By Galya Tregenza Hall
The subject of how, from 1948 to the early 1970s, 850 000 Jewish refugees were aggressively forced to flee their homes in the Arab world and were essentially evicted from their countries, losing their homes and finances, is a subject that is disgracefully overlooked and a topic that needs to be addressed and understood.
Lyn Julius, author of the book Uprooted, did just that when she joined us via Zoom from London and addressed our community on 6 August.
The most interesting and informative evening with Lyn Julius, an event for which more than 150 people registered, focused on the theme of her book, namely the disappearance of 3000 years of Jewish civilisation in the Arab world. Her presentation on this theme was both fascinating and deeply troubling.
There is unfortunately much ignorance regarding Jewish life in the Arab world but Lyn Julius showed most succinctly the very deep Jewish roots in the region, highlighting the fact that Jewish communities in Arab lands were established as long as 3000 years ago, predating Islam.
The rich Jewish heritage in the Middle East has been mostly erased and the harrowing mass exodus of Jews from Arab lands is greatly overlooked. Lyn Julius has been successful in drawing attention to this important issue, and by providing historical clarity and integrity about the topic there is hope for international acknowledgement and justice.
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