Retelling The Untold Story of Jewish Refugees From Arab Lands: A Fireside Chat With Sylvain Abitbol, Co-President Of Justice For Jews From Arab Lands

Beginning primarily in the late 1940s, hundreds of thousands of individuals living in the Middle East were expelled from their homes, under threat of violence, and on occasion, more than just threats. And while the image that may come to mind for many people are Arab refugees who left Israel following the Jewish State’s independence in 1948, these refugees were Jews who left their homes in Arab countries and Iran in the 1940s and 1950s. More than 850,000 Jews from across the region left under threatening conditions or were expelled, leaving behind millennia of history as well as huge amounts of assets, which they gave up in exchange for safety. But despite this incredible experience, the trials of Jews from Arab lands is little-known. To help us unpack why, and explain what needs to be done to raise awareness for this important issue, is Sylvain Abitbol. Born in Morocco, he is a Montreal businessman who currently serves as Co-President for the organization Justice for Jews from Arab Countries, and previously served as co-president of the Canadian Jewish Congress from 2007 to 2009. Welcome to The Honest Report podcast.