The Forgotten Refugees, from Justice for Jews from Arab Countries

Middle School (Grades 6-8)

High School (Grades 9-12)

2 lessons (50 minutes each)

Context & Purpose

The purpose of this Teachers’ Guide is to provide guidance and resources that will allow you to introduce your students to the history and legacy “The Forgotten Refugees.” 

This Educational Unit on Jewish refugees from Arab countries is a ‘pilot edition’, prepared expressly for the November 2007 program in the tri-state Jewish school system. 

Feel free to follow, or experiment with the lesson plans. These materials could be integrated into a variety of curricular areas or as enrichment activities. The sponsors welcome your comments and feedback forms are included at the end of this section.

Learning Objectives

The goals of this Educational Unit are to educate and engage students by: 

  1. Introducing the narrative of the Jews from Arab countries, and restoring it to its rightful place within Jewish literacy; and
  2. Presenting a fact based, historical context for the 2,500 saga of Jews in Arab countries, to better understand the current Arab-Israeli situation; and
  3. Encouraging students to collect information on the personal lives and stories of SephardiMizrahi Jews who were displaced from their ancestral homes.

This Educational Unit is designed to assist you and your students in learning, and engaging in informed discussion, about this historical displacement of Jews from Arab countries. Its objectives:

1) To educate students about the history, heritage and subsequent plight and flight of Jews from Arab countries; and

2) To inform students about, and facilitate their engagement in larger, contemporary Jewish issues – in this case, Middle East refugees.

As a guide for educators, this Educational Unit provides an invaluable collection of guided lesson plans; a 15 minute film entitled produced by the David Project and directed by Michel Grynzspan; optional lessons, resource materials, and suggestions for further inquiry. The unit was approved by the New York Board of Jewish Education and is the most comprehensive curriculum on the issue of Jewish refugees from the Middle East and North Africa.

Areas: History, Israel Studies, Bible, Geography, Current Events

Type of Lesson: Introductory

Goals:

  1. Students will explore historical facts about Sephardi-Mizrahi Jewry who were indigenous to North Africa, the Middle East and the Gulf region;
  2. Students will examine life for Jews living in and contributing to, their countries under Muslim rule; and
  3. Students will gain understanding of and empathy towards the plight of Jewish refugees from Arab countries.

Materials:

  1. DVD: “The Forgotten Refugees” (15 minutes)
  2. Glossary of Terms (See attached Appendix B: p. 9)
  3. Advanced Organizer (See attached Appendix E: p. 12)
  4. Population Chart (See attached Appendix F: p. 14)
  5. Map of Jewish Refugees Flight to Israel (See attached Appendix G: p. 15)

Lesson Plan Details (PDF): Forgotten Refugees