This album seeks to depict the life of the Jewish community in Yemen before the mass immigration of Yemenite Jews to the State of Israel in 1949 C.E. - 1950 C.E. The photographs show Yemenite Jews in their traditional attire and native garb, amidst natural surroundings.

B"H
This is to notify all members of this wonderful forum that new photographs have been scanned and uploaded to our Yemenite album! All members are cordially invited to review this most spectacular album file!
Sincerely,
David Ben-Abraham

quote:

Originally posted by David Ben-Abraham:
This album seeks to depict the life of the Jewish community in Yemen before the mass immigration of Yemenite Jews to the State of Israel in 1949 C.E. - 1950 C.E. The photographs show Yemenite Jews in their traditional attire and native garb, amidst natural surroundings.

Thank you for the photos! The photo -- not to mention the genealogy -- of Da'oud Yoseph Sabari is very impressive, indeed. The lighting and mood somehow convey the connection with antiquity.

B"H
Those interested in seeing more pictures of Yemenite Jews taken in our last Century C.E., they may do so by clicking on to the following URL:

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/davidbenabraham/album?.di...tok=phoHtjDBJv22SVLM

Sincerely,
David Ben-Abraham

David, this is really quite amazing! What a beautiful insight into another people's experience living out Torah. What, in you opinion, is the most interesting difference between the way Yemenite Jews live and say the more mainstream Ashenazi or Sefardim of Israel? I notice you said they call the "peyos" over there "simonis". That interesting.
Yocheved

B"H
Yocheved,

One of the differences that I found with the older Yemenites is their "simplicity of faith." They just do what they have been commanded, with little or no questions asked.

David

B"H

Yocheved,

The answer given in my previous response could have actually been said to be true about most of the old-timers of our country, and not just about the Yemenites. So, in answer to your question....

Two of the most striking differences that I've found with the Yemenite Jewish community (as opposed to the other communities in Israel) are the manner in which they make the knots on their tzitzis (tassels which hang from their prayer-shawls). See URL link provided:
http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/1830/tzitzisworninyemen5eu.jpg

As also the manner in which they (the Yemenites) will make the knot on their Head Phylactery (Tefillin shel-rosh). See URL link provided: http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/3162/headphylacteryknot2hh.jpg

The custom of making the Daleth-shaped knot on the joining straps of the Head Phylactery was actually once common to the Jews of Yemen, Ashkenaz and Sepharad, alike. But the latter two communities have since exchanged their old practice for a newer one, which knot now resembles more the shape of a "Daleth." The older practice, still practiced by the Jews of Yemen, follows a teaching in Halachos Gedolos (Hilchos Shimushei Tefillin). There, we find:

מעיף לתרתי רישי דרצועה בהדדי ומעייל חדא בגו חדא ורישא דהאי בעיפותא דהאי
ולהוי דלתתא." - דהיינו צורה כעין דל"ת

(Translation

"One doubles the two heads (i.e. ends) of the straps together [in the form of two separate loops] and feeds one through the other, and the head (i.e. end) of the one in the end (i.e. loop) of the other, so that there is formed thereby the shape of a Daleth."

The practice of making their knots on the tassels of their four-cornered garment (talis) also follows an ancient practice. The practice is mentioned by Rambam (Maimonides) in his "Code of Jewish Law." It's manner is also described in the Talmud (Menachos 39a), where we learn that each "chuliyya" (knot or binding) are made up of only three winds of the woolen thread. This practice, as we said, differs from the other practices throughout Israel, especially that teaching brought down in R. Basalel Ashkenazi's "Shitah Mekubetzet," who views the knots and the bindings as two separate things.

The custom of some Sephardic communities was to follow a practice started by Kabbalists of the last 500 years, to wit, to make a square knot, followed by seven windings which are not overlapping; again to make a square knot, followed by eight windings which are not overlapping; again to make a square knot, followed by eleven windings (not overlapping); and finally, again to make a square knot, followed by thirteen windings (not overlapping), which last are also concluded by tying a square knot. These windings are not repeated over themselves, as is the Yemenite custom. (see: Yilkut Yosef, 11:9). Moroccan Jews have of late followed a practice of making windings like the above, but with a slight difference in number of windings, viz., ten, five, six and five, in honor of the numerical value of each letter in G-d's name

Sincerely,
David Ben-Abraham