#FreeLeviMarhabi & Stop Houthi Antisemitism
During Passover 2021, Houthi terrorists backed by the Iranian regime expelled almost all of Yemen’s last Jews, a tragic example of #antisemitism. Meanwhile, the Houthis continue to illegally imprison Levi Salem Musa Marhabi, a Yemenite Jew who was arrested for allegedly helping a Jewish family escape persecution and bring a Torah scroll with them. Levi, who has been tortured for years, is now partially paralyzed. The Houthis’ hearts are filled with hatred. While Yemen suffers a humanitarian crisis, the Houthis raise money for terrorist causes, practice the Nazi salute, and perpetrate mass atrocities, including bombing mosques during prayer and burning hundreds of African migrants alive. And now, after cursing and persecuting Jews for years, they are ethnically “cleansing” Yemen of its ancient Jewish community. The plight of Yemen’s Jews is too often overlooked and ignored. Those who claim to stand for marginalized peoples and human rights have failed to act. Don’t turn away. Don’t close your eyes. Don’t let another group of Jews become forgotten refugees. And join the ASF’s campaign to #FreeLeviMarhabi!
~The American Sephardi Federation
#YemenCantWait #Houthiterrorism #Ansarallah
‘Death to America, Curse the Jews’: Who are the Houthis?
23 August 2021
This webinar shed light on the little-known yet genocidal Iran-backed terrorist group, the Houthis. The rebel group, which has waged a brutal and years-long civil war in Yemen, took control of Yemen’s capital, Sana’a in 2014.
Guest Speakers Included:
- Rabbi Elie Abadie, M.D., Senior Rabbi of the Jewish Council of the Emirates, Rabbi of Association of Gulf Jewish Communities, and Chair of the ASF’s Council of Sephardic Sages
- Salem Bahfi, author of the “FAMILIAR BUT DISTINCT: Understanding the Houthi Ideology and its Consequences on Yemen,” Embassy of Yemen in Washington, D.C.
- Professor Paul Fenton, Co-Director of the Department of Arabic and Hebrew Studies at the Université Paris-Sorbonne
- Mr. Jason Guberman, Executive Director of the American Sephardi Federation
- Dr. Arwa al-Khattabi, President of the Broken Chair Organization for Mine Victims in Yemen
- Professor Norman Stillman, the Schusterman/Josey Chair Emeritus of Judaic History and Founding Director of the Center for Judaic & Israel Studies at the University of Oklahoma
In March [2022], Jewish Insider reported the executive director of the American Sephardi Federation told the media outlet the Yemeni Jewish individual in detention referenced by UN Special Rapporteur Shaheed in his March report was “undoubtedly Levi Salem Musa Marhabi, who has been illegally imprisoned and tortured by Ansar Allah since 2016.” According to the NGO Insaf, Houthi officials tortured Marhabi during his detention, leaving him partially paralyzed. Houthi authorities accused Marhabi of helping to remove an ancient Torah scroll from the country, but a 2019 Houthi “court” decision ordered his release. The Houthis reportedly continued to demand the return of the scroll from Israel.
~U.S. Department of State, 2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Yemen
"Levi’s case, as cases of Jewish hostages past—from the Jews of Malta to the struggle to free Soviet Jewry—reminds us of Ahdut Israel & Te’udah"~the ASF's Jason Guberman today @HIRBayit's "Virtual #TishaBAv Isaiah 🕊️ Wall Prayer Service" #FreeLeviMarhabi https://t.co/FNtVV7tR43 pic.twitter.com/NvsgkdHY7a
— American Sephardi Federation (ASF) (@AmericanSephard) July 18, 2021
Timeline:
Media:
“SOS! Свободy Леви Мархаби! Campaign for Imprisoned Yemenite Jew” (Sergey Kadinsky/The Bukharian Times)
“Iran-backed Houthis continue to imprison sick Yemeni Jew” (Ali Mahmood/The National)
“A Jewish man, Levi Marhabi, is being held hostage by Yemen’s Houthi rebels” (Gabby Deutch/Jewish Insider)
“US State Department Reiterates Call for Immediate Release of Jewish Man Held Captive by Iranian-Backed Houthi Rebels in Yemen” (Ben Cohen/Algemeiner)
“US State Department: Houthis Must Cease Rights Violations Immediately” (Muath Alamri/Asharq Al-Awsat)
“{الخارجية} الأميركية: على الحوثيين وقف انتهاكات حقوق الإنسان في اليمن فوراً” (الشرق الأوسط/معاذ العمري)
Take Action Now:
- Contact us to get involved
Pictured: Rabbi Yahia Youssef Moussa, Chief Rabbi of Yemen, who is one of the Yemenite Jews exiled to Egypt. During Passover 13 Jews were expelled by the Houthis and joined R’Moussa’s pre-existing group. Interviewed by the Yemeni News Agency about seven years ago, Rabbi Moussa said “‘Yemen is my homeland, and I wish for its security, stability, unity, as well as coexistence and peace.’”