Bridging Identities
The Cultural Odyssey of
Kurdistani Jews
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What is the value of our past? When we carry our languages and stories from one generation to the next, from one country to another, what exactly do we gain?
Ariel Sabar, My Father’s Paradise: A Son's Search For His Family's Past





This exhibition is a journey through the poignant narrative of Kurdistani Jews as they migrated to the land of Israel/Palestine.
Delve into the intricate tapestry of experiences and stories, illuminating the cultural heritage of Kurdish Jews as their resilient journey intertwines historical events and personal aspirations.
There were no seats on the plane. We all sat on the floor. We first came to Haifa where we stayed for five or six months.
When the elderly of our village in Kurdistan saw how green this place (Agur) was, they decided to settle here, 14 families in total. Our houses were made of tin.
--- Yosef
Yosef was born in Qeladizê in Kurdistan. He was raised in Erbil by his aunt after his mother died when he was six months old. He gave his interview in Kurmanji.
My parents spoke Kurmanji and Arabic at home back in Iraq. But when we arrived in Israel, my father said, ‘We’ve come to the country of the Jews, we’ll speak only Hebrew!’
We children spoke Arabic, but once in Israel, he wouldn’t have us speak in any other language. When we learned Hebrew, we spoke with them only in Hebrew.
--- Rachel
Born into a family of Kurdish origin in Baghdad, Rachel immigrated to Israel at the age of five with her family. She may be among the last who still makes her tea in a samovar.
The immigration of Kurdistani Jews to Palestine began as gradual trickles in the 1800s and continued until the mid-twentieth century.
The final mass migration to Israel took place from 1951-52. Around 120,000 Iraqi Jews were airlifted to Israel as part of Operations Ezra and Nehemiah.
According to some estimates, Kurdistani Jews and their descendants number around 150-200,000 in Israel today.
Kurdish Jews, along with other Mizrahi migrants, arrived in Israel without property and in destitute conditions.
Their homecoming was supposed to provide them a life without stigmatisation or discrimination, but these new circumstances in Israel initially failed to meet their expectations.
The images here capture their movements, as families left their homes to begin a new life.





The key is to assimilate into the society that you’re moving into. If you are running from oppression, don't bring the oppression into your new home.
Don't make it follow you … this is a choice that you have made to keep you safe, your family safe for whatever reason.
--- Leah
Leah was born and raised in Israel, then made a significant move to the United Kingdom after her marriage. Establishing herself in the heart of London, she now owns a thriving shop.
Every time I’d go to Israel, I’d be very emotional because I take a lot of Kurdish and Middle Eastern values on family.
But when I talk to my other friends about it, they don't understand it the same way as me.
And I feel like that’s also what drives my consciousness and my passion for being not just a Jew, but a Kurdish Jew.
--- Daniel
Leah's son Daniel recently graduated from university, and together they reside in the vibrant city of London.
I travelled to Kurdistan, the place where our family roots are. I wanted to see where I came from.
Where we visited, people welcomed us so warmly. I even slept in their houses. I failed to observe the Shabbat there. But I think it is fine, it was a once in a lifetime experience after all.
--- Osnat (Asnat)
Osnat was born in Kurdistan and immigrated to Israel as a child in 1951. Today she runs a restaurant from her home in Agur, serving her guests traditional Kurdish dishes and her unparalleled humour on the side.
The Jews of Kurdistan have a rich history which dates back to ancient times...

Nusaybin, Turkey, the home of many Kurdish groups
Nusaybin, Turkey, the home of many Kurdish groups

“The Kal’a”, Erbil. Painting by K. Meir Ben Ozer
In the eighth century BCE, the Assyrians conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel and forcibly resettled Jews to the region later known as Kurdistan.
Until the mid-twentieth century, Jewish communities, who spoke various dialects of the neo-Aramaic language, existed in all four parts of Kurdistan.
The majority of these communities centred in Iraqi Kurdistan in cities such as Zakho, Amadiya, Aqra, Dohuk, Arbil, Kirkuk and Sulaimaniya.

Inside a typical Jewish home in Erbil. Painting by K. Meir Ben Ozer
They lived in rural areas under the mandate of Kurdish tribes and received protection from Kurdish tribal leaders.

Women washing clothes in the river. Painting by K. Meir Ben Ozer
Women washing clothes in the river. Painting by K. Meir Ben Ozer

“The Kal’a”, Erbil. Painting by K. Meir Ben Ozer
“The Kal’a”, Erbil. Painting by K. Meir Ben Ozer

Inside a typical Jewish home in Erbil. Painting by K. Meir Ben Ozer
Inside a typical Jewish home in Erbil. Painting by K. Meir Ben Ozer

With almost no pictures to remember Kurdistan by, Kurdish Jews often relied on their memory to recreate the Jewish landscape of their once homeland Kurdistan. The above map, which was prepared by the Erbilian Jews’ Heritage Foundation, shows the Jewish neighbourhood of Erbil. Each house is marked by the name of its residents.
With almost no pictures to remember Kurdistan by, Kurdish Jews often relied on their memory to recreate the Jewish landscape of their once homeland Kurdistan. The above map, which was prepared by the Erbilian Jews’ Heritage Foundation, shows the Jewish neighbourhood of Erbil. Each house is marked by the name of its residents.
After centuries of coexistence, outbreaks of violence and discrimination, exemplified by the Farhud pogrom in Baghdad, cast shadows of fear and uncertainty, compelling many to seek refuge in Israel. Faced with perilous circumstances, Kurdish Jews were often forced to leave behind their homes, properties, and cherished belongings, as they embarked on a journey into the unknown.

The Yakutiye Fountain, in the former Jewish neighbourhood of Mardin, Turkey, is called the Jewish Fountain by locals. The exact date of its construction is unknown, but was probably sometime in the 18th or 19th century.
Remarkably, many Kurdish Jews were permitted to leave Iraq under the condition of relinquishing their citizenship and assets, with the solemn pledge of not returning—a bittersweet testament to their unwavering resolve and the sacrifices made in pursuit of a better future.

The Jewish market in Mardin’s Old City.
Their situation grew more precarious with the reorganisation of the Middle East after the First World War and the subsequent emergence of nation-states in the Kurdistan region.

Document of authorisation declaring Rabbi Shalom Shimoni as the shochet (Jewish ritual slaughterer) and the mohel (person who performs ritual Jewish circumcisions) of the city of Zakho in the year 1904-1905.
Document of authorisation declaring Rabbi Shalom Shimoni as the shochet (Jewish ritual slaughterer) and the mohel (person who performs ritual Jewish circumcisions) of the city of Zakho in the year 1904-1905.

Grandmother Zarifa and her three daughters Sara, Osnat and Miriam, c. 1928
Grandmother Zarifa and her three daughters Sara, Osnat and Miriam, c. 1928

The Yakutiye Fountain, in the former Jewish neighbourhood of Mardin, Turkey, is called the Jewish Fountain by locals. The exact date of its construction is unknown, but was probably sometime in the 18th or 19th century.
The Yakutiye Fountain, in the former Jewish neighbourhood of Mardin, Turkey, is called the Jewish Fountain by locals. The exact date of its construction is unknown, but was probably sometime in the 18th or 19th century.

The Jewish market in Mardin’s Old City.
The Jewish market in Mardin’s Old City.


My only surviving aunt passed away two months ago. No one and nothing are left that can connect us to our heritage anymore.
That’s why I wrote a book. That’s why I’m giving this interview so that there is more record. I will die one day too. Soon there will really be no one who is going to preserve these things.
--- Eti
Having hailed from a family from Erbil and grown up within a vibrant Kurdish community in Jerusalem, Eti has always been concerned with immortalising the stories of the Kurdish Jewish community.
In 2019, she published The Mountain Girls, a biographical retelling of the life stories of the women in her family in Kurdistan.
Ever since I was a child, my dream was to be a writer. Even when I first started studying and didn’t know how to read and write well, I knew that I wanted to write a book.
The first book I published was called The Zakho Tales, in which I documented the folk tales that had been passed down orally among generations.
--- Varda
Varda was nine years old when she and her family left Kurdistan in 1951. Because of the hard conditions upon their arrival in Israel, she started working washing clothes.
Her parents didn’t want her to go to school, saying it was shameful for girls to study. She went on to write the first Hebrew- Aramaic-Syriac dictionary in the Zakho dialect.
The first generation of Kurdish Jews who now reside in Israel often reminisce fondly about their days in Kurdistan, despite occasional tensions that may have marked their history.
Having successfully built new lives in Israel, they maintain nostalgic ties to their former homeland.

Portraits of people clad in traditional Kurdish clothes during Seharane
Portraits of people clad in traditional Kurdish clothes during Seharane
What is particularly intriguing is their commitment to preserving their heritage through the vibrant mediums of culinary and musical traditions.
By weaving the rich tapestry of their cultural identity into the fabric of their new lives, the Kurdistani Jews not only connect with their roots but also impart a sense of history and belonging to future generations.
The intricate flavours of their traditional cuisine and the evocative melodies of their music serve as powerful conduits for storytelling, encapsulating the essence of their journey – one that embraces both the challenges of the past and the promise of a culturally rich future.

Kurdish musicians playing for Seharane crowds
Kurdish musicians playing for Seharane crowds

A Kurdish woman preparing yaprax (stuffed grape leaves), Jerusalem
A Kurdish woman preparing stuffed grape leaves (yaprax), Jerusalem

Members of the Kurdish community gathered around a floor table donned with traditional Kurdish dishes for Passover
Members of the Kurdish community gathered around a floor table donned with traditional Kurdish dishes for Passover

Kurdish woman cooking a traditional dish
Kurdish woman cooking a traditional dish









The most visible cultural activity for Kurdish Jews is the Seharane festival, a public celebration accompanied by Kurdish music, dancing, and cuisine, which takes place during the Sukkot holiday in October.
In Kurdistan, the Seharane was originally celebrated during the intermediate days of Pesach (Passover), marking the beginning of spring much like the Kurdish Newroz.
In Israel, the festival was moved to October in 1975 so that the Kurdish festival did not coincide with the Mimouna, the post-Pesach celebration of the much larger Moroccan community.
"I believe that we always have to innovate ourselves. It is the way the modern world works...
…For instance, if you bring clowns or organise the Kurdiyada during the summer holiday when parents can actually bring their children to the festival...
…then the children will have a memory of their own...
…Kurdish culture will be imprinted in their memory...
…When he gets married afterwards, he will want to have the zurna played in his wedding. He will want to dance the Kurdish dances."
--- Liron
Liron is a dance instructor, as well as a dahol player, who holds regular Kurdish dance classes across Israel and performs in ceremonies including weddings.
By teaching Kurdish folk dances and mixing Kurdish music with other influences to increase its appeal and outreach, he seeks to bring Kurdish culture to the forefront in Israel.



