Jews of Yemen

Most of the Jews from Arab countries have been brought to Israel or immigrated to North America. These Jews come from some of the oldest Jewish communities in the world--Babylonia/Iraq, Persia/Iran, Syria, Egypt. Over the centuries, these Jews have been frequently mistreated by the Moslems ruling over them. According to Islamic law, Jews and Christians are called "dhimmi." This status reflected that Jews and Christians (and later a few other groups) were also Jews of the Abrahamic tradition, people of the Book, but also set them apart from those who had accepted Mohammed and his prophecy. The wellbeing of Jewish communities and their people varied greatly according to the whim of the rulers and their interpretation of Sharia, Islamic law. The Jews of Arab lands (Mizrahim) were often humiliated by special dress-codes, forbidden honors like riding a horse, or kept from economic success.

One of the most fascinating Jewish ethnic groups are the Jews of Yemen, whose relative isolation, at the bottom of the Arabian Peninsula, helped form and preserve a unique culture. In Hebrew, Yemen is called "Teiman." Teimani Jews have contributed greatly to the culture of Israel today. This poor community--which suffered terribly at due to their status as dhimmi--possesses riches of music, metalcraft, Torah study, and ritual.

For general information, check:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yemenite_Jews
http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=33&letter=Y&search=yemen

On the dhimmi status and being marginal in Islamic society:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhimmi
http://www.jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/
http://www.jimena.org/Countries_Left.htm