Many Pakistani-born Jews left the country in the 80s and moved to Israel and other parts of the world.
Given the Palestine issue, the relationship between Israel and Muslim countries has generally been poor (give or take a few countries who have ties with the Jewish state).
But the recent peace pact between Muslim-majority UAE and Israel has raised hopes of the Jewish community living in Israel to visit their birthplace in Pakistan again.
Pakistani Jews speak out
The News had an opportunity to speak with Pakistani origin Jews who expressed their desire to visit their motherland soon.
Emanuel Matat, who is currently residing in Israel, wishes to visit Karachi where he spent half of his life. He said,
“Aray! Bhai Hum Ko Biryani Khilao” (Please! make Biryani for me).
Like Emanuel, many Karachi-born Jews received their education in the city in the 50s and 60s, hence they are still familiar with the language.
At the time of partition, there were around 2,500 Jews living in Karachi. However, they only had one synagogue “Magen Shalom” in Ranchore Lines area, one of the oldest settlements in the city.
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The Migration Was Not an Easy Decision
59-year-old Emanuel Matat migrated with his family three decades ago from Pakistan. He and his 10 siblings are the only Jews he knows who were born in Pakistan. His family was the last Jewish family to leave Pakistan in the late 80s but the nostalgia always take them back to the city where religious tolerance was appreciated.
He said,
“When my father got married in 1957 in Karachi, there were 600 Jewish families living in Karachi.”
“My father, Rehamim, was a big businessman (he was in the carpet industry) and he didn’t want to leave, he liked Pakistan a lot,” recalls Matat.
With a heavy heart, Matat said there are no Jewish communities left in Karachi.
“I would not have left Pakistan if there had been no family compulsion.”
Jews Share Memories of a Peaceful Karachi
Matat got his education from BVS (Bai Virbaijee Soparivala) Parsi School in Karachi and shared some wonderful memories of a peaceful multi-cultural megacity.
He recalled that Jews used to gather at Karachi’s synagogue “Magen Shalom” especially on Saturdays, the Jewish holy day.
“Muslim carriage riders sometimes even didn’t take money from us.”
Other Jews also agreed with him and shared their peaceful memories from their childhood in Karachi as well. However, they acknowledge that the situation has changed since then.
Even the only synagogue of the city didn’t survive. Magen Shalom was built in 1893, but it was demolished in 1988 to make way for a shopping plaza. The Jewish cemetery is still there – but with no one to look after it.
They miss their country of birth and are hoping to visit after the normalization of ties. Some also mentioned that the graves of their ancestors and loved ones are in Karachi and they want to visit them.
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pakistan cant even spare muslims.
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