JOL.ORG Featured in The Daily Star Beirut
May 17th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
Lebanon’s few remaining Jews live out their lives in the shadows
Downtown Beirut synagogue stands as testament to what was once a thriving community
By Rym Ghazal
Daily Star staff
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Lebanon’s few remaining Jews live out their lives in the shadows
BEIRUT: Just a two-minute walk from the sit-in launched almost five months ago by the Hizbullah-led opposition, an abandoned and crumbling synagogue stands as the last remnant of a once-thriving Jewish community in Beirut. Known as the Magen Abraham Central Synagogue, it is located in the heart of Beirut in Wadi Abu Jmil, directly under the Grand Serail where Prime Minister Fouad Siniora works - an area that has become the focus of ongoing political tensions in Lebanon.
The synagogue’s rusty gates are held shut with chains, and its punctured roof howls when the wind blows. While thick weeds and grass have taken up residence around the building’s foundations, the Star of David still crowns its every column.
Given the obscurity of the structure - which dates to 1925 - amid the posh new edifices of the Beirut Central District, some people in the locale understandably said they were surprised a synagogue sits in the area.
Several private security guards patrol the area around the synagogue and have been instructed by Solidere, the publicly held company that owns many properties Downtown, to keep an eye on the place.
“Just in case of trouble,” said one security guard. “Besides the synagogue, there is also some private property around here [owned] by Jewish Lebanese.”
The site was allegedly part of Solidere’s renovation plan, initiated by slain former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, but that has been put on hold.
Not far from Downtown, a Jewish cemetery in Sodeco contains hundreds of tombstones with names and epitaphs etched in Hebrew.
The Jewish community in Beirut, estimated at less than 100 and nearly impossible to identify, once numbered as many as 14,000 and can trace its roots bacy to 1000 BC
The Jews are one of 18 religious groups officially recognized in Lebanon but generally keep their religious identity secret for fear of persecution from other sects.
“No one likes us here, so we keep a low profile and pretend to be Christian or Muslim,” said one Jewish Lebanese businessman who spoke on the condition that he remain “untraceable.
“We can’t even bury or visit our loved ones in the Jewish cemetery out of fear someone might see us,” he added.
A 2004 report said one out of 5,000 Jewish Lebanese citizens registered to vote had actually participated in municipal elections held that year. Most of those registered are believed to be deceased or to have fled during the Civil War that divided the country along sectarian lines in 1975.
The largest exodus of Jews from Lebanon began in earnest after 1982, when Israel invaded the country.
Some say most of the remaining community consists of old women, and one particular one, a 50-year-old known as Liza Sarour, lives in grave poverty in Wadi Abu Jmil and refuses to talk to the media.
The Jewish community was traditionally centered in Wadi Abu Jmil and Ras Beirut, with smaller numbers in the Chouf, Deir al-Qamar, Aley, Bhamdoun and Hasbayya.
Aaron-Micael Beydoun, a Lebanese-American, is on a quest to revive the history of the Jewish community in Lebanon. He launched a Web site last year, The Jews of Lebanon (www.thejewsoflebanon.org), as a forum for documenting the community’s history in Lebanon.
“I launched it because I refused to believe fellow Lebanese have been forgotten and left in the shadows based only on the premise of their religious belonging and [subjected] to hollow and ignorant geopolitical generalizations attributed to foreign factors,” he said.
Beydoun hails from Bint Jbeil in the South, although his family left Lebanon in the early 1970s due to growing security concerns. Asserting that he has “no Jewish roots whatsoever,” Beydoun said he still cares about a group of Lebanese who have been “completely isolated.”
Beydoun explained that while the first name Aaron is often given to Jewish children, his given name originates from the Arabic name Haroun-Micayeel.
“Aaron-Micael is an English form, as I was born and raised in the US and my parents both immigrated here when they were very young [and], naturally, they gave their children American names to adapt more to mainstream society,” he said.
Beydoun lambasted those who would judge him merely by the spelling of his name, and labeled Lebanon’s political elite as hypocrites for empty calls to respect marks of difference.
“The politicians flaunt their hollow slogans of ‘national unity’ when in essence this statement has no substance whatsoever; national unity is not just tolerance but acceptance of all,” he said.
“Yesterday the Jewish community in Lebanon was silenced - who will be next? Maronites, Shiites, Druze, Sunnis, Orthodox, who?” he asked.
He recalled the story of a girl who grew up thinking she was Christian until her parents told her when she was 23 that they were Jewish but had hidden their ancestry to protect themselves from persecution.
Beydoun has been in touch with the media-shy Jewish community and said that many of them own businesses in Beirut and Jbeil.
“I even know of a few families where the Jewish mothers are still practicing their faith in West Beirut and are married to Muslims,” he added.
“Muslims respect people of the book, and Jews are people of the book,” a Hizbullah official told The Daily Star.
“Muslims would never destroy a place of worship or cemeteries,” he added.
But whatever Beydoun’s feelings on preserving the Jewish community, a community he believes is “in waiting,” some of those interviewed near the synagogue said the place of worship should be “destroyed,” but most stressed that the Jewish cemetery should be left in peace.
“We respect the dead, unlike [the Jews],” said Tony Franjieh, member of the Christian Free Patriotic Movement, one of the main opposition parties.
“Unlike the Israelis, we respect places of worship and cemeteries,” he added, referring to the ongoing Israeli excavations around the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem.
While most of the Lebanese interviewed expressed a dislike for the Jewish community in Lebanon, Franjieh summed up the opinions voiced by many: “It’s OK for them to come pray here, but not live here.”
But some of those participating in the sit-in near the synagogue in Downtown Beirut do not share the same sentiments.
“The synagogue is empty now, and that is how it will remain,” said Hassan Khansa, one of the Hizbullah demonstrators camped out just a short stroll from Magen Abraham.
“Good riddance,” said Khansa, who, like many other people in the country, believes that Jewish Lebanese work as “spies” for Israel.
“Their loyalty is to Israel, and so they belong there, not here,” he said, echoing similar statements made by other demonstrators in the tent city.
Battal Agha Said,
May 17, 2007 @ 6:56 pm
The article shows, if still need be, the degree of ignorance that still exists in Lebanon. Takle for example the comments made by Tony Frangieh…a supposedly someone with a University degree… or the other comments (can come and pray but not LIVE..) How stupid.
Just for the ignorants, do you know that you cannot loose your Lebansese nationality unless it is stripped by Presidential Decree? So, yes, once Lebanese, always Lebanese. And Lebanese Jews are indeed proud of their Nationality but they are not stupid. Lebanon, unfortunately is not yet FREE nor INDEPENDENT. It is a hostage in the hands of whom yoiu know. Until things change, I feel we better do not hold our breath waiting for the Lebanese Jews to come back…
Fadi F Said,
May 18, 2007 @ 4:22 am
I am a Lebanese “southerner”, and God knows that Israel has caused enough damage to my life, starting from the death of my friends at school in Jad Building in Sidon in 1982, to destroying our summer house in the South in 2006, still, anyone who says “Good Riddance” to a Lebanese citizen or descendant on Religious basis is an idiot ignorant fool. The Jews of Lebanon, and I really object on the terminology “Jewish” is not a burden, it is not a scar, it is just another precious part of the Lebanese identity and the Lebanese Mosaic. I always felt sorry for the synogogue not being renovated, and am happy to hear Solidere has plans for it.
A Lebanese Jew who still yearns to Lebanon, and still misses Lebanon has no Loyalty to “Israel”.
I would like to draw your attention that A trilogy by Rabih Jaber, a young Lebanese writer called “Bayrut Madinat el Aalam” (Beirut, City of the World), has a very important part for the “Jewish Beiruti”, who turns in eventually to a “ghost” - perhaps symbolizing the disappearance of the Jewish community of Lebanon.
Jenan Hosn Said,
May 20, 2007 @ 3:24 pm
To be honest, I never thought of the Lebanese Jews, but after reading the articles, I am shocked to learn of their suffering.I don’t expect much of Tony Franjieh , his foot is in his mouth all the time,he is ignorant about every thing else going on in Lebanon why not this issue. It is sad that we as a very intelligent, educated society can be so ignorant and not be able to differentiate between Jews as a religion and Zionist Jews as terrorists. Lebanese Jews have every right to live in their homeland with dignity and not have to disguise their names , be ashamed of their religion or be scared to go to the cemetery to visit their loved ones, my heart goes out to the few Lebanese Jews left in Lebanon ,but I hope and pray that schools and parents alike will teach their children the difference between Jews , and I also wish the government will be brave enough and take the first step to renovate the Synogogue , restore the cemeteries, and protect our Jewish community. If they didn’t love Lebanon and are not proud of being Lebanese they would not put up with all the crap and they would be living in Israel .By the way I am not Jewish, but I am a very proud Lebanese
Israeli Mom Said,
May 21, 2007 @ 12:41 pm
What a fascinating article. Thank you for reprinting it here.
I do not envy the Jews of Lebanon. My own grandparents left Tunisia because of the same kind of persecution. They left for Israel (though some of their brothers and sisters moved to France). Being a minority like this during a time of conflict is no picnic.
Jenan said -
“It is sad that we as a very intelligent, educated society can be so ignorant and not be able to differentiate between Jews as a religion and Zionist Jews as terrorists.”
My friend, I urge you to learn more about Zionists as well. I mean no disrespect, but I don’t think it’s fair to label all Zionist Jews as terrorists, or any for that matter. Yes, there are fanatic right-wingers among us, not different from the ones living in this region and who happen to be Muslim, Christian or any other religion. There are many facets to Zionism and to Israelis, just like there are many facets to the Arabs. Some Americans and Israelis would label all Arabs as terrorists nowadays… please let’s avoid this name calling and get to know each other as people and as cultures instead.
Moshe (Mousa) Murad Said,
May 21, 2007 @ 11:44 pm
Hello, Shalom, and Salam:
My Father Daoud Murad, and my Mother Bahiyya Murad Lebanese-Jews anti-Zionists still cry when we talk about Lebanon, is almost prohibited at home to mention the word Lebanon because they get depressed and nostalgic. They say that if there is really life after death they would be asking G-d to give them life in Lebanon again and forever no matter if, their parents were Jews, Druze, Christian, or Muslim.
Even Though my siblings and I were born and raised in Venezuela, we still consider ourselves Lebanese and Middle Eastern culture. My parents communicate with us in Arabic and Hebrew only for spiritual issues.
God bless Lebanon, and all Middle East.
lirun Said,
May 28, 2007 @ 8:23 pm
am i a terrorist?
Hussein Said,
June 5, 2007 @ 2:27 pm
wow.. moshe.. musa.. :).. que mas compa.. yo naci en un pais cercano al suyo.. pero soy libanes.. naci musulman.. pero no creo en ninguna religion y hasta no creo en “Dios” ni nada de eso.. aunque sigo respetando a todas las religiones.. ahora, en este momento bien mierda (jeje), estoy viviendo en el libano.. me gustaria hablar con usted y me cuenta su historia..
yalla
shalom khayye/compadre..
Hussein Said,
June 7, 2007 @ 12:49 pm
why didn’t my message to Israeli Mom get sent? — dudes u cant put only wat u like.. because that wont show anything.. the ones who talk bad or dont agree with the renovation of the Jewish community in leb should have the right to get their messages posted.. because we (audience) wont know the truth.. (unless they r insulting.. but if they r only criticizin u should accept that)
Hussein Said,
June 7, 2007 @ 12:55 pm
to israeli mom.. dont compare arabism with zionism.. 2 completely different things.. zionism (tsionut) was rated as racism by the UN.. so can’t compare a whole race with a … i dont know wat it is or wat to call it.. an ugly and racist organization..
Administration Said,
June 7, 2007 @ 2:38 pm
Hussein, we don’t censor any comments whatsoever unless they lack any substance or any relevance to this project. As much as we appreciate your enthusiasm and your participation, we kindly remind you that comments must remain within context of the aforementioned article and within the greater framework of this website. We must remain adamant in this principle because we are a strictly Lebanese website with a humanitarian intention, if people insist on discussing politics it must remain relevant and Lebanese.
Thank you sincerely.
Sandrinou Said,
August 12, 2007 @ 3:50 pm
I’m just impressed with everyone saying we are an educated people.
I am sorry to be the wake-up call here but we are definitely not an educated people, not more than other people in other countries at least.
When you ask people why they vote for this or that politican, it’s always the same stupid answer : M.XXX wants me to.
I’m sorry but I see no education in the responses I read in the text, like we don’t like them or unlike them we respect the dead. These people don’t even respect the living, let along the dead. Or those guys in the tents : speaking of democracy and freedom of expression, but only theirs. Right ? In a 100 years, we’ll be mourning the disappearance of christians and I’m sure many wil be saying Good riddance.
Most of those have at least one person in their family that left during the war. I just can’t get it in my head that they actually think the jews who stayed in Lebanon have swore alleagence to Israel. Those are families that decided to stay, for God’s sake, while they could have gone to Israel and lead a normal life. As if Israel had not enough Mossad in lebanon, they would need scared jewish families….
This country just sucks - if only it weren’t for the nature or the history, there’s nothing but just useless prejudice people.
And to those who are wondering : no, I am not a jew, not even through far origins. Catholic actually, with a strong tendancy to being agnostic when I realize how much religion can mess up people.
Sandrinou Said,
August 12, 2007 @ 3:55 pm
To Moshe,
I am really sorry for what happened to your parents. Sometimes, it’s easier to think of Lebanon as a curse to all of us (all religions) than as a blessing.
You should at least visit Lebanon with your parents, as tourists. And see if they see it unchanged. Or why don’t you just come and settle there ?
I am sure who would’nt stand it very long, with all the rotten mentality, but at least they would have seen it with their own eyes, instead of regretting it for the rest of their lives.
Do they still have their lebanese passports ? When did they leave the country ?
YCE Said,
August 26, 2007 @ 6:32 pm
I was in shock reading this article; I never knew that Jews existed in Lebanon! I thought after the wars that our country, Lebanon, had been thru and still passing thru, the Jews have migrated and are non-existent (In Lebanon). I feel extremely sad for how a Lebanese (whether Jews, Druze, Shiite, or Orthodox) have to migrate and leave our beloved country. I even feel worse for those Lebanese who have to disguise and hide under another identity (that is a religious identity) to protect themselves from being slaughtered. What does this say about Lebanon?
Who are we to judge others based on religion? Who are we to give others the right to live or die?
It’s unfortunate to read few comments that reflect arrogance and un-civilization; comments such as Jews belong to Israel and work as spies. I do hope people distinguish the difference between Judaism (religion) and Zionism (terrorism)!
On a different note, I would like to tell Mr. Beydoun I admire his courage and enthusiasm!
Hussam zinedine Said,
September 6, 2007 @ 4:57 pm
i wonder why should the aqsa be destroyed while we have to keep the heritage of jewish in lebanon … if u r real lebanese u shouldn’t have left lebanon … but unfortunately u left lebanon because of the believe of great israel … not because u r afraid … well u faced the truth its just a belief a dram it land of racism and war u were illusioned by zionism thats why u remembered lebanon now. stop saying u believe in lebanon … if u really care for lebanon why dont u protest against occupied lebanese land and lebanese prisoners in “great israel” arent they ur lebanese brothers ??? i dont know if u will post this but its just a simple questions.
Administration Said,
September 6, 2007 @ 11:30 pm
Hussam,
Welcome to the site brother. Unfortunately, your entire post lacks any substance, in Arabic we say “bela ta3meh” because you attribute the actions of Israel as if the Jews in Lebanon are responsible. Under the logic, do we blame the Christians in Lebanon for the acts of France or the West? Can we blame the Shiites for the acts of Iran? This is the same rhetoric, and please, learn more about this community before you launch hasty generalizations, open your eyes brother, learn the truth- you damn Israel yet your a product of their propaganda, just not smart enough to see it.
I hope you can learn more about this community, its history, its present status in Lebanon, and even learn about those who immigrated to France, US, Brazil, etc before you assume and accuse.
Again, welcome brother.
Site Administrator