Discovering the Lost Jewish Community of Chaban

Some might think of Yemen as the 'end of the world,' the most distant and remote Jewish diaspora. Indeed, for many years, it was considered the farthest established Jewish community in the Southeast Desert.

In the year 1912, adventurer Shmuel Yavne'eli embarked on a journey to Yemen. While in Yemen, he heard tales of Jews living deep in the desert in the region of Hadramaut - Jews referred to by Yemeni Jews as "El Mashreq," Jews of the East. These Jews lived 300 kilometers east of Aden. Such a distance may not seem far today, but considering the harsh desert landscape at the time, it was significant. The boundary of the Ottoman Empire was Aden, where order prevailed. Eastwards, in the heart of the desert, there was lawlessness, and non-Muslim travelers could be robbed.

Despite the risks, Yavne'eli, excited by the possibility of discovering an unknown Jewish community, headed towards the city of Chaban, the largest Jewish city among the "El Mashreq" Jewish towns. The journey was not without peril; he was robbed on the way and arrived in dire straits. The Jews of Chaban assisted him, and he sent a letter to the Jews of Israel describing what he saw. He wrote: "The Jews scattered throughout these lands are renowned among all of Yemen and Aden. They are said to be brave and always armed, with long, wild hair... The names Bida, Chaban, are spoken with a special reverence by the people of Yemen, and the Jews hold them in similar regard."

Although the first documentation we have is a hundred years old, the Jewish community in Chaban has existed for a very long time. According to their tradition, they were exiled there during the First Temple period and refer to themselves as "Rosh Golim" (Head of the Exiles). Their hair is long and uncut, and their clothing resembles ancient depictions of the residents of the Land of Israel during biblical times, complete with white turbans on their heads. They have no Kohanim or Levites among them. They practice unique traditions and have no knowledge of the Talmud. The only books they have are those of Maimonides, sent to them by Yemenite Jews at some time or another, and they follow these texts.

The Jewish quarter of Chaban is built in a circular design around the king's palace. According to Chaban tradition, many years ago, the city was besieged by powerful enemies. The king, at a loss on how to manage the city against them, was guided by a blind yet very wise Jew named Solomon, who saved the city. In return, the Jew requested to build a street for the Jews around the king's palace, and his request was granted. All the Jews of Chaban are silversmiths.

In the year 1945, the Jewish sage of Chaban sent a letter to the Jewish Agency in Jerusalem, stating among other things: "I, Zechariah Chabani, inquire of your well-being, and after inquiring of your welfare, I must inform you of our brothers' situation in Chaban Hadramaut, where they live in distress and great danger from both hunger and the edicts of the king of Chaban, Hussein Abdullah, and his sons. We previously lived here peacefully, and the kingdom of Chaban respected us more than all the gentiles. They asked us why we don't immigrate to the Land of Israel. We said this is the Land of Israel... What Hashem did for us was to give us a wicked king who would impose more decrees on us than Haman, so that we would fulfill, 'You shall return to Hashem your God.'"

With a special operation, the Jewish Agency managed to bring the people of Chaban to Israel. They walked hundreds of kilometers to the port of Aden, then traveled to the Land of Israel. Upon the arrival of the first immigrants, Yedioth Ahronoth reported in Iyar 1945: "Two princes and a princess have come from the east to the Land of Israel a month ago. This is Zechariah Chabani, his wife, and his nephew. Until now, only a select few knew of the existence of Jews in Chaban, this Hadramaut, a twelve-day camel journey through the desert to Aden. Their arrival sparked great curiosity... many stories of bravery have been told about Jews who were free men, armed, and skilled in swordsmanship as much as their neighbors... Where did they learn such beautiful Hebrew? Their well-wishers ask? They reply that they have two synagogues and study the Torah, and they consider themselves part of the Tribe of Judah..."

In Israel, the Chabanis settled as a single community in the village of Baraket (near Shoham), and to this day, they are distinguished by their unique appearance and customs.