(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
A curious case of a Jewish father agreeing to sell his ten year old daughter to a Moslem Arab as a bride for his fourteen year old son has attracted wide attention here.
Aaron Natah. a Jewish blacksmith of Acre who came to Palestine from Damascus in 1898, had arranged with the Moslem storekeeper. Assadi, to sell his daughter for £30. in accordance with the custom prevailing among Arabs, as a bride for the storekeeper’s fourteen year old son.
The girl’s older brother, learning of the contract, raised alarm, appealing to the Government authorities, the Chief Rabbinate, the Zionist Executive, the National Council of Palestine Jews and the Moslem Muiti to prevent the marriage. Acting upon his plea the Rabbinate ascertained that Aaron Natah, who is ninety years old, is mentally unbalanced. His son was appointed guardian of the girl by the Rabbinate’s decree. The youthful guardian reclaimed his sister from the house of the Moslem storekeeper.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
