YU Professor Publishes Book on his Efforts to Rescue Yemenite Jews

Tawil and Miodownik Recount Harrowing Tale

There are close to one thousand Yemenite Jews living in Israel who feel that they are indebted to Dr. Hayim Tawil. Tawil, professor of Hebrew studies at Yeshiva College, has earned this gratitude; after all, he played an important role in rescuing the last vestiges of the Yemenite Jewish community. His new book, written primarily by RIETS student and former Commentator News Editor Steven Miodownik, entitled Operation Esther: Opening the Door for the Last Jews of Yemen, recounts the dramatic events surrounding the rescue mission, the details of which have until now been necessarily concealed from the public.

Tawil's diplomatic efforts began with a phone call in 1989 from a transplanted Yemenite Jew concerned about the welfare of his relatives in Yemen with whom he had lost all contact. The Yemenite Israeli, David Shuker, informed Tawil that he was spearheading a movement devoted to the restoration of the privileges then denied the Jews of Yemen. Tawil, an Israeli of Yemenite descent (Tawil's grandparents emigrated from Yemen to Israel in 1899) whose background made him an attractive candidate to head the fledgling organization, concedes that he was surprised. "I didn't even know there were Jews still living in Yemen. I thought that they had all left with Operation Magic Carpet," a rescue mission in which 50,000 Yemenite Jews were airlifted to Israel between 1949-1952. In fact, he discovered that in 1962, in the wake of a civil war in Yemen, the opportunity for unrestricted movement by Yemenite Jews ceased with the rise to power of an ultra-nationalist government. Equally as repressive, the government subsequently forbade the Jews from even communicating with the outside world.

Tawil was asked to chair the organization, dubbed ICROJOY (International Committee for the Revival of the Jews of Yemen), a group whose ambition was to obtain passports for the remaining 1200 Jews left in Yemen. Although flattered, Tawil was nonetheless ambivalent about accepting the post in light of his inexperience at organizational work. However, informed of the severe political restrictions imposed on the Yemeni Jewish community, Tawil reconsidered. Horrified by the injustices perpetrated on that community by the ruling government, he consented to oversee the mission.

A novice at the game of international politics, Tawil credits the students of YU with much of his early success. He initiated a massive letter and petition writing campaign in which he utilized a student body eager to assist the Yemenite Jews in their plight, and his efforts ultimately proved successful. Three months later, he received a call from Richard Schifter, then Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs. Schifter admitted that the incessant letter writing had achieved its desired effect. He was willing to meet with Tawil and his colleagues, and in return asked that Tawil stop bombarding him with mail.

The State Department thought that the normal diplomatic process would not prove to be effective in this particular case. Under mounting pressure from the Arab league, the Yemenite government would deny the American request to grant traveling rights to the Jews of Yemen. Recognizing that they had to proceed with caution, the Americans abandoned Track I diplomacy, in which governments confer with other governments on the diplomatic level, in favor of Track II diplomacy, in which private citizens and politicians collaborate on implementing foreign policy initiatives. Such a procedure would ensure that negotiations remained more discreet and confidential, factors that the Americans saw as indispensable to the success of the mission. Towards that end, the State Department chose the unassuming ICROJOY and its chairman Tawil from amongst a considerable number of Jewish organizations all vying for the privilege of serving as the American delegation.

Tawil visited Yemen for the first time in September 1989. Despite her professed inexperience at fundraising, Tawil's wife, Dalia, managed to solicit contributions in excess of 40,000 dollars in anticipation of their trip. With the money, he purchased large quantities of Jewish books and pairs of tzitzit and tefillin, all staples of Orthodox Jewish life that were inaccessible to the Jewish community of Yemen.

ICROJOY's unprecedented visit to a Jewish community living in involuntary isolation was a landmark event. Following their trip, the Yemenite government granted foreign Jews entrance visas to visit Yemenite Jews.

Tawil slowly began establishing cordial relations with the Yemenite government. Although on that first visit Tawil did not exert pressure on the Yemenites to issue passports to the Jews, he returned to Yemen many times over the next several years and intensified his efforts to bring the Jewish issue to the fore. He detected a heightened sensitivity in the members of the Yemenite government vis-a-vis the Jews and a willingness on their part to comply with American demands to grant Jews freedom of movement.

These patterns culminated in the dramatic events of June 1991. At that time, the Yemenite government ratified a law officially removing extant obstacles to international travel. Although forbidden from traveling directly to Israel, the Jews were given access to all other countries. In general, the Yemenite Jews first traveled to America or to other countries and proceeded from there to Israel.

Of the estimated 1200 Jews who resided in Yemen in 1989, close to one thousand have left. The remaining handful continues to live in Yemen of their own volition. Tawil dubbed his efforts "Operation Esther," in part as a testimonial to his mother, Esther, who according to Tawil "gave me my love and dedication for the Jewish people."

In addition, Tawil, somewhat assumingly, notes a strong parallel between his efforts and those of the ancient Queen Esther: in both cases, Jews were saved mimmaqom aher. It is this initiative taken by individuals and their resolve to succeed that some government officials privy to the details of the mission are reported to have said made this effort so outstanding. "Hayim Tawil spoke the language of sweet reason and of collegial cooperation…I remain convinced that if we had gone in and demanded of the Yemenites…we would not have had any success," claims David Ransom, former U.S. ambassador to Bahrain.

In light of the success of the mission, Tawil says it is disappointing that the state of Yemenite Jewry was neglected by so many for 30 years. "Why could we not do anything for them through 30 years of isolation," he questions. In addition, the glaring absence of Israeli security forces, major Jewish organizations and the United Nations from the mission was unnerving, he says.

Tawil asserts that it was necessary to delay publication of his and Steven Miodownik's book because of complicated political considerations. "We did not want to publicize anything until we knew that all the Jews of Yemen were safe," he explains, afraid that the details of the mission would induce an Arab league backlash that would undermine previous successes.

Operation Esther is available in hardcover from Belkis Press publishers, 24 Bennett Avenue, NY, NY 10033, suite 24B. The book retails for 25 dollars, and is available at a special student rate of 22 dollars.