The Jews of Lebanon Project

Sir (Ellice) Victor Sassoon, 3rd Baronet GBE (20 December 1881 - 13 August 1961) was a businessman and hotelier from the Lebanese Sassoon Jewish banking family. Interestingly, the Magen Avraham Synagogue awaiting renovation in Beirut today is said to have been financed by a wealthy “Sassoon family from the East” though typically attributed to India, it’s possibly more accurate to assume it was none other than the family from Sassoon Shanghai.

Sir Victor Sassoon walked with the aid of two sticks as the result of injuries in World War I in which he served in the Royal Flying Corps.

He succeeded to the Baronetcy on the death of his father Edward Elias Sassoon in 1924. He had no issue, and the Baronetcy became extinct on his death.

He lived in Shanghai up until the Japanese occupation. The Cathay Hotel, now the Peace Hotel, was confiscated by the PRC after 1949. He was also an avid photographer and held extravagant parties at his hotel. Late in his life, Sassoon converted to Buddhism. Sassoon was related by marriage to the Mocatta family, very prominent Jewish family in England with Arab roots, and he himself was a Sephardic Jew. One of his former employees, Lord Kadoorie (Khadoori), later founded the Hong Kong based utility company China Light and Power. One of his right hand men in Shanghai was Gordon Currie who was put into a concentration camp by the Japanese and remained there for several years.

The Sassoon Road in Hong Kong is named in his honour.

Shanghai Landmark: The Peace Hotel

The Peace Hotel is a colossal art-deco style building, a world-famous architectural landmark an one of Shanghai’s main attractions in Shanghai.

The hotel was originally the pearl in the real estate empire of the Sassoon family and the private mansion of the family heir, Elice Victor Sassoon, who made his fortune from weapons and the opium trade.

In 1929 it was re-opened as The Cathay Hotel and during its 1930s heyday it was one of the most famous establishments in the world, housing innumerable celebrities, politicians and business tycoons, as well as artists such as Charlie Chaplin, George Bernard Shaw and Noel Coward, under its characteristic pyramid-shaped roof.

The romantic period lasted until the Second World War put an end to Shanghai’s days as the “Paris of the East”. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the hotel reopened as the Peace Hotel in 1956.

Recently refurbished, the hotel now fully reflects its original splendour. Particularly worth visiting are the Nine Nations Suite and the magnificent roof-top terrace, from which you have a view of the Bund and the Pudong District.

It’s not easy being Jewish in Beirut where the synagogue is crumbling, the rabbis have left, the community is dwindling and where Jews are commonly branded “Israelis.” The last vestiges of the Jewish community in Lebanon, the Magen Abraham synagogue in the Lebanese capital, reflects a community falling into oblivion.

Built in 1920 in the area of Wadi Abu Jmil, formerly known as Wadi al Yahud (the Jews’ Valley), the synagogue is today a place of desolation.

The building is in a state of severe disrepair, the grounds overgrown and the gate shackled with lock and chain.

“Everything was looted during the (civil) war, marble benches and even windows,” bemoaned Samuel, a member of the Jewish Community Council in Lebanon, who preferred to use a pseudonym.

Without a synagogue, or even a rabbi, the handful of Jews still left in the country — about 300 according to official estimates — are forced to pray at home.

“What we (also) lack is a place to buy locally produced kosher. We have no Jewish schools to teach our children prayer and Hebrew,” said the 60-year-old Samuel, sitting in his shop near the seafront.

The seminary near the Beirut synagogue was destroyed during the war and the community has had no rabbi for years.

“We only speak Arabic. We just use Hebrew for prayer,” added Samuel.

In the capital, along the former demarcation line between the Muslim and Christian areas, another vestige survives: the Jewish cemetery.

The inscriptions in Hebrew and stars of David on the entryway are covered with dust. “Very few people come,” said Samuel.

Efforts are now being made, however, to revive the community, with plans under way to renovate the synagogue and the starting of an online blog called “Jews of Lebanon.”

“We hope that this synagogue, one of the largest in the Arab world, will be renovated later this year or in 2009,” said Samuel, adding that the renovations would be funded mainly by expatriate Lebanese Jews.

The blog seeks to raise the awareness of the Jewish community and to make it an active participant in public life.

Judaism is recognized as one of the 18 religious confessions in Lebanon, although the Jewish community has dwindled over the years, in the face of violence and prejudice.

“Before the (1975-1990) civil war, there were about 22,000 of us. It was after the 1982 (Israeli) invasion of Lebanon that our presence became considerably diminished,” said Samuel.

For Efraim, also a merchant and a member of the Jewish Council, the community’s official authority, one of the annoyances is living in a country where mixing the terms “Jewish” and “Israeli” is common.

Lebanon is technically in a state of war with Israel, which is commonly dubbed “the Zionist enemy.”

“People still occasionally ask me if I am Israeli,” said Efraim, also speaking under a pseudonym.

To him, “that’s exactly as if we used the term Iranians to describe Lebanese Shiites.”

“They do not understand that Israel means nothing to us. We consider it an enemy country as do all the Lebanese,” he insisted.

“After 1982, very few Jews went to Israel, and those who did, didn’t stay long. They felt deeply Lebanese,” said Efraim.

Having been in Lebanon for over 2,000 years, Jews began to leave the country during the turmoil.

“There has not been a wave of persecutions, despite some incidents. Those (Jews who left) are like thousands of other Lebanese who fled the country in search of a better future,” said Samuel.

“The Jews mostly lived in major cities like Beirut, Baalbek, Tripoli and Sidon, in perfect coexistence with other communities,” he said, adding that synagogues in these cities too had fallen into ruin.

“Many (Jewish expatriates) still have land and do not want to sell, because it would be like selling a part of themselves,” Samuel said.

The expatriates remain committed to their heritage and some even come back every year for vacation, but not to settle.

“Is it possible (to settle) with the current tensions in Lebanon?” asked Efraim, who travels frequently.

“We have always been neutral in politics and we remain so,” he said. “Today, we live peacefully and we want to continue to live like that, in our country.”

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

Hi,

I grew up in Beirut in the sixties and seventies. I spent a lot of time in the Jewish Quarter of Wadi Abu Jmil since my school (Al-Ahliyyah) was there. My mom attended it before me and she remembers being called, on her way to school, from a balcony by a Jewish lady who needed help turning her lights on or off because it was the Sabbath. There was always at least one Jewish kid in my class. I remember one by the last name of Lizmi. My grandmother who was Turkish always boasted that her best friend was Jewish, Gracia, and she was very upset when she left Lebanon with her family and migrated to Brazil, in order to marry off her daughters. My dad was friends with a Jewish lawyer whose last name was Mughrabi. Your website brought back lots of memories. I am a practicing Muslim and I pray to God that my first country Lebanon upholds the tradition of peaceful coexistence between all its citizens, regardless of their religions. I am really sorry that your numbers have dwindled in Lebanon, but I hope you pick up again. If you love Lebanon, don’t give up. I pray for peace among all the children of Abraham.

Peace/Salam/Shalom.

Amal Darwish

Exclusive and Current Pictures of the Maghen
Avraham Synagogue in Beirut Coming Soon!

The blog will be back in 2007 with new content, new information, and most importantly, more ambition and determination. We are making more intensive efforts to make this project successful and more recognized. We must thank our visitors and contributors for helping us make this a success, the amount of emails we received in addition to the comments posted here were unimaginable when we first started this project. I have to particularly thank the hundreds of people who contacted us privately with their heartfelt words and comments; you provided us with such a deep sense of happiness -you really kept us going.

Our dear Lebanon is experiencing troubles, something we have become accustomed to but never accepting of, the republic of true democracy and true liberty must and will be founded so as to set an example for the entire world. To our brethren in Lebanon and around the world, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim, speak up and work for the cause of Lebanon. Lebanon gave our ancestors a home, gave our parents pride, it’s our turn to give back and give our children a place to live where they can call home. Lebanon WAS and IS our home.

The political prostitution of Lebanese leaders must be acknowledged by political partisans, no nation in the world willingly or voluntarily “helps” without a commission in return. We have watched Lebanon tear apart in this tug-of-war between the polarizations of international politics for decades, 2006 was no different and 2007 doesn’t look promising. National unity, national unity, national unity- in society, in governance, and in reality.

We are a free people, an intelligent people who have made countless and immeasurable contributions to the world, we have been supplying the respective nation’s of the world for decades with the indispensable brains and skills except our own. Lebanon needs us at this time, to reaffirm our rights and our national unity.

Lebanon needs us… what will you do?

Finally, we want to wish all our visitors a safe and blessed holiday season. We hope all your goals were fulfilled in 2006 and 2007 is a healthy and even more prosperous year for you!

God Bless Lebanon and all Lebanese.

Administration

Is it time to speak out?

We have been seriously considering approaching the Lebanese government regarding our concerns and issues and getting an official response. Every indication suggests that the government regards the Jewish community as any other minority in Lebanon and as such, we expect a favorable response. It’s important to note that in history and during the civil unrest, every community in Lebanon suffered, every community was attacked, victimized, bombed, and killed and as such, we hope people dismiss any preconceived notion that Jews in particular were victimized or suffered when in reality, we all suffered, all Lebanese, regardless of their religious background were targeted.

We have been considering speaking with the government as well as leading religious and social figures and collecting their formal responses to our campaign and site. We would also like to know the status of the famous Maghen Avraham Synagogue, which awkwardly enough, is situated directly under the Grand Serail- the seat of Lebanon’s Prime Ministry and Council of Ministers.

What do you think? Should we start mobilizing? Who do we contact and speak to? Any particular political, social, or religious figure?

Lebanese Jews were Pioneers in Promoting
Nations Independence

Issue 11, Volume 02 www.alternative-online.org

The Jews of Lebanon: Between Coexistence and Conflict, a book published by Sussex Academic Press in 2002 is an attempt to cover the history of a forgotten sect within the Lebanese community. The author of the book is Kristen E. Schulze, lecturer of international history at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). This book is a first attempt to venture into the history of the Lebanese Jews and to trace the origin of this community and its subsequent decline and near disappearance from Lebanon. The Jews of Lebanon who were a very active community played an important role in the creation of modern Lebanon but the creation of the state of Israel as well as other contributing factors lead to the exodus of the Jews from their homeland Lebanon.

Schulze book starts by presenting the history of the Jews in the Middle East and the Levant in particular, and concentrates on Jewish life in Lebanon. A literary survey involving the literature, which appeared with mention of the Lebanese Jews, is included in the end of the books introduction. The first chapter of the book takes the reader on a voyage through the history of the Jewish community in Lebanon, covering the areas that the first Lebanese Jews settled in. This section focuses on the Jewish communities that flourished in the villages of Mount Lebanon (Deir al Qamar, Barouk, and Hasbayah). The chapter also includes the cultural and religious education of the community, focusing on the Alliance Israelite Universelle and other educational institutes that catered to both the Jews and the rest of the communities.

The second chapter covers the period of the French mandate, which saw the flourishing of the Jewish community that utilized the existing system to become a considerable economic force, which includes merchants and financers(Safras, Zilkhas), becoming
renowned in not only Lebanon but also the Levant. It was during the French mandate; the Jews strengthened their relationship to the other Lebanese communities and parties. The Jews had special relations with Pierre Gemayel’s Phalangist Party (Kataib) and the organization of the Young Phoenicians (p.48, 52). This chapter also deals with the Palestinian question and the rise of Zionism and the contacts of the Lebanese Jews with the Jews of Palestine, the Yishuv. Schulz demonstrates that the Lebanese Jews were never attracted to the Zionist ideology, as reports to the Jewish Agency reveals their unenthusiastic attitude towards Zionism. The chapter ends with describing the condition of the community under the pro-Nazi Vichy regime, which saw the limiting of Jews freedom.

The third chapter, Lebanese and Israeli independence: Question of Identity, deals with the attitude of the Jews to the Lebanese independence and the National Pact. The Jews were among the first community that endorsed and preached the idea of Lebanon as a unique entity within its Arab surroundings. The author also surveys the political situation from the independence of the Lebanese republic to the establishment of the state of Israel and the condition of the Jews with the growing hatred that accompanied the rise of Israel. Schulze employs in this chapter the testimony of two Lebanese Jewish women Stella Levy and Vicky Angel, who reminisce about their privileged life in Lebanon (p.66). The author focuses on the Lebanese Jews support of the Arabs during the War of Palestine as they pledge money to help the war effort, however this did not protect them from episodes of violence.

The fourth chapter deals with the Jews predicament in the midst of the first civil war. The Jews, which were originally supporters of the “Right” and the Kataib party, in particular took the side of Camille Chamoun, president of the republic, in his confrontation with the Muslims and Kamal Jumblatt, which transformed the neutral Jewish community to an active participant in the arena of Lebanese politics. The Jews now felt that they had to defend themselves, as they were the target of attacks from the Arab nationalists .An example of such an attack would be the campaign, which Deputy Émile Boustani had launched against the Jews demanding that they should not serve in the Lebanese bureaucracy and the Army (p.85)

The fifth chapter, the beginning of the Exodus, covers the period that saw the emigration of the Lebanese Jews from Lebanon as it became apparent after the Arab defeat of 1967 that the Jews persecution in all of the Arab World. Although the condition of the Lebanese Jews was much better than there fellow Jews in other Arab countries, the community started to diminish as they saw in emigration an opportunity to make more money in a less hostile environment.

The sixth chapter covers the Israeli invasion of the Lebanese capital, which was the straw that broke the camels back. The Jews who were victims of the civil war saw in the invading Israeli army, liberators who would repair their worsening circumstances. The decision of the Israeli state to support the Rightist in the on-going civil war would proof devastating to not only the Jews but to the whole country, adding to the gap between the Lebanese communities.

Schulze ends her book by a sentimental journey through the history of the Lebanese Jews as she reflects on the Arab Israeli conflict and the past of a vanished community. The book in general is a pioneering attempt to establish a primary sources manuscript on a subject that remains a mystery in Lebanese history only transmitted through oral history without any real documentation. Schulze in this sense was successful in utilizing the archive material, which exists in the drawers of Jewish Lebanese family’s and the Central Zionist archives, the Israeli state archive, the Haganah archives, the Public records archives, the archive of the Alliance Israelite Universelle, etc.

This material, made available to Schulze alongside her proper utilizations of her findings, gives the reader a clear history of the Jewish community. The tracking down of the descendents of prominent Jewish leaders of the Jewish Lebanese community and interviewing them on their life in Lebanon add to the documentation process this book follows.

Although this book is a good attempt, it is not without faults. The first mistake, which the author commits, is her assumption that the Jewish peculiarities are common to its readers, as she neglects explaining some of the Jewish custom or practices. Schulze for example mention such terms as Hanuka, Purim, Minyan, are not properly explained to readers alien to Jewish customs. The second inaccuracy of Schulze book is her adoption of a rightist explanation of Lebanese politics as she reflects her understanding of Lebanese events on the history she writes for the Jews, and this is mainly due to the sources Schulze relies on in her research.

In general, Kristen Schulze book, the Jews of Lebanon is a good addition to the history on Lebanon, which has never been tackled until now.

Something has to be done, someone has to say something, and somebody needs to speak out. Last night I came across a Lebanese directory (can’t disclose details) and I came across MANY names of people in Lebanon with undoubtedly Jewish names. I had a strange feeling; one of happiness that our community still exists and yet a deep feeling of discomfort. Discomfort for a people who live amidst the montage we call Lebanese society, a people living in our shadows.

It is now the duty of us all; particularly the Christian and Muslim Lebanese to understand this moral and humanitarian plea, to truly embrace the Lebanese cause which is ultimately the cause of humanity- religious and cultural coexistence.

I can not believe that we as Lebanese are comfortable knowing that in fact, an integral part of our nation, an entire religious community is living in the dark in the name of ignorance.

Let it be known, this isn’t a conclusive story from the history of Lebanon. Something will be done, this story will be heard, and if we continue to live in the dark generations of tomorrow will be held accountable for the mistakes we commit today.

All for the homeland,

All for Lebanon!