The Forgotten Exodus: The Untold Stories of Jews from Arab Nations and Iran

The Forgotten Exodus - American Jewish Committee

The world has overlooked an important episode in modern history: the 800,000 Jews who left or were driven from their homes in Arab nations and Iran in the mid-20th century to forge new lives for themselves and future generations. The Forgotten Exodus, a new limited podcast series brought to you by American Jewish Committee (AJC), explores the lessons we can learn from this pivotal moment of Jewish history. The series delves into the rich, yet little-known heritage of Mizrahi and Sephardi Jews from Arab nations, as some of those countries normalize relations with Israel, and the moving stories of courage, resilience, and reconciliation that illustrate how Jews in the Middle East and North Africa overcame tremendous challenges.

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*The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC.

Roya Hakakian's family photo in Iran
The Forgotten Exodus: Iran
Author, journalist, and poet Roya Hakakian shares her personal story of growing up Jewish in Iran during the reign of the Shah and then Ayatollah Khomeini, which she wrote about in her memoir, "Journey From the Land of No." Joining Hakakian is Dr. Saba Soomekh, a professor of world religions and Middle Eastern history who wrote From the Shahs to Los Angeles: Three Generations of Iranian Jewish Women between Religion and Culture. She also serves as associate director of AJC Los Angeles, home to America’s largest concentration of Persian Jewish immigrants. 
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Dr. Alexandra Herzog's family in Sudan
The Forgotten Exodus: Sudan
Nessim Gaon's grandchild, Dr. Alexandra Herzog, shares the story of her grandfather's flight from Sudan, his quest for equality in Israel, and his pursuit of peace between the Jewish state and Arab nations. Joining Dr. Herzog in this episode are Gaon’s cousins, Diana Krief and Flore Eleini, and oral historian Daisy Abboudi.
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Guilietta Boukhobza's family in Libya
The Forgotten Exodus: Libya
Giulietta Boukhobza shares her family’s story of their harrowing escape from Libya when she was 16. Joining Boukhobza is filmmaker Vivienne Roumani-Denn, the creator of “The Last Jews of Libya,” who provides the historical backdrop for Boukhobza’s story, illustrating how life was never easy for Jews in Libya.
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Photo of André Aciman's family in Egypt
The Forgotten Exodus: Egypt
Hear the personal story of award-winning author André Aciman as he recounts the heart-wrenching details of the pervasive antisemitism during his childhood in Alexandria, Egypt, and his family’s expulsion in 1965, which he wrote about in his memoir Out of Egypt, and also inspired his novel Call Me by Your Name. 
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Photo of Yemeni Jewish family
The Forgotten Exodus: Yemen
Hear from Israeli windsurfer Shahar Tzubari, who won a bronze medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, about how his grandparents left behind their life as dairy farmers in Yemen, and Ari Ariel, a Middle East historian at the University of Iowa, who delves into what the 2,600-year-old community was like and the dramatic transitions that led to the mass exodus.
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Carol Isaac's family in Iraq
The Forgotten Exodus: Iraq
The premiere episode of a new limited narrative series from American Jewish Committee (AJC), The Forgotten Exodus, shares the inspiring story of Mizrahi Jewish cartoonist Carol Isaacs’ family. Feeling alienated growing up as the only Jew in school from an Arab-majority country, Carol turned her longing for Iraq and the life her family left behind into a gripping graphic memoir, The Wolf of Baghdad. 
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The Forgotten Exodus logo
Introducing The Forgotten Exodus: A Limited Podcast Series From AJC
Listen to the trailer for The Forgotten Exodus, a limited podcast series brought to you by American Jewish Committee (AJC), explores the untold stories of Jews who left or were driven from Arab nations and Iran.
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