2 held over attempt to assassinate Yemen's chief rabbi
By Yossi Melman
The Yemeni authorities arrested two people last week on suspicion of trying to assassinate the rabbi of the local Jewish community, Yahya Yusuf Musa, according to reports in the Yemeni media. This was the latest in a series of reports reflecting the difficult situation of Yemen's Jewish community.
In the capital city of Sanaa, the community has been shrinking steadily, and currently numbers about 65 people, most of whom fled there from rural areas in fear of their lives. They live in a heavily guarded compound allocated by the Yemeni government.
The other main concentration of Jews is in Saada, which since 2004 has been the scene of fierce fighting between the Sunni government and rebel Shi'ite tribes.
"They would come at night and shout slogans like 'death to America,' 'death to Israel' and 'damn the Jews,'" a local rabbi said of the tribesmen.
According to The Washington Post, the threat that Islamic extremists pose to Saada's Jewish community, which numbers some 300 people, has grown in recent months, and many now want to leave. Since July, 57 Yemeni Jews have moved to the United States, and another 38 are slated to do so soon. The U.S. government views them as refugees, so they are entitled to entry visas and economic aid from the government along with the aid they receive from Jewish organizations. A few Yemeni Jews have also moved to Europe and Israel.
At its height, Yemen's Jewish community numbered some 60,000 people. However, about 50,000 of them moved to Israel soon after the state was established.
The Yemeni authorities arrested two people last week on suspicion of trying to assassinate the rabbi of the local Jewish community, Yahya Yusuf Musa, according to reports in the Yemeni media. This was the latest in a series of reports reflecting the difficult situation of Yemen's Jewish community.
In the capital city of Sanaa, the community has been shrinking steadily, and currently numbers about 65 people, most of whom fled there from rural areas in fear of their lives. They live in a heavily guarded compound allocated by the Yemeni government.
The other main concentration of Jews is in Saada, which since 2004 has been the scene of fierce fighting between the Sunni government and rebel Shi'ite tribes.
"They would come at night and shout slogans like 'death to America,' 'death to Israel' and 'damn the Jews,'" a local rabbi said of the tribesmen.
According to The Washington Post, the threat that Islamic extremists pose to Saada's Jewish community, which numbers some 300 people, has grown in recent months, and many now want to leave. Since July, 57 Yemeni Jews have moved to the United States, and another 38 are slated to do so soon. The U.S. government views them as refugees, so they are entitled to entry visas and economic aid from the government along with the aid they receive from Jewish organizations. A few Yemeni Jews have also moved to Europe and Israel.
At its height, Yemen's Jewish community numbered some 60,000 people. However, about 50,000 of them moved to Israel soon after the state was established.
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