Yemenite Jews

The United States Senate passed a measure to put an end to United States support of Saudi Arabia’s military intervention in Yemen. Only 50 Jews remain in Yemen, following a more than 2000 year history. Almost the entire Jewish community fled the country in 1949 and 1950, immigrating to Israel in what was known as Operation Magic Carpet. Which of the following is true regarding almost 50,000 Yemenite Jews who went to Israel at that time?

Costumes, characters, etc. Group of Yemenite Jews from the United States Library of Congress's Prints and Photographs division.

AThe fleeing Yemenite Jews flew to Israel on Alaska Airlines. The 48 seats on the planes were removed so that more than 100 people could fit on a flight. This still required more than 430 flights over the course of 16 months to bring all the Yemenite Jews to Israel.

BBecause none of the fleeing Yemenite Jews had ever flown, or even seen a plane, there was great fear among the assembled regarding the boarding of this huge, strange vehicle for the first flight out of Yemen. While community leaders and Israeli officials were discussing how to best convince the reluctant people to begin boarding, a young boy began climbing the ladder. The community took this as a sign from God, as the boy’s name was Nahshon Dahari, which was reminiscent of Nahshon, the leader of the tribe of Judah who was the first Israelite to set foot into the water at the Exodus crossing of the Red Sea.

C. Of the more than 400 flights from Yemen to Israel, the very first flight had the fewest number of people on it, as the community insisted that their Torah scrolls be evacuated even before the people. 373 Torah scrolls were on that initial flight, the oldest of which dated to the 12th century. 

DAt first, the Yemenite Jews refused to board the airplane, something they had never seen before, based on their interpretation of the Torah. The Book of Genesis, chapter 1 verses 7-8 reads: “And God made the expanse and it separated between the water that was below the expanse and the water that was above the expanse, and it was so. And God called the expanse Heaven, and it was evening, and it was morning, a second day.” They interpreted this to mean that the sky is the heavenly realm of God and therefore they were not willing to get onto a plane that would bring them up into that realm. Ultimately, however, the Chief Rabbi of Yemen convinced them that the superseding law was that which stated that anything could be done to save a life.

EIn an effort to avoid missile fire from hostile Arab nations attempting to stop the operation, pilots of the airplanes bringing the Jews to Israel developed a maneuver wherein they would jog the plane slightly to the left, back to the right and then ultimately make a left turn, or alternately jog the plane slightly to the right, back to the left, and then make a right turn. This diversionary tactic, which allowed hundreds of flights to safely reach Israel, was adapted by the Yemenite Jews into dance moves which have become known as Yemenite left and Yemenite right in traditional Israeli dancing.

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