Arizona Daily Star

'Forgotten Refugees'

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Edith Shaked looks through family photos from her time spent growing up in Tunisia and Israel. Families like hers are the subject of a documentary, "The Forgotten Refugees," screening Sunday at the UA's GallagherTheater.

jim davis / arizona daily star

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Documentary

• What: "The Forgotten Refugees."

• When: 2 p.m. Sunday.

• Where: Gallagher Theater, University of Arizona Student Union.

• Cost: $8, $6 for students and seniors age 65 and older.

• More information: 299-3000, Ext. 106.

Accent

Memories of Tunisia

Opinion by Bonnie Henry :

 'Forgotten Refugees'

The process of Arabization led to a mass exodus of the Jewish population from Middle East and North Africa

Opinion by Bonnie Henry

Tucson, Arizona | Published: 02.22.2007

When Edith Shaked was born in Tunisia in 1948, the Jewish population of that North African country was 105,000.

Today, it's down to 1,200.

"They're all old people, just waiting to die," says Shaked, who immigrated to the United States in the mid-1970s and has lived in Tucson since 1980.

She was 13 when she and her family left Tunisia in 1961, following a wave of anti-Jewish actions and the arrest of her father.

"We knew it was the end of the Jewish community in Tunisia. Our Arab neighbors were crying."

Tunisia wasn't alone. In the mid-1940s, close to 1 million Jews lived in the Middle East and North Africa outside of Palestine — some in communities dating back almost 3,000 years.

Only a few thousand Jews remain in the region today — a phenomenon explored and explained in the documentary "The Forgotten Refugees," which will be shown Sunday as part of the Jewish Film Festival.

"People know about the history of the Palestinian refugees, but the testimony of the Jews in Arab countries has gone practically unheard," says Shaked, who teaches several Holocaust courses online for Pima Community College.

Yet she bears no animosity toward the people she once called friend and neighbor. Hauling out a Quran autographed by the husband of a childhood Arab friend, Shaked says, "We had good relations with the Arabs."

She was born in Nabeul, a small coastal town on the Mediterranean coast of Tunisia. Her mother's ancestry was French, Italian and Spanish. Her father's family had been in Tunisia for centuries. His father, Moshe Haddad, was an esteemed rabbi and judge.

Though Tunisia was a French protectorate, it sided with the Nazis during World War II. Slave labor camps were set up in the country.

Other Jews were shipped off to the death camps in Europe. "Two of my mother's cousins died in Auschwitz," says Shaked. However, there were also "righteous" Arabs who hid the Jews, she adds.

After the war, things seemed to stabilize, even though, says Shaked, "the society was completely segregated."

The oldest of four, she attended a French elementary school. Her father worked at a French bank.

In middle school she went to school with Arab children. It was an idyllic childhood, sprinkled with memories of oranges and the scent of jasmine, and daily trips to the beach.

But in 1956, Tunisia became independent of France. Some 30,000 Jews left. Tunisia, says Shaked, was becoming an Arab/Muslim country. "They started the process of Arabization in the schools, in the language."

In 1959, her rabbi grandfather left for Israel after another rabbi was stabbed by an Arab.

Her own family followed in 1961. "The Arabs were burning Jewish shops and synagogues. Then they arrested my father.

"He sat us down and told us we were leaving. Then he gave me his gun, wrapped in a newspaper, and told me to take it to the garbage. It was illegal to have a gun. The next day they came and searched the house."

Days later, they sailed for a refugee camp in Marseille. A month later they took a boat to Israel. Final destination: the small settlement of Kiryat-Gat.

Her parents opened up a restaurant. Shaked went to boarding school, and then Hebrew University in Jerusalem, where she would meet her future husband, Moshe Shaked.

By the early '70s, she was living in a kibbutz and teaching Hebrew to American students.

Then she went to teach at the University of Lyon. Eventually, she followed Moshe Shaked to America. They married in 1977, raising three children.

Every other year, Edith Shaked returns to Israel, where her mother still lives. But she's never been back to Tunisia.

"I do feel nostalgic for the community," she says. "We don't want our history to disappear."

● Reach columnist Bonnie Henry at 434-4074 or at bhenry@azstarnet.com, or write to 3295 W. Ina Road, Suite 125, Tucson, AZ 85741. ● To order Bonnie Henry's new collection of writings, call 573-4417. "Tucson Memories" is $39.95, plus tax, shipping and handling.

Copyright © 2007

1. Comment by Bill B. (#4485) — February 22,2007 @ 4:18AM

Rating: 2 Thumbs Up

But in 1956, Tunisia became independent of France. Some 30,000 Jews left. Tunisia, says Shaked, was becoming an Arab/Muslim country. "They started the process of Arabization in the schools, in the language."
In 1959, her rabbi grandfather left for Israel after another rabbi was stabbed by an Arab.
Her own family followed in 1961. "The Arabs were burning Jewish shops and synagogues. Then they arrested my father.

This must be the religion of "Peace" that everyone is talking about. This is why Isreal is. This is why Iran wants to destroy Isreal and the United States because we support Isreal. This is why this war in Iraq, who destroyed Isreal once before thousands of years ago will not stop if we quit or not. Cut and run.. won't make much difference. This war is about much more than that. This is indeed the begining of the global war.

2. Comment by W W. (NR) — February 22,2007 @ 5:13AM

Rating: 3 Thumbs Up

In as much as all religions concede that there is only one true god and all accept that fact, why do we have so many wars because "my god is better than your god"

These wars are really over greed and power, using religion as an excuse.

 3. Comment by Harry D. (Dog Dude (Blue heeler)) — February 22,2007 @ 5:32AM

Rating: 2 Thumbs Up

Good points both 1 and 2

Yet our Democrat leaders are trying hard to hand The Religion of Peace who are busy murdering people all over the world a great victory.

In doing this The Democrat leaders like Pelosi and Murtha are guilty of giving aid and comfort to the enemy in time of war while that enemy is killing the brave hero daughters and sons of Americans.

A victory by The Religion of Peace in Iraq will spell the doom of Israel by nuclear hellfire, which will also destroy at least one American city before most Americans wake up to what their Democrat leaders are doing to them and their children's future.