Having been a minority for almost 2,000 years, the present population of Israel is now mostly Jewish. The stream of immigrants into Israel began in the 1880s with the national and cultural revival known as "Zionism." Yemeni Jews started to arrive at that time. The trickle of immigrants became a flood when the nation of Israel was established in 1948. That was especially true for Jews in Yemen, who arrived en mass in Israel right after Israel became a nation. They were aided by British and American aircraft in what was known as Operation Magic Carpet. Today there are few if any Jews in Yemen; they have migrated to Israel or the United States.
While Hebrew and Aramaic are the common languages of prayer and sacred and legal matters, some Jewish communities are defined by their heart language. Most Yemeni Jews also speak Hebrew, especially younger people.
Israel s countryside is full of villages and towns. The original kibbutzim are turning into villages. Those in the rural sector use modern farming machinery and irrigation techniques, making their farms highly productive.
Israel is highly urbanized, and they have a strong tech industry. A high percentage of Yemeni Jews have white-collar jobs. This small country has the 26th largest GNP of any nation. Israel has three education and schooling systems for Jewish children. Children are trained to compete in a modern urban economy and in the fundamentals of Judaism and the Torah.
Extended families are very important to Yemeni Jews. They come together for a Jewish feast as an extended family. Members of extended families come together for weddings, which usually involve around 300 people. Even secularized Jewish people get involved with Jewish holidays and fasts. Whether they believe in God or not, this is part of their cultural tradition.
Judaism is roughly divided into three streams.
Almost half are Hilonim, secularized Jews. Their identity is in the nation-state of Israel, not in the Jewish religious system. They participate in Jewish rituals such as the Passover Seder and lighting Hanukkah candles because these reinforce their identity as being Israeli and culturally Jewish. They usually oppose shutting down businesses and public transportation on the Sabbath.
The Datiim are religiously devout Jewish people who believe in the God of the Bible and usually attend Jewish religious services. Unlike the most fundamental Jewish people, they want to travel the world, produce productive businesses, and get involved with politics and the military. They will not ride public transportation on the Sabbath or open their businesses for religious reasons.
The Haredim are the most religiously devout of any Israeli Jewish group. Their close friends are all within the Haredim community, and they will not marry outside their group. They are noted for being secluded from the rest of society. They dress far more conservatively than other Jewish groups. Haredim men usually attend religious institutions. There is an ongoing controversy about their exemption from military service. They have their doubts about the legitimacy of Israel as a nation-state because they believe the Messiah has not yet come to establish Israel.
Yemeni Jews are in Israel largely because they need their own nation for protection. For hundreds of years, they dealt with severe persecution in Russia, Germany, Spain, and, to a lesser extent, other parts of Europe, the Middle East and Latin America. They are suspicious of anyone who brings other spiritual answers.
Pray the 21st century will be a harvest time for Yemeni Jews.
Pray that their eyes be opened to Yeshua as their Jewish messiah.
Pray that good fruit will come from efforts by Christ s followers to reach out to Yemeni Jews.
Scripture Prayers for the Jewish, Yemeni in Israel.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yemenite_Jews_in_Israel
| Profile Source: Joshua Project |
