One of Last Yemenite Jews Leaves for Israel

Badra Yousef, one of the last Jewish women remaining in Yemen, has made aliyah to Israel following the death of her husband Yahya, marking a poignant moment as Yemen's ancient Jewish community nears extinction. The couple lived in Yemen's Arhab District under the Houthi regime, which controls much of northern Yemen and has been accused of persecuting religious minorities, including Jews. After Yahya's death, Muslim neighbors buried him due to the lack of a sufficient Jewish community to perform traditional rites, highlighting the community's dwindling presence. Only four Jews are now believed to remain in Yemen, including one imprisoned since 2015 for allegedly smuggling a Torah scroll to Israel. The Jewish presence in Yemen dates back over 2,000 years, but decades of conflict, persecution, and emigration, including the large-scale Operation Magic Carpet airlift to Israel in 1949–1950, have reduced this once-thriving community to a mere handful. Following her departure, Badra traveled via Ethiopia to reunite with family abroad before settling in Israel.