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The Plight of MENA Religious Minorities: A War for Civilization?

Date and time: November 2, 2020, 8 pm Greenwich Mean Time (UTC±0)

Join Jeremy Havardi’s Zoom meeting [1].

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Meeting ID: 596 194 0733

Passcode: 942012

Find your local number here [2].

Queries and questions: info@harif.org [3]

The 20th century was an era of mass ethnic cleansing, and the last few decades have witnessed an unrelenting flight of minorities from the Middle East and North Africa. How far is the persecution of religious minorities the result of the clash of irreconcilable value systems? Harif and B’nai B’rith UK are joining forces to bring together representatives of Middle Eastern religious minorities who will discuss their experiences and share their views.

HARIF is a UK charity representing Jews from North Africa and the Middle East (UK no.1186454), and dedicated to promoting their history, culture and heritage. Few know that ancient Jewish communities, predating Islam by a millennium, produced the Babylonian Talmud, great rabbis, doctors, thinkers and poets. In modern times, Jews made important economic and cultural contributions to their home countries. Few in the West are aware that Jews were an integral part of the Middle East and North Africa before they were driven out of their homes in the second half of the 20th century.

Over 2,000 years of history in the Middle East and North Africa came to an abrupt and tragic end just 50 years ago. Jews departed for Israel and the West, leaving an enormous cultural and economic void behind. In another 20 years, few Jews who were born in these countries will still be alive. A vital chapter of Jewish identity, history and culture – an entire civilisation – will be lost. HARIF is here to make sure it is not forgotten.