JOL Exclusive: Tour Sidon’s Historic Jewish Neighborhoods
It is Easter Monday, and the weather is so beautiful, it hurts to stay inside! I am resolved to find where the synagogue is - come rain or come more of this blissful sunshine!! Better hurry, Old Saida won’t stay the same for long, massive restoration work is taking place inside the old souqs.
It is not hard to get into the old Jewish Neighborhood of Saida. From Falafel Ikkawi Shop, walk straight, go right for 100 meters, then through the low entrance of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, most probably the oldest church in the world, you walk through the carpenters’ alley, and left, the arches that lead you inside the Jewish Neighborhood. I ask about the synagogue and two elderly Sidonians point it out, but they hush their voices when they say, but it’s closed. I say, “Closed?” and they clarify, “there are refugee families who live there, and it is in bad shape, there is nobody taking care of it anymore”. I make sure they see the camera, and to introduce myself - nonetheless, the same smile, and the same “Ahlan, Ahlan” you get whether you are a native Sidonians or a Martian!! So much for prudence! The residents of the alley are very friendly, and the children (age 3-7) are overly friendly you can easily mistake them for street muggers, they’re all over “Ammo” (Uncle, and that would be me), and I had to buy my way through by taking their photos, individually and in groups. The little beasts with colored balls would only set me free after I swore I will bring them back the photo-prints.
Another inquiry and a very nice man lead me to the door of the synagogue, and left me there, unsure of what to do! I though he must be kidding me, then a quick reality check, this is not the Temple of Solomon; this is a small place of worship. Another divine miracle, the next door neighbor of the synagogue shows up, and I ask him, is there a man in the house? Negative; I took a photo of the door, broken hearted, I turned away. Something told me, Ask, Ask, and I say – “It is not proper for me to barge into people’s homes (alone.. that is…), can you please ask them if they mind me going in and clicking two photos, and then I’ll be gone?” – That was it, one knock at the door, and the most beautiful child I have ever seen opens the door, followed by her mum. “Tfadal” – meaning “Do us honor” – and I’m in. Sandals have to be taken off at the door. Spotless white marble floor, and arches and a dome in fading blue, crumbling walls, are drenched in humidity. The neighbor points out the Stars of David and the wooden panels. Needless to say, the family living in the synagogue is way below poverty line.
The woman asks: “but what good are these photos?” - I asked her “do you know what this place used to be?” – She does. I told her, “let us show those who left it that it is still there, and that it is still theirs, awaiting their return, and that we are not barbarians. Take care of this place, for it is still a house of God.” One would expect a refugee woman living in a crumbling synagogue with a sick child and 2 infants to be ignorant, but she gave me the knowing proud nod, of “Yes we shall.” I walk out proudly; it is still a house of God, a roof, though wet, for little proud angels.
On the other side of Sidon, not very far from the Land Castle, is the Shrine of Prophet Sidon. I found an old man in the distance under a tree - I was contemplating how to jump of the wall and how I would land into the huge bush of tall grass, praying that snakes are not irritated, I was in shorts and sandals. The man yells, pointing me to a hidden path. I ask him about the story of this place, and he says, “everyone claims this to be their own, Muslims say this is a shrine of Prophet Sidon, and Jews say it is for the Brother of Prophet Joseph (Youssef) Son of Jacob - regardless, we share the same prophets, and this is still a holy place, but for some reason, it has more significance for the Jews - when they lived in Sidon - than for us now. Why? I don’t know.”
The eloquence is not my own, I give you my word; I am only responsible for the translation.
I did my reporter’s duty, and clicked a few photos, mercifully, the snakes were kinder than the kids of the neighbourhood, and they let me be.
I would like to seek feedback from our Sidonian Jewish Compatriots, what is the significance of this place?
Fadi
April 29th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
verrry nice good job!
thank you very much
i would also like to see pictures of sejod and other community areas if you could!
Thanks again
May 1st, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Yes, why not? Sejod on the way - send me a list of the sites of interest~ and please may we ask you to please help us understand the importance of the Sidon Shrine site, and of Sejod?
May 2nd, 2008 at 4:40 am
Fadi,
Thank you for the beautiful pictures and history lesson. Such pictures should mean a lot to every Lebanese that cares about Lebanon and not only to the Jews of Sidon.
Where is that area exactly in Sidon?
May 2nd, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Hello Ramzi,
That area is called the “Jewish Neighbourhood” or Haret el Yahood in Arabic. I’ve included the easiest access route in the article: From Akkawi Falafel Place in Shakriyeh (old Saida) - go straight, then right, at the St. Nicholas Church Entrance, take the alley into the carpenter’s alley, straight for about 100 meters, on your left is the gate to Jewish Neighbourhood of Saida. Now the locals are really friendly and all you have is ask and they’ll be the best guide in the maze of Old Saida covered city.
May 2nd, 2008 at 7:03 pm
i will make a post later about the Sidon Shrine, i am a bit too emotional right now. i just wanted to say that i love you all and we miss you all so very much. i don’t care who you are. i don’t care what sect you are. i don’t care what political parties you support. i don’t care what you’ve done. you are all my people, my lebanese people.
May 10th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
good job !
May 11th, 2008 at 7:32 am
Beetle, you should be cooler when you post your messages… You made me cry :’) … But thank you for saying it. Hope you come back someday if you’re out of leb, when all this craziness is over.
Fadi… You’re an angel
I only have 1 request: could you also post some pics of the children ? It would make my day to have the full “parcours”
Hope you’re not too shaken up by the last two-days’ events
May 11th, 2008 at 7:38 am
Fadi, I was re-reading your article : at the beginning you say that massive construction works are to be done in the old city. Does it mean old buildings will be destroyed or restaurated only ? What about the synagogue and the shrine ?
May 15th, 2008 at 11:13 am
I have some pictures of Haret al Yahood I took during my journey in Leb in April 08. Unfortunately I could not locate the 2nd synagogue (there are 2).
But I could locate the old cemetery in Saida, I could share the pics with you if you like, so drop me a line…
a.
May 25th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Thanks for the report. The Jewish Quartet in Sidon used to house one of the important jewish communities in Lebanon indeed. My grandmother and her family came from there indeed (she used to be jewish). The family was forced to leave to Israel in the wake of the Israeli invasion and no contact has been maintained with them afterwards.
Just for historical correctness, the shrine you were referring to is not that of Prophet Saidun or any other prophet. It is that of Zebulun, one of the sons of Jacob. Zebulun is important to Jews because he is believe to be one of the 12 fathers of the original jewish tribes. The shrine has been renovated lately and is being maintained greatly as you may have noticed. I believe the Hariri Foundation took care of that. I remember the shrine of being shabby and extremely neglected back in the old days.
July 21st, 2008 at 5:33 am
hi Fadi,
i think im lucky to be from a family that is not sectarian and that accepts everyone no matter what sect or religion.
I love ur blog and what ur doing is great not only for jews of lebanon but for all lebanese to learn from. i’ve always been curious about the jewish community of lebanon and i feel sorry that they had to leave because it is their homeland too.
i always get emotional when i pass by the synogogue in wadi abou jmil. it must have been fabulous and it should be renovated and opened again!
by the way, when i was a little girl my grandfather used to tell me that he learned from the jews how to run his business successfully
next time im in lebanon, i’ll make sure to pass by the sidon synogogue!
good luck again!
will keep checking whats new on here…
peace
August 8th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
Hi Fadi,
Thank you so much for all the precious info in your blog. I’m a brazilian sephardic jew living in Rio de Janeiro, my grandparents came from Sidon around 1930, and I have almost none information from their origins… They both died a long time ago, but I’d love to find out about history and remains from the jews from Lebanon. My grandmother surname was Nigri and my grandfather was Balassiano. I was once told that the origin of the Balassiano surname is from Valencians (jews from Valencia, Spain), but I’m not sure. I would love to see pictures or documents from Sidon in the late 19th Century. Do you have any idea where can I find anything?
Thank you so much and please keep on posting!
Peace.