The Departure and Exile of Jews from Arab Countries

Over a million Jews once lived across the Middle East, North Africa, and Iran, in communities that stretched back more than two thousand years. Within a single generation, those communities were uprooted, and the stories of their departure are too often missing from the curricula our students learn. Commemorating this heritage is not only an act of memory. It gives students a fuller picture of the Jewish people, and it helps the many students whose own families came from these lands see their history reflected in what they study.

The Annual Conference to Mark the Departure and Exile of the Jews from Arab Countries, organized by Bar-Ilan University's Dahan Center, together with Jewish Tapestry and Sephardic Heritage Project, will take place on Monday, November 9, 2026. It is being hosted by the Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy and Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School in Livingston, NJ. The day opens with Rabbi…