Wednesday, September 2, 2015

RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: BAHRAIN'S JEWISH HISTORY: SYNAGOGUE: PEARL TRADE

RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: BAHRAIN'S JEWISH HISTORY: SYNAGOGUE: PEARL TRADE
 

 

Shalom and Peace:

Let us continue our journey to international Jewish communities, and visit Bahrain.

The Talmud reads that Jews lived in Bahrain since antiquity. Arabic sources write that Jews lived in Hajar, Bahrain's past capital, in 630 CE, refusing Islamic conversion when Muhammad's army occupied Bahrain.  Benjamin Tudela recorded that 500 Jews lived in Bahrain controlling Bahrain's pearl commerce.  In 1880, Jews came from Iraq, Iran, and India, thriving in commerce and textiles. Eventually 1500 Jews lived in Bahrain before WW2.

From the 1930's and 1940's, so many Jewish-owned businesses were along Al-Mutanabi Road that it was called "Jews' Street," all closing for Sabbath. With Israel's founding, and anti-Semitic riots, including burning of the synagogue, many Jews immigrated to Israel in 1948 and '49.   The Bahrainis note that the riots were caused by Islamic foreigners. Jewish families hid in Bahraini Muslim homes. More immigration after riots broke out during 1967's Israeli Six Day War, left only 30 Jews. Today 37 are Bahraini Jews with a new synagogue built in Manama, the new capital, on Sasa'ah Avenue near the main Souk. It is a square, simple, light brown building with no symbols or words to identify it as Jewish.  

Jews serve in Bahrain's Shura (parliament), and until 2013, a Jewish woman was Bahrain's ambassador to the USA. It is difficult to obtain a quorum of 10 for prayers; hence the synagogue is not used. Jews considered donating it to charity, but the Bahraini government insisted it remain a synagogue and offered to build a new one. The government also offered land and to rebuild the old synagogue which was destroyed in 1948.  There is no rabbi and holidays and Sabbaths occur in homes. Bahraini Jews claim they feel no religious tension and have equal rights. When the present Emir Hamad Al Khalifa ascended to power, he gathered the Jews together and assured them this policy would continue. Jews supported the Emir during the 2011 "Arab Spring'' riots.  

Bahraini Jews cannot visit Israel, nor can they openly support Israel. However, Bahrain is one of the few Moslem countries that has free trade with Israel and does not boycott Israeli products. As one Jew told us: "Life and business are great; however we can't visit or even phone Israel."

Rabbi Arthur Segal is an international lecturer, author, and teacher. Visit him at www.JewishSpiritualRenewal.org    . Email at RabbiASegal@aol.com  .

RABBI DR ARTHUR SEGAL
REBBETZIN ELLEN SEGAL
www.JewishSpiritualRenewal.com/books www.FaceBook.com/Arthur.L.Segal www.FaceBook.com/RabbiArthurSegalJewishSpiritualRenewal www.RabbiArthurSegal.blogspot.com
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Jewish Renewal
Jewish Spirituality
Hilton Head Island, SC; Bluffton, SC; Savannah, GA

HILTON HEAD JEWISH WEDDINGS: RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: RESORTS, BEACHES, COUNTRY CLUBS

HILTON HEAD JEWISH WEDDINGS: RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: RESORTS, BEACHES, COUNTRY CLUBS
 
 
RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL RABBIASEGAL@AOL.COM

JEWISH WEDDINGS

CONTACT RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL AT RABBIASEGAL@AOL.COM

JEWISH WEDDINGS OFFICIATED BY RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: TRADITIONAL, INTERFAITH, CO-OFFICIANT, DESTINATION

"One of the Joys of being a Rabbi," says Rabbi Arthur Segal," is working closely with the bride and groom and officiating at their wedding." He can do this with couples living near by or with couples having a destination wedding in the greater beautiful Hilton Head Island area.

Rabbi Arthur Segal helps develop a custom ceremony with the couple so that each word in the ceremony rings true to them. His ceremonies can range from the very traditional to what ever the couples desires. Rabbi opines that this is the couple's special day, and to treat each wedding as unique.

For those who are having an interfaith wedding, Rabbi takes special care to respect both traditions, again with total input from the couple. He will be pleased to co-officiate at weddings, using non-Trinitarian language.

Rabbi Arthur Segal also will do recommitment marriage ceremonies with the same care as he does weddings.

Rabbi will work closely with the wedding planer and/or caterer to make sure the wedding is seamless, and the bride and groom can totally enjoy themselves on their special day.

Rabbi Arthur Segal is available, and actually prefers, to be at the rehearsal, to ensure all is going smoothly, and to get to know the bridal party, and family, before the actual wedding day.

For those that wish to have a Ketubah, rabbi will work closely to make sure everyone's name has correct calligraphy on the document, in English and Hebrew, so the signing ceremony is flawless.

For a beautiful gallery of Ketubahs go to JudaicConnection.com  (My couples receive a $15 shipping discount)

Rabbi Arthur Segal tries to limit his weddings to Hilton Head, SC, Bluffton, SC, Palmetto Bluff, SC, Savannah, GA, and Charleston, SC, but has been known to make himself available elsewhere, even out of the USA. He will also conduct weddings and recommitment ceremonies on cruise ships.

In keeping with Jewish ethics, if the couple resides in Rabbi Arthur Segal's town, Rabbi will ask, unless there are some special circumstances, if the couple has first asked the local pulpit rabbi to officiate.

JEWISH WEDDINGS

CONTACT RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL AT RABBIASEGAL@AOL.COM

JEWISH WEDDINGS OFFICIATED BY RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: TRADITIONAL, INTERFAITH, CO-OFFICIANT, DESTINATION

HILTON HEAD JEWISH WEDDINGSWWW.HILTONHEADJEWISHWEDDINGS.COM/WEDDINGS
HILTON HEAD JEWISH INTERFAITH WEDDINGSWWW.HILTONHEADJEWISHINTERFAITHWEDDINGS.COM/WEDDINGS
SAVANNAH JEWISH WEDDINGS WWW.SAVANNAHJEWISHWEDDINGS.COM/WEDDINGS
HILTON HEAD DESTINATION JEWISH WEDDINGS
HILTON HEAD CO-OFFICIANT JEWISH WEDDINGS
SAVANNAH DESTINATION JEWISH WEDDINGS
SAVANNAH CO-OFFICIANT JEWISH WEDDINGS

CHARLESTON JEWISH WEDDINGS

CHARLESTON JEWISH INTERFAITH WEDDINGS

CHARLESTON JEWISH DESTINATION WEDDINGS

CHARLESTON JEWISH CO-OFFICIANT WEDDINGS

KIAWAH ISLAND JEWISH WEDDINGS

KIAWAH ISLAND JEWISH INTERFAITH WEDDINGS

KIAWAH ISLAND JEWISH DESTINATION WEDDINGS

KIAWAH ISLAND JEWISH CO-OFFICIANT WEDDINGS

ISLE OF PALMS WILD DUNES RESORT JEWISH WEDDINGS

ISLE OF PALMS WILD DUNES RESORT JEWISH INTERFAITH WEDDINGS

ISLE OF PALMS WILD DUNES RESORT JEWISH DESTINATION WEDDINGS

ISLE OF PALMS WILD DUNES RESORT JEWISH CO-OFFICIANT WEDDINGS

PALMETTO BLUFF RESORT JEWISH WEDDINGS

PALMETTO BLUFF RESORT JEWISH INTERFAITH WEDDINGS

PALMETTO BLUFF RESORT JEWISH DESTINATION WEDDINGS

PALMETTO BLUFF RESORT JEWISH CO-OFFICIANT WEDDINGS

BLUFFTON SOUTH CAROLINA JEWISH WEDDINGS

BLUFFTON SOUTH CAROLINA JEWISH INTERFAITH WEDDINGS

BLUFFTON SOUTH CAROLINA JEWISH DESTINATION WEDDINGS

BLUFFTON SOUTH CAROLINA JEWISH CO-OFFICIANT WEDDINGS

TYBEE ISLAND GEORGIA JEWISH WEDDINGS

 TYBEE ISLAND GEORGIA JEWISH INTERFAITH WEDDINGS

TYBEE ISLAND GEORGIA JEWISH DESTINATION WEDDINGS

TYBEE ISLAND GEORGIA JEWISH CO-OFFICIANT WEDDINGS

SEA ISLANDS GEORGIA JEWISH WEDDINGS

 SEA ISLANDS GEORGIA JEWISH INTERFAITH WEDDINGS

SEA ISLANDS GEORGIA JEWISH DESTINATION WEDDINGS

 SEA ISLANDS GEORGIA JEWISH CO-OFFICIANT WEDDINGS

CLOISTER RESORT GEORGIA JEWISH WEDDINGS

CLOISTER RESORT GEORGIA JEWISH INTERFAITH WEDDINGS

 CLOISTER RESORT GEORGIA JEWISH DESTINATION WEDDINGS

CLOISTER RESORT GEORGIA JEWISH CO-OFFICIANT WEDDINGS

JEKYLL ISLAND RESORT GEORGIA JEWISH WEDDINGS

JEKYLL ISLAND RESORT GEORGIA JEWISH INTERFAITH WEDDINGS

JEKYLL ISLAND RESORT GEORGIA JEWISH DESTINATION WEDDINGS

JEKYLL ISLAND RESORT GEORGIA JEWISH CO-OFFICIANT WEDDINGS

AMELIA ISLAND RITZ CARLTON RESORT GEORGIA JEWISH WEDDINGS

AMELIA ISLAND RITZ CARLTON RESORT GEORGIA JEWISH INTERFAITH WEDDINGS

AMELIA ISLAND RITZ CARLTON RESORT GEORGIA JEWISH DESTINATION WEDDINGS

AMELIA ISLAND RITZ CARLTON RESORT GEORGIA JEWISH CO-OFFICIANT WEDDINGS

JACKSONVILLE FLORIDA BEACHES JEWISH WEDDINGS

 JACKSONVILLE FLORIDA BEACHES JEWISH INTERFAITH WEDDINGS

 JACKSONVILLE FLORIDA BEACHES JEWISH DESTINATION WEDDINGS

 JACKSONVILLE FLORIDA BEACHES JEWISH CO-OFFICIANT WEDDINGS

MYRTLE BEACH SOUTH CAROLINA JEWISH WEDDINGS

MYRTLE BEACH SOUTH CAROLINA JEWISH INTERFAITH WEDDINGS

MYRTLE BEACH SOUTH CAROLINA JEWISH DESTINATION WEDDINGS

MYRTLE BEACH SOUTH CAROLINA  JEWISH CO-OFFICIANT WEDDINGS

 
 
 
RABBI DR ARTHUR SEGAL
REBBETZIN ELLEN SEGAL
www.JewishSpiritualRenewal.com/books www.FaceBook.com/Arthur.L.Segal www.FaceBook.com/RabbiArthurSegalJewishSpiritualRenewal www.RabbiArthurSegal.blogspot.com 
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Jewish Renewal
Jewish Spirituality
Hilton Head Island, SC; Bluffton, SC; Savannah, GA
 
RABBI DR ARTHUR SEGAL
www.JewishSpiritualRenewal.com/books www.FaceBook.com/Arthur.L.Segal www.FaceBook.com/RabbiArthurSegalJewishSpiritualRenewal www.RabbiArthurSegal.blogspot.com 
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Jewish Renewal
Jewish Spirituality
Hilton Head Island, SC; Bluffton, SC; Savannah, GA
RABBI DR ARTHUR SEGAL
www.JewishSpiritualRenewal.com/books www.FaceBook.com/Arthur.L.Segal www.FaceBook.com/RabbiArthurSegalJewishSpiritualRenewal www.RabbiArthurSegal.blogspot.com
Jewish Spiritual Renewal
Jewish Renewal
Jewish Spirituality
Hilton Head Island, SC; Bluffton, SC; Savannah, GA