On the silence of the Yemenites

Today host Marcela Sulak reads the poetry of Ahron Almog, a poet, playwright, and novelist who was born in Tel Aviv in 1931 to a Yemenite family. His grandfather, who immigrated to Palestine with the "Ahaleh BeTamar" operation (1881-1882), was among those who established the Yemenite Quarter ("Kerem HaTemanim") in Tel Aviv, where Almog was born.

"Yemenites from the transit camp came to my grandfather’s housesat and kept silentwhile one sang the other waitedso I was raised between howlingand silence..."

Almog graduated from the Mikve Yisrael Agricultural School and Tel Aviv University, and taught Hebrew literature at a Tel Aviv high school. He is married to the novelist Ruth Almog, and they have two daughters. One of them, Eliana, suggests we consider her father as a poet of quiet protest.

Texts:By Ahron Almog: "On the Silence of the Yemenites"; "About My Mother"; "I Have a Longing"; "The Donkeys Have Disappeared"; "Not Coconut"By Eliana Almog: "My father, the protest poet"

Music:Aharon Amram - Ayin VelevAhuva Ozeri - Shanim ShanimAhuva Ozeri - Mahar Azil Dim'aAharon Amram - Ya TayriShai Tsabari - Me'alai Dmama