Embracing Diversity…Jewish Cemetery in Bahrain

An Intimate Discussion with President of the Association of Gulf Jewish Communities

The Jewish response to death and dying reveals a story of honor, respect, and care for the deceased as one of the commandments. The establishment of a cemetery is a foremost priority, thereby reflecting Jewish identity and belonging to the Jewish community abroad. Yet, in the following decades, the tense and ever-changing landscape of the Middle East has left little space for Jewish communities, let alone a cemetery and commandments.

As one of the most inclusive and tolerant countries in the world, Bahrain is rightfully considered to be the bearer of the best traditions of democracy. People of all faiths have lived and continue to live in conditions of complete freedom and equality, as Bahrain welcomes their beliefs with open arms and embraces them settle, expressing universal care. Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa took steps unprecedented for an Arab leader, to show his support for the rapidly dwindling Jewish population. The Kingdom of Bahrain became the first Arab country to appoint its first Jewish woman ambassador to the United States, Houda Ezra Ebrahim Nonoo. And this was not the only step towards mutual understanding and respect for cultural diversity in Bahrain.

The Jews living here have been emotionally attached to Bahrain, their beloved country, and have always expressed closer allegiance. To this day, the Kingdom of Bahrain is the only Gulf state where a Jewish cemetery dating back to 1930s is located and preserved as a tribute to cultural diversity and mutual respect. The Arab Jews of Bahrain continue to live in accordance with their traditional values ​​and culture from generation to generation, thereby realizing their religious aspirations without losing their identity.

The Jewish community began to settle in Bahrain in the early 1900s, mainly from Iraq, while some also came from Iran and India. Most of them were traders who decided that Bahrain was the ideal country to build a life in. They mainly lived in the Manama area in search of a more meaningful life. By the 1930s, thriving Jewish community numbered about 1,500 members. In order to preserve the heritage of their ancestors and maintain cultural traditions, the community founded a synagogue and a Jewish cemetery. Alas, the inevitable times of crisis made a significant negative impact on this prosperous community.

In the years following the riots of December 1947 and early 1948, and the Six-Day War of 1967, large numbers of Jews left Bahrain. However, it is important to highlight that those Jewish families who left were not forced to leave. They did so of their own free will. By 1948, approximately 600 Jews remained in Bahrain, since with each regional escalation of violence and/or oppression more and more Jews left the country and region, spreading throughout the world. The Jewish synagogue was desecrated and the Torah scrolls were stolen. It was not until mid-1980’s that the damaged Torah Scrolls were returned, for the reason that whoever had kept it suffered sickness and disease.

Fortunately, these sad events have strengthened the attachment of Arab Jews to Bahrain even among those who left the Kingdom but felt blessed to be Bahraini citizens and those who stayed; growing up in Bahrain as a Jew has been special to them. Nowadays, the small Jewish community of Bahrain (less than a hundred people) still plays a significant role as a shining beacon that preserves and protects its ancestral heritage by honoring the deceased.

The House of the Ten Commandments Synagogue (HOTC) launched a project to repair, maintain and finance the only Jewish cemetery in the Gulf region, located in Manama. Reflecting on this important step in preserving cultural and social values of Jewish community in Bahrain, Abraham Dawood Nonoo, head of the HOTC, stated that as long as Jews are present in Bahrain and the Gulf, a cemetery should also exist, along with the synagogue. As part of the initiative, trees have been planted in the cemetery to pay homage to those who have lived for centuries in the thriving Jewish community of Bahrain and to provide shade for the new generation of Jews born and living in Bahrain.

Descendants of the first Jewish families in Bahrain believe that the friendships that can be formed on this diverse and inclusive island are unlike any other, friendships without formality, knowing each other’s strengths and weaknesses. They say Bahrain has always been their home and that protecting and renovating synagogue and cemetery will help the Jewish community in the heart of Bahrain continue to grow and thrive.