holds one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world. Living in relative isolation Jewish customs have been minimally changed since the destruction of the second temple.

These aren’t mythical beings that live in textbooks or fairytales — they’re my literal family. 2/

My dad’s grandma was orphaned at 14, then married off to a relative to avoid being forcibly adopted. Her younger brother did not have this option and was given to a Muslim family. My grandma’s family walked from Sana’a to Aden (~400km) to flee to British Mandatory Palestine. 3/

After the UN approved the creation of the Israel in December 1947, the Jewish community in Aden was attacked by their Muslim neighbors — destroying businesses, burning down schools, and killing 80+ Jews. These riots and violence against Yemenite Jews are rarely recognized. 4/

Reignited violence lead to Operation Magic Carpet which airlifted 47,000 Yemenite Jews from 1949 to 1950 to Israel. My moms family was on one of those flights, and had to build new lives in Israel. However, some Yemenite Jews chose to remain for religious or personal reasons. 5/

We are realistically witnessing the final stages of a drawn out ethnic cleansing of Jews from Yemen. Thankful for my family and historians that are preserving these stories. Praying for a miracle for those arrested. 6/