Only about 150 Jews now remain in strife-torn Aden from which Britain decided to withdraw its troops in the near future, it was reported in a communication to the World Jewish Congress by Beniov Messa, president of the Aden Jewish Community. The community is worried about the fate of four synagogues still functioning in the city.
Mr. Messa’s communication, addressed to Samuel Bronfman, chairman of the North American executive of the World Jewish Congress was presented yesterday to a meeting of the executive held here. Mr. Messa reported that the community had sent most of their Scrolls of the Law to Israel but was faced with the problem of disposing of four synagogues, one of which is large enough to accommodate 1,000 persons. Mr. Messa said the community had no alternative but to leave the synagogues as a monument to the community which had a 2,000-year history in Aden. The various other community facilities such as the two Hebrew schools, the rabbinical court and the Jewish hospital, have been dismantled.
Riots in Aden in 1947 in connection with events in Palestine resulted in more than 6,000 Jews migrating. Some have made their homes in Israel, others in Britain.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.
