The history of Jews in Afghanistan is shrouded in myth. From the Pashtun legend of Lost Tribe origin to the Jewish communal escape from Iran, one thing is clear: Jews have had a presence in Afghanistan for at least 1,000 years. But the story of the last Jew in Afghanistan remains the most well known. Or so you thought.
Big Ideas
- At one time there was a thriving Jewish community in Afghanistan.
- Israel offered a safe haven for Jews who were being persecuted in Afghanistan.
- Jewish history is full of both expulsions and new beginnings.
Essential Questions
- Is there value to having a “last Jew” in a country?
- Do entertaining stories about “last Jews” diminish the trauma they experienced for being Jews?
- How much Jewish history is lost when Jews are forced to leave a country?
