High Holy Day Music from throughout the Jewish World JNUL - Jewish National & University Library

As we start another year of studies, I invite my students and their families to check out this wonderful database of Jewish music from around the world for Selichot, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur.

JNUL - Jewish National & University Library

Hanukkah celebrations and stories from around the world

Be'chol Lashon/In Every Tongue is an organization offering educational resources and programs highlighting the diversity of Jewish customs and practices around the world. They offer here eight bits about Hanukkah as it is practiced by diverse Jewish communities: Chanukah around the World: 8 Ways to Celebrate.

Another custom is practiced in Italy and Yemen--reading a book called Megillat Antiochus.

For more resources on Hanukkah around the world:
Be'chol Lashon: Educational Resources: Holidays: Chanukah

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

The Jews of Yemen--Weddings

When studying Jewish ethnic groups, it's often interesting to compare the customs of a place with both the local non-Jews and with Jews from other places. In the following links, you can find information about Jewish weddings in Yemen and their celebration with a henna ceremony, non-Jewish weddings in Yemen, and a slideshow of Yemenite henna designs.

http://www.ujc.org/page.html?ArticleID=40490
http://www.yementimes.com/article.shtml?i=733&p=culture&a=1
http://www.aisledash.com/photos/bridal-henna/504625/