The Question of the Hasty Mass-Exodus of Jews from Yemen between 1949-1950

Abstract

What was the catalyst behind the rushed exodus of tens of thousands of Jews from
Yemen during the second and third phase of Operation Magic Carpet? What led to
the exit that was unique in scope and speed compared to former waves of migration
from Yemen, and which took place in contrast to the predictions of both the British
and the organizers of the Aliyah, who expected the Jews to leave gradually over a
period of several years?
So far, this phenomenon was not emphasized within the research, and was
explained away as the result of a combination of circumstances in real time,
religious-messianic motives, and the practical advantages embedded within the
foundation of the State of Israel. In this article, I will show that these explanations
still leave a gap in our understanding of the broader picture of this mass immigration
of Jews from Yemen, and that a satisfactory explanation for the question has yet
to be provided.
I will turn a spotlight on the harsh events that took place in Yemen during the
year and a half before this wave of immigration, and examine their influence on
the feelings of Jews, their living conditions, and their sense of security. A new
reading of existing testimonies, including letters written by Yemenite Jews during
the fact, as well as later testimonies, tells the story of these immigrants and of their
departure and suggests that alongside the familiar push and pull factors, migration
from Yemen also had clear elements of escape.
I suggest that the series of difficult events that preceded migration and the
weakening of the Imam's protection spread continuing feelings of anxiety, and
uncertainty among the Jews of Yemen, shaking the very foundations of their sense
of security and pushing them toward extensive and urgent migration from Yemen
to Israel – the only state that offered them sanctuary and hope for the future.