Between the 1940s and 1970s, nearly one million Jews were forced to flee their homes in Arab countries, ending centuries of life in regions like Iraq, Egypt, Yemen, Libya, Syria, and more. These once-flourishing communities were devastated by rising antisemitism, violent riots, discriminatory laws, and government-sanctioned persecution.
In many places, Jews were treated as less than human. In Iraq, hundreds were murdered in the 1941 Farhud pogrom. In Egypt, synagogues were bombed, and entire neighborhoods were emptied overnight. Jewish citizens were stripped of their rights, arrested without reason, and often expelled. In many cases, they had to leave with just the clothes on their backs.
The financial losses were staggering. Jews were forced to abandon businesses, homes, cash, jewelry, and land - often worth billions of dollars in today’s value. For example, Iraq passed laws in 1950-51 confiscating Jewish property; in Egypt, Jews were allowed to leave only with 20 Egyptian pounds; in Libya, entire neighborhoods and synagogues were nationalized. In total, it’s estimated that $300 billion worth of Jewish-owned assets were lost or seized across the Arab world.
Yet, while the world focused on the plight of Palestinian refugees, these Jewish refugees received little attention. The United Nations has never recognized them as refugees, nor has it demanded restitution or acknowledgment of their suffering. Their story was largely erased from global discourse.
Jewish Populations in Arab Lands – Before and After 1948:
Country Jews in 1948 Jews Today
Iraq 135,000 < 10
Egypt 75,000 < 20
Libya 38,000 0
Syria 30,000 < 5
Yemen 55,000 ~0
Lebanon 5,000 < 30
Morocco 265,000 ~2,000
Tunisia 105,000 ~1,000
Algeria 140,000 < 100
From nothing - without compensation or international aid—these refugees rebuilt their lives. Most found refuge in Israel, where they faced poverty, integration struggles, and cultural discrimination. Yet, over time, they helped build a thriving country, contributing immensely to its culture, economy, and resilience.
Today, their story is being reclaimed - not with bitterness, but with pride. The Jewish communities of Arab lands may have been uprooted, but their legacy lives on in the State of Israel—proof of a people who turned tragedy into renewal, and loss into hope.
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