JEWS OF SOMALIA

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DJIBOUTI JOURNAL
Somalia's 'Hebrews' See a Better Day
By IAN FISHER JIBOUTI -- The sultan of the Jews in Somalia is a handsome, silver-haired man named Ahmed Jama Hersi who does not know the first thing about Judaism. He is a Muslim, as were his ancestors back at least 800 years. But he and his people are treated badly, cursed as descendants of Israelites. The name of the tribe is Yibir, or Hebrew.
"Even our young people," he said, "they are ashamed when you ask them what tribe they belong to. They will not say Yibir."

Not much is known about the lineage of the Yibir, one of Somalia's "sab," or outcast, clans. But if Somalis succeed in creating a new central government -- as they have been trying to do since March -- the Yibir will for the first time taste political legitimacy and respect. In the 225-member assembly envisioned for a new Somalia, the Yibir get one seat.
A conscious effort is being made to broaden political power in Somalia, traditionally held by old men from the four major clans. In the new assembly, women, the bedrock of Somali economic and family life, have been allocated 25 seats.

Minority clans like the Yibir, Midgan and Tomal will have 24 seats, if the assembly is ever translated from a nice idea at a peace conference here in neighboring Djibouti to an actual government in Somalia, which has been without one since 1991.

"This is the most broad-based process that Somalia has ever known," said David Stephen, the representative of Kofi Annan, the United Nations secretary general, at the peace talks. "Never before have women and minorities taken part in discussions about their country."

The question is whether this means anything. It is far from certain that any new government will ever actually sit in Somalia, though hopes are high. Perhaps more important is whether the elderly men from the major clans will cede any of their authority. Mr. Stephen said some men bluntly say that they "are only doing this to please the United Nations."

But still the minority groups, who prefer to be called the Alliance, and women are talking about the power they theoretically hold if they vote as a bloc.

The top positions in any new government are likely to be doled out to the major clans, and any clan that makes alliances with the women and minorities in the assembly is more likely to win.

"We have to have one voice and one interest as women," said Asha Haji Elmi, leader of the women delegates to the conference. She conceded that there would be pressure for women to vote with their clans rather than as women. Twenty of the women's seats are assigned to the four major clans and the remaining five to the minority clans.

"It's difficult," she said, "but we have to overcome the obstacles."

It is, at any rate, a high-minded exercise, pushed strongly by the peace conference's host, President Ismael Omar Gelleh of Djibouti -- though Somalis are quick to point out that Mr. Gelleh's own government is not nearly so liberal as his vision for Somalia's.

"It is not in our tradition," said Mahmoud Imam Omar, an elder in one of the major clans, the Hawiye, speaking of the inclusion of women. "President Gelleh has made us do it. But we have accepted it."

A Somali businessman, Muhammad Ali Muhammad, said it was an experiment worth trying. "We have seen how the men have devastated the country," he said. "So maybe the women and minority groups would be better."

A new government is, of course, no guarantee of equality. Then again, the Yibir do not have much to begin with.

Mr. Hersi, 68, who has been the elected leader of the Yibir for 22 years, was asked to speak at one of the opening sessions of the peace conference two months ago. He noted that the Yibir had suffered terribly during the years of war but wanted badly to forgive and move on.

"In the civil war I lost my son, my wife, my brother, my dignity and my self-respect," he told the delegates. "But still I have come here to work for reconciliation."

Part of the bad treatment, he concedes, is the support of many Yibir for the dictator Muhammad Siad Barre. When he was overthrown in 1991, Mr. Hersi fled the country with surviving members of his family to live in Nairobi, Kenya's capital.

But part of it is simply that they are one of the low castes of Somalis, and particularly that they are believed to be ethnic Jews in a strongly Muslim country.

"We were never given our rights," he said.

For many years the Yibir were forbidden to be educated, and Mr. Hersi says he can barely spell his name. They do work that is considered to be base, like metalworking and shoemaking.

Traditionally many earned money through the Somali belief, stretching back perhaps centuries, that it is lucky to give the Yibir a small amount of money when a son is born or at a marriage.

Mr. Hersi cannot say exactly how or when his ancestors made it to Somalia, though he believes that about 25,000 Yibir live there and in neighboring countries like Ethiopia, Djibouti and Kenya. Stories passed down from his forefathers have it that they came as Arabic-speaking teachers more than 1,000 years ago.

He said there was no relation between them and the Jews of neighboring Ethiopia, many of whom still practice Judaism. It is hard to say exactly how the Yibir are Jews, or why they treated so badly because of it.

The Yibir not only know nothing about Judaism, but they also say they have no intention of converting or, like the Ethiopian Jews, seeking resettlement in Israel.

"That would only make more problems," said another Yibir, Muhammad Ali Hassan, a trader in the emirate of Dubai on the Persian Gulf.

The process of getting their one seat has been typically difficult. Mr. Hersi said he had never received an invitation even to come to the conference, though he made it here with the help of the United Nations. In negotiations with other outcast clans, the Yibir originally were given two seats in Parliament, but a few days ago, one was stripped from them. Still, he said, one seat is a start.

"Before we had nothing," he said. "This is the beginning, the first step."

NY Times August 15, 2000

http://www.haruth.com/JewsSomalia.html

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What Does Judaism Mean to Me?

By Brielle Goodman
Johns Hopkins University
(KOACH-On-Campus Editor)

What does Judaism mean to me? Judaism means getting warm and fuzzy feelings when I think about it. Judaism means having a worldwide community. Judaism means loving all that you come from. Judaism to me, means living a good, meaningful, fulfilled life, full of love rather than hatred.

To me, Judaism is not only a religion; it is a way of life. Judaism gives guidelines toward living life to the fullest. Each year, we forgive others and ourselves. Each week we take a day out to just relax, think back on all that has happened in the last week and appreciate all the good. We remember the bad, but we don't dwell on it. We forgive those who have hurt us. We forge ties with them and build a future with them. We don't hold onto the negative in our history and bear grudges. We remember so that we have more knowledge in the future, but we do not eternally condemn people whose ancestors' actions have been less than admirable. We respect our parents. We honor our elders. We strive for personal and societal improvement, but do not covet. We are a group of people who strive to have large hearts.

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Jews around the world help other Jews, no matter when or why. When Jews in Somalia were in distress, entire nations organized efforts to get those Jews to Israel . When Jews in Europe were facing persecution, Jews all over the globe were doing everything they could to get them to America or any other country that would take them. It can be something as small as a person being along at the holidays and being invited to another family's home. It can be a new family in the community that is publicly welcomed into a synagogue.

Jews take care of their own. It doesn't matter if you know the person. It doesn't matter what your level of observance is. As soon as you find out a person is Jewish, you have a bond with them. It's not a religious thing, it's not a racial thing. Christians or Asians don't have the same bond with each other that Jews do. Why is this? I think it's because Judaism teaches morality on such a personal level, in such a way that it permeates your being so thoroughly, that once you identify yourself as a Jew to another Jew, you have a spiritual and personal connection. You can go to some random country in another part of the world, find someone who is Jewish and know that if ever you needed anything, that person would be like family to you. That song that says "wherever you go, there's always someone Jewish, you're never alone when you say you're a Jew," is really right on. You aren't alone.

Judaism is standing in a synagogue that you may have gone to all your life (or for the first time in your life) and being able to pray in a minyan and feel comfortable because you know you're surrounded by those who with a common set of values. You may have just lost someone important to you and you may be in a strange community, but somehow a minyan is pulled together in this new community, so that you may say Kaddish.

Judaism is caring. Judaism is praying. Judaism is healing the world. Judaism is community. Judaism is family. Judaism is a system of values. Judaism is a way of life, one you can't turn your back on. Judaism is love. Judaism is all those warm and fuzzy feelings that you experience each time you feel at home because you're with people who are fundamentally similar to you, even though this may be the first time you meet them. Judaism is not having to explain why you have a kippah on. Judaism is embracing your history. Judaism is remembering those who came before you. Judaism is honoring your past, living your present and embracing your future. "From generation to generation" Judaism will prevail because we care for our own, because we acknowledge God's awesome power, because we live lives that follow the path to fulfillment.

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Hay'ad Sirdoon oo laga leeyahay Israel oo ka howl-gasha gudaha Somalia



Mogadishu 03, March.07 ( Sh.M.Network) Waxaa soo baxaya warar sheegaya in Heya’d sir doon oo laga leeyahay Israa’iil ay ka howl gasho gudaha dalka Soomaaliya.

Warbaahinta Israa’iil ayaa daboolka ka rogtay maanta in ergo Israa’iil ah ay si qarsoodi ah uga howl gasho dalka Soomaaliya iyadoo sida la sheegay gabaad ka dhiganeysa in ay kaalmeyneyso dadka Soomaaliyeed ee soo bara kacay.

Idaacadda guud ee Israa’iil ayaa sheegtay in ergadaasi oo lagu magacabo Isra-Aid ay howshooda si qarsoodi ah uga billaabeen dalka Soomaaliya iyagoo sheeganaya in ay garab siinayaan qaxootiga Soomaaliyeed.

Idaacadda Israa’iil waxa ay intaasi ku dartay in xubnaha ergadaasi sir doonka ah ee ka socota Israa’iil ay ka howl galeen labada daafood ee soohdinta u dhexeysa Kenya iyo Soomaaliya waxaana ay sheegeen in ay wax u qabteen qaxootiga soomaaliyeed ee deegaannadaasi ku sugan.

Idaacaddu waxa ay ku doodday in ergadaasi ay todobaadkii laga soo gudbay u qeybisay carruurta dadka soo barakacay dhar ay ku qoran yihiin waxyaabo liddi ku ah diinta Islaamka..

Idaacaddu waxa ay sheegtay in kooxdaasi ay dib ugu laaban doonaan Israa’iil bartamaha isbuuca inagu soo foodda leh.

Idaacadda guud ee Israa’iil waxa ay sheegtay in xubnaha ergadaasi ay sidoo kale sameyn doonaan olole ballaaran oo xayeysiin ay ugu sameyneyso siyaasadaha israa’iil iyo diinta Yuhuudda si ay lacago iyo dad iskaa wax u qabso ku shaqeeya ay ku helaan.

Dowladda israa’iil ayaa waxa ay caado ka dhigatay sida ay qoreen qaar ka tirsan wargeysyada carabta in dalalka Islaamka u dirto rag sirdoon ah oo ku gabanaya howlaha bini aadanimo ee loo qabto dadka ku sugan goobaha ay dagaallada iyo abaabruhu ka dhacaan.

Kaalinta Israel ay ku leedahay dagaalka Soomaaliya