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Dear Friends and Family,
Being a third generation Zionist obliges.
Part of this is a committment teaching to and discussing with our children and grandchildren the major elements of history of our people inorder to insure that these should not be forgotten by future generations.
My concern here relates to the less known plight of Jews from Moslem countries who became through their immigration a substantial part of Israels most constructive citiizens.
I am particularly sensitive to the subject due to my partial Sepharadi heritage .
This is amplified due to the warm relationship with many good Sephardi friends and their children in Israel, who serve the country as examplary citizens at every possible level in the intellectual , political, professional and academic life further in govenrment ,industry farming and last but by no means least in the Israel Defense Forces and the AirForce.
The point I must emphasizes here is that when talking about Arab refugees the world does not realiize that almost 1 million Jews have been persecuted and chased out from their homes in Arab countries and made refugees.
The majority has settled in Israel, though many found their new homes also in the USA,Canada and Europe.
These Jews left their homes in Arab countries as penninless refugees and never asked or compensation.They were happy to start a new life wherever they were accepted.
There are countless stories abour their initial difficulties of adjustment and learning in Israel and their unrelenting dedication to make their alyah a success..
They had practically no outside help except the minimum of what the limited budgets of the Jewsh Agency could offer during those difficult time of Israels initial years,
My good friend Moise Rahmani, himself as refugee from Egypt, the President of B'nai B'rith Brussels is a writer of several books on this subject.
I do not know of any person who is as active ,capable and dedicated to present the history , the heartbreaking suffering and the exodus of our people from Arab countnries as my Friend Moise Rahmani who lives now in Brussels.
He has recently presented one of his last books titled "The Forgotten Exile" to the association of Egyptian Jews in London .
I have the pleasure to enclose hereby his introduction which is self explanatory.
Moise's books are written in French .
Neverthless I hope that the English translation of this very important work will soon be available.
Best regards
Leslie J P. |
