The Missing Yemenite Children

  In the years 1948-1954 thousands of children were taken,
sometimes forcibly, from their biological parents while in
hospitals or child-care homes.  These children were then sold
both in Israel and abroad for substantial sums (that varied from
case to case), or given out for adoption.  Their parents however
were told that the children had died.  In most cases, when the
parents asked about the cause of death or requested a death
certificate, or other documentation confirming the death of their
children, they were ignored and their requests went unanswered.

  They never saw a body.  In most cases, not even a burial spot
was seen. In a few cases, however, graves were shown to the
families.  Some of those graves, later on, were dug up by parents
who did not believe that their beloved, healthy child truly died
overnight.  The graves were recently found empty.

  These activities were carried out by doctors, nurses, social
workers and other members of the Israeli Establishment at that
time.  I have heard many "moral" justifications given for taking
these children from their parents.

  I do not believe any are legitimate.  It seems to me that the
real reason for the kidnapping of the children was money.  People
in positions of power at the time that the State of Israel was
established profited from the abduction and sale of children from
poor immigrant families.

  This practice continued on at least into the early 1960s. Some
say that it still continues, although on a much smaller scale.

  One common misconception is that these abuses were practiced
against Yemenite Jews alone.  While researching this issue I have
concluded that the victims also included immigrant Jews from
Tunis, Spain, Morocco, Lybia, Iraq, Iran, and Belgium, to name a
few countries.  In most cases, the immigrants came from Middle
Eastern countries.

  The number of kidnapped children has been told to be around
2,400 by the official investigating committee.  When Rabbi Uzi
Meshulam was still collecting evidence, he gathered the names of
4,500 children.  I believe that the real number is much larger
than that. Since I have found that many families never reported 
the disappearance of a child, I estimate that approximately 
10,000 children were kidnapped and sold, and I would not be 
surprised if the real number is higher.

  In the next chapters individual cases are presented, including
descriptions of some of those involved in perpetrating this
alleged crime.

© Yechiel Mann,
Eshhar, Israel