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Fearing Return Of Taliban, Afghanistan's Last Jew Plans To Move To Israel
Writer: Akshita Mehta
Akshita Mehta is currently pursuing triple majors in Journalism, Psychology, and Literature from Christ Deemed to be University, Bangalore. She believes that sharing the stories of ordinary citizens are a tool to change society.
Others/World, 3 May 2021 5:08 AM GMT
Editor : Palak Agrawal |
Palak a journalism graduate believes in simplifying the complicated and writing about the extraordinary lives of ordinary people. She calls herself a " hodophile" or in layman words- a person who loves to travel.
Creatives : Palak Agrawal
Palak a journalism graduate believes in simplifying the complicated and writing about the extraordinary lives of ordinary people. She calls herself a " hodophile" or in layman words- a person who loves to travel.
61-year-old Zebulon Simentov had survived a Soviet invasion, a brutal civil war, the Taliban's draconian rule, and the US-led occupation of his country. Over the years, all of Simentov’s relatives left, including his wife and two daughters.
61-year-old Zebulon Simentov, Afghanistan's last Jew, has announced that he will be leaving the region in the wake of the Taliban's return.
Even during the Soviet invasion, a brutal civil war, the Taliban's draconian rule, and the US-led occupation of his country, he refused to leave Afghanistan. Over the years, all of Simentov's relatives left, including his wife and two daughters, as reported by The Times of Israel.
However, the recent agreement reached by Washington to withdraw all the US forces by the end of the year and ongoing peace talks between the insurgents and the Afghan government has increased the probability of the Taliban's return.
"Why should I stay? They call me an infidel. I'm the last, the only Jew in Afghanistan... It could get worse for me here. I have decided to leave for Israel if the Taliban returns," said Simentov.
"The Taliban are still the same as 21 years ago. I have lost faith in Afghanistan... there is no more life here.", he added.
Taliban's Violence
Simentov considers the years preceding the Soviet war to be the best for Afghanistan. "At that time, followers of every religion and sect had full freedom," he said, describing himself as a proud Afghan. However, he has become bitter as a result of recent events.
"This disgraceful Taliban regime put me in prison four times," he recalled.
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