Jews Under Islamic Rule — A Historical Journey
Omer Karavani previews his August 14th presentation
Hello everyone!
I hope you are doing well in those hot\windy\raining\cold\humid\all of the above days of summer. (The Midwest is an interesting place indeed.)
On August 14th at 7 PM, I will have the privilege of giving a presentation at the Federation titled “Jews Under Islamic Rule”, an exploration of a fascinating and often overlooked chapter in Jewish history. I created this presentation because the media often overlooks the Jews of the Middle East and North Africa. Also, since my family is from the Middle East, I decided it’s important to share this story.
This lesson is not only a historical overview, but also a dive into the experiences, challenges, and cultural development of Jewish communities living under Islamic rule across centuries and continents.
I had the honor of giving this presentation in two meaningful settings prior to our next event. First, at the Forever Learning Institute in South Bend, Indiana, as part of a three-part lecture series I developed for adult learners interested in Jewish history and culture.
Second, I gave it in Wilmington, Delaware, where I was invited by my friend and fellow Israeli emissary Yuval Moha to present this to the local Jewish community and federation.
In this upcoming presentation, I will cover key topics that often go unexplored in traditional narratives. We’ll begin by establishing the indigenous connection of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel, grounding the broader discussion in the historical and ancestral roots of the Jewish nation.
Long before Islam, Jews had kingdoms, prophets, and temples in the land—something crucial to understanding later periods of Jewish exile and adaptation.
From there, we will examine the Islamic conquests and the beginning of Islam which dramatically reshaped the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Europe and the connection to the Jewish people in the land.
We will discuss the golden age of Judaism under Islamic rule, where philosophers, scientists, and leaders flourished. They contributed not only to Jewish civilization but to Islamic and global knowledge with ideas and practices that to this day are considered the norm.
We will also turn our attention to unique communities like the Yemenite Jews, who preserved ancient customs, melodies, and Hebrew pronunciation. We’ll explore why Yemenite Jews are so distinct, and what their story teaches us about resilience, adaptation, and diversity within the Jewish people.
I hope you’ll join me on August 14th for “Jews Under Islamic Rule.” Come with curiosity and leave with a broader understanding of one of the most important and intriguing chapters in Jewish history and communities.
You can register for this presentation at TheJewishFed.org/Omer or by calling (574) 233-1164.
Omer Karavani
Israeli Emissary
574-233-1164 x1819
Israel@theJewishFed.org