LEBANON: Halting Jewish legacy's descent into oblivion

A few landmarks and shadows still testify to their existence in Lebanon: scattered cemeteries with dust-covered stars of David and Hebrew inscriptions; remnants of synagogues engulfed by colonies of wild plants; fading stories about a neighbor who departed long ago. 

The Jews of Lebanon are almost forgotten today. This in a small country that boasts 18 officially recognized religious communities, including Judaism.

Before the 1975-1990 civil war, they numbered in the thousands. But today, according to some estimates there are only a few hundred Lebanese Jews, who live in anonymity, mostly pretending to be Christians for fear of persecution. With Lebanon in a state of war with Israel, some do not differentiate between Jews and Israelis.

In an interview published recently on NowLebanon, a local news website, Liza, one of the few remaining Jews in Beirut, said:

I am Lebanese, 100% Lebanese. But I am rejected, because people think I am Israeli, or a Zionist or a Mossad agent. For me to have a normal life here, you will need real peace between the Arabs and Israelis.... Until then, I will not be welcomed in this country, and actually, no one will feel stable here.

There are indications, however, that a public debate is emerging about the Jews of Lebanon and their right to be recognized as equal to other citizens.

Yesterday, a frank public debate took place at a trendy pub in Beirut about Jews in Lebanon. The dialog session was organized by Nahwa Al-Mouwatiniya, or Toward Citizenship, a local nonprofit organization.

Recently, a flurry of articles appeared recently in local publications that raised awareness about the Jewish community's contributions to Lebanon’s cultural heritage.

An article by Agence France Presse reported that there were plans to restore the Magen Abraham synagogue, in downtown Beirut since 1920.

Some fear that Solidere, the private company rebuilding Beirut’s downtown, is erasing the historical identity of the once-Jewish neighborhood of Wadi Abu Jmil, not out of religious animosity but for greed. The area has become hot real estate.

Though in ruins, the synagogue remains erect, even as the old buildings around it have been torn down. Solidere published a statement  promising that the synagogue would eventually be restored.   

One website dedicated to the Lebanese Jews already exists and receives much commentary from Lebanese who acknowledge Jews as a part of Lebanon's heritage.

— Raed Rafei in Beirut.

Photo: The Magen Abraham synagogue in downtown Beirut in a state of desolation.
Credit: Raed Rafei/Los Angeles Times

Comments

[hazmaq]

I hope you correct a gross misstatement of a title on your video clips. (Not an uncommon thing on all subjects connected to Israel.)
The clip's title says:
"Lebanese prisoners exchanged for Israeli dead".

You failed to mention their were also Lebanese 'dead'. 200 of them in fact, were returned by the Israeli's.
This is a particularly distateful omission because the two dead Israel soldiers were the two involved in the border skirmish combat.
Whereas the 200 Lebanese dead were men taken live -out of Lebanon as prisoners of war - after the Israelis invaded them, and brought back to Israeli jails.

They were killed by the Israelis not in combat, but by abuse and torture in an Israel jail, while prisoners of war.
That's a war crime.
Israel has never complied with the Geneva Conventions, or UN Resolutions or been held accountable for such war crimes -going back to the 80's.