The Community That Stayed Behind
Estimates of the Yemeni Jews who chose not to perform aliyah afterwards, down to 1962, range from 1,000 to 3,000, mostly in outlying tiny hamlets, many near the border of Saudi Arabia. In this period just 400 heeded the call. Immense efforts were made by the Aden Jewish Community Council to get the remnant communities to perform aliyah, but these were met with strong hesitation, and many Yemeni Jews were ambivalent about emigrating.
It was forbidden to native-born Yemeni Jews who had left the country to re-enter, rendering communication with these communities difficult. Muslims were therefore hired as shelihim (emissaries) to locate the remaining Jews, pay their debts, and transport them to Aden. Little came of this.
Read more about this topic: Operation Magic Carpet (Yemen)
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