MIZRACHI
MIZRACHI by Henriette Dahan Kalev
Mizrahi women are Jewish women whose origin comes from Arab and Moslem countries. The meaning of the word ‘mizrah’ in Hebrew is “orient”, and ‘Mizrahim’ most often refers to men and women that migrated to Israel from the Middle East and North Africa. When the words ‘Mizrah’ (’Mizrahim’ is plural) is used nowadays it is heavily loaded with political, economic and cultural connotations. It indicates tension between Jews of European and American origin (often referred to as ‘Ashkenasim’) and ‘Mizrahim’ in Israel. The tension began right at the establishment of the State of Israel as a result of deprivation of the Mizrahim by the Zionist establishment.
The Zionist establishment consisted mainly of Jews of European origin, and so ethnic tension is immanent to the construct of the Israeli society. However, ‘Mizrahim’ and ‘Ashkenazim’ are Jewish ethnic groups that are so defined in Israel and nowhere else. In Israel, like in the vast majority of the countries in the world, women’s status is lower than men’s. Therefore Mizrahi women in Israel find themselves discriminated against and marginalized twice: as Mizrahi and as women. They are discriminated against by Ashkenazi women, and by Ashkenazi and Mizrahi men. Consequently, in social and political spheres, they are the most inferior Jewish social group of society.
In 1995 a small group of Mizrahi women feminists burst out at the Annual Feminist Conference in Givat Haviva, Israel, and demanded that the Ashkenazi women stop excluding them from the activities in women’s organizations. They accused Ashkenazi women of the Mizrahi marginalization and exclusion from the feminist activities. The Ashkenasi women denied their responsibility, and the conflict resulted in an ethnic split of the women’s organizations. In the coming years the Mizrahi feminist women organized their own conferences and in 2000 the Mizrahi leading feminists founded their own organization called Ahoti ( in Hebrew, “My Sister”).
Henriette Dahan Kalev is the head of the Gender Studies Program in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Ben Gurion University
MIZRACHI by Shlomit Lir,
The road to self-identification as a Mizrahi woman was not a simple one for me. It took me some time to learn and realize that many of my friends experienced a similar path, which included denying the whole issue. This is not surprising. One of the main concepts at the center of Israeli society is that of the melting pot, the idea that after thousands of years in the Diaspora, Jews from different countries gather together, put the past behind, and mold a new identity. So why then talk about ethnic origin, and why does it matter?
The main reason is that as it turned out, the common identity had clear marks: the ideal was depicted as an Ashkenazi, secular, male. The hierarchy under the uniting concept remained hidden, and yet clearly the place of Mizrahi women was set to be marginal: working class peripheral citizens. But even when we apparently succeeded, by establishing a respected career or getting high university degrees, something was wrong. Something did not feel right.
For whoever is defined by others rather than by their own self is lacking something essential. Whoever cannot find a respectful reflection that allows self-recognition in the surrounding is missing an opportunity for self-development and complete self-realization.
Once Mizrahi women, like me, reclaimed their self-definition – accepted the term “Mizrahi”, which was bestowed on us from the outside and held negative unspoken connotations and defined them in an unempowering way – we were able to gather our strength and challenge the hidden foundations of the society within Israel.
I am Mizrahi, I don’t turn my back on my past heritage any more. I know that the past is necessary for the future. I believe that by denying my heritage, I was denying myself. Succumbing to the unspoken. I challenge the prejudiced, criticizing gaze. I understand its politics. I am a Mizrahi woman – knowing and reclaiming this, I am empowered.
Shlomit Lir, Co-Founder of the feminist organisation “Achoti”
3. MIZRACHI, MIZRAHI
Before 1948 an estimated 900,000 Jews lived in what we now know as the Arab states. Since then, the vast majority have left, forcibly in many cases, bringing the total down to fewer than 8,000. The conflict with Israel has undoubtedly been a major factor in this.
The history of Jewish communities in the Arab world is not widely known and tends to be denied or played down by Arabs, often for political reasons.
The aim of this page is to cast a little more light on the subject through links to relevant websites (but please note that we are not responsible for their content). Recognising that this is a sensitive topic, we have tried to include a balanced range of sources. Readers are invited to contact us with suggestions for additional links or other improvements.
Although Jewish-Arab and Jewish-Muslim relations are often viewed in terms of conflict, the historical reality is a lot more complex, as some of the links on this page show. Some writers argue that conflict is by no means inevitable and that, in broad historical terms, Jews have been less ill-treated in the Arab world than elsewhere.
