2. WHAT IT IS
Geographically
Capital of North Yemen
Important station on a trade route to Mecca
Racially/Religiously
Due to findings in Genizas (storage places in Jewish synagogues), it is
speculated that it was home to many Mizrahi Jewish settlers
Also Home to many Muslims as Sa’da is the center for Zaydi Shi’ite learning
(Muslim sect that makes up of 35% of Yemen’s Muslim population)
The general race was Arab
Culturally
Safe haven for Jews under the loosely followed restrictions and ordinances of
Khalifa Umar
Jews were able to live in houses as high as muslims, and were able to arm
themselves to protect their house holds
Center for Zaydi Shi’ite learning
3. TERRIBLY SAD TIMELINE (1000(ISH) –
1730’S)
Early 10th century - Zaydi Imam declares sa’da the capitol of
North Yemen
1153 - Imam Ahmed conquers Sa’da and destroyed Jewish
Synagogues
14th century - Zaydi Imams move capital to Sa’na and Jews
followed to continue living under their leniency
1690 – Expulsion of Mawza that sentenced all Jews of Yemen
(those in Sa’na included) to Mawza, an almost uninhabitable
place, only to be eventually taken back because Arabs had been
deprived of goods and services due to this exile.
4. ANALYSIS
During half a century, the Jews of Sa’da were conquered,
conquered again, relocated, exiled, and re-accepted. Not to
mention that later in history they would be located again to Israel
due to Operation Magic Carpet
This is one of numerous different sects of Jews that were treated like second
class citizens
This place’s history shows the different level of tolerances
between different Imams. Zaydi (comparatively speaking) was
very tolerant while Ahmed’s Imam made it bad enogh for the Jews
that they chose to relocate to Sa’na with Zaydi Imam
5. REFLECTION
Sa’da is still in the news today, in 2009 Jews of Sa’da were
evacuated by U.S. State Department due to Islamist Extremist
that began using Sa’da as it’s center, thus putting Jews in direct
danger
Considering how far they are South of the Zionist Movement’s
birth place, how were Jews affected by it?
Did any participate?
How “late in the game” did this movement eve reach them?
While it has little to know Jewish people now, Sa’da was one of
the largest Jewish populations in all of Yemen, even though this
group was relocated several times and is now mostly in Israel,
and other parts of Yemen
