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The Day to Mark the Departure and Expulsion of Jews from the Arab Countries and Iran (Hebrew: יוֹם לְצִיּוֹן הָיְצִיאָה וְהַגִירוּשׁ שֶׁל הַיְהוּדִים מֵאַרְצוֹת עֲרָב וּמְאִירָאן Yōm ləṢīyyōn haYəṣīʾā vəhaGīrūš šel haYəhūdīm məʾArṣōt ʿĂrāv ūməʾĪrāʾn) is a National Day of Commemoration in Israel, observed every year on November 30 to memorialize the departure and expulsion of Jews from Arab countries and Iran.[1]

Background

The Knesset adopted the commemoration day into law on June 23, 2014.[2] November 30th was chosen due to its symbolic proximity to the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine - adopted on November 29, 1947 - after which many Jewish communities in Middle Eastern and North African countries started to experience pressure and hostility from their Arab and Persian neighbors that ultimately resulted in a large scale exodus of Jewish communities from these countries.[3][4] The law was sponsored by MK Shimon Ohayon of Yisrael Beiteinu.[5]

For many Mizrahi Jews in Israel it is considered to be a belated recognition of a collective trauma long ignored institutionally throughout the country’s history.[6][7][8][9]

Memorialization in Israel

On May 9, 2021, the first physical memorialization in Israel of the Departure and Expulsion of Jews from Arab lands and Iran was placed on the Sherover Promenade in Jerusalem.[10]

Jewish Departure and Expulsion Memorial from Arab Lands and Iran on the Sherover Promenade, Jerusalem

The text on the memorial reads;

"With the birth of the State of Israel, over 850,000 Jews were forced from Arab Lands and Iran.

The desperate refugees were welcomed by Israel.

By Act of the Knesset: Nov. 30, annually, is the Departure and Expulsion Memorial Day. Memorial donated by the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation, With support from the World Sephardi Federation, City of Jerusalem and the Jerusalem Foundation"[11]

The sculpture is the interpretive work of Sam Philipe, a fifth generation Jerusalemite.[12][13]

See also

References

  1. ^ Sharon, Jeremy (August 28, 2012). "Gov't steps up campaign for Jewish Arab refugees". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved September 22, 2012.
  2. ^ "November 30: Commemorating the expulsion of Jews from Arab lands". Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  3. ^ Cohen, Haley (November 30, 2022). "Israel's amb. to UN launches first exhibit showing Jewish expulsion from Iran, Arab countries". JPost.com. The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  4. ^ Arnold, Janice (December 3, 2018). "'Ethnic cleansing' of Jews in Arab lands must be addressed: Israeli diplomat". thecjn.ca. The Canadian Jewish News. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  5. ^ Aderet, Ofer (November 30, 2014). "Israel marks first-ever national day remembering Jewish exodus from Muslim lands". Haaretz. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  6. ^ Aderet, Ofer (November 30, 2014). "Israel marks first-ever national day remembering Jewish exodus from Muslim lands". Haaretz. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  7. ^ Zaken, Tamar (November 27, 2017). "Did you know November is Mizrachi Heritage Month?". J. The Jewish News of Northern California. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  8. ^ Bassist, Rina (December 21, 2021). "Israelis long to reconnect with Arab, Islamic homelands". Al-monitor.com. The Al Monitor. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  9. ^ Refael, Tebby (December 4, 2019). "It's Time for Mizrahi Studies on Campus". Jewishjournal.com. The Jewish Journal. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  10. ^ Klinger, Jerry (May 16, 2021). "For the forgotten victims of Hate at Israel's Birth, a Memorial". The Times of Israel. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  11. ^ "The Departure and Expulsion Memorial – the Jewish "Nakba" Memorial".
  12. ^ Klinger, Jerry. "The Departure and Expulsion Memorial – the Jewish "Nakba" Memorial". TimesofIsrael.com. The Times of Israel. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  13. ^ Potempa, Philip (March 14, 1997). "Sculpture Based on Scriptures". Nwitimes.com. The Times of Northwest Indiana. Retrieved September 10, 2023.

External links


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