Yemenite, Mizrahi, and Balkan Children Affair

Many thanks to the Michaeli Family for sponsoring kiddush last shabbat, Parshat Mikets, in memory of Talia's father, Tsiyon Jamil z"l, and enabled us to have a meaningful community shabbat with the learning of the history of Yemen's Jewry and the missing children case. 

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The Yemenite Children Affair, or by its full name: Yemen, Mizrah, and Balkan Stolen Children Affair is one of the most painful incidents in modern Israel's history.

In Israel's early years, particularly between the years 1948 to 1956, many infants and toddlers disappeared from their families - most of them to families of new immigrants from Arab countries, and especially from Yemen. 

The testimonies revealed a similar story: Parents were asked to give their children to nurseries or hospitals, among other explanations, was given the reason of a better treatment. After being convinced to hand over their children, parents were not allowed to stay near the children and were required to return home. When they returned, days later, and sometimes even the next day, a similar message was given to the families: "Your child is dead." The families demanded to see the graves of their loved ones, but were rejected by the medical crews. A small part of the families refused to accept this, and demanded to see their children - dead or alive. Indeed, after a protest on the family, some of the children were returned alive to the bosom of their parents. But in most cases, broken families received the news and returned home. 

Any attempt to find out where the children are, including repeated requests by law enforcement authorities and government officials, encountered a brick wall. Despite the pain the families who were left with many questions, the matter was hushed. Attempts on the part of families and the Yemenite community leaders to raise awareness at the time the affair was blocked.

In the 1960s, when families began to receive drafting orders to the army for the missing children, the matter went back to the news and sharp criticism about the conduct of the state was heard. Public pressure did the work, and over 3 decades 3 different committees were set to investigate the painful affair. 

The joy was premature. The conclusions of the various committees were puzzling, to say the least, while on the materials of the investigation and the various protocols imposed strict confidentiality order of 70 years. 

Last week, after the strenuous activity of several organizations and Knesset members involved in documenting and exposing the whole affair, most confidential protocols were opened to public eyes by the State Archives. 

The inconsistencies arising from new exposed materials, the evidence of the medical teams at that time, and the quotes from officials in state institutions, make it imperative to conduct in-depth investigation about the fate of the stolen children.