The Last Tribesman of Israel - Afghanistan 2007

The history of Jewry in Afghanistan probably started more than 2500 years ago, at the times of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and the Babylonian Exile. During the course of centuries the Jewish community grew to an estimated 40.000-80.000 people. From the 19th century onwards, anti-Jewish sentiments and regulations, and the establishing of the state of Israel led to an increasing emigration. After the Soviet invasion in Afghanistan in 1979 most of the then remaining 300 Jews left the country. Upon the arrival of the Taliban regime only two Jews were still cliving in Afghanistan, both in Kabul.
Zablon Simontov and Isaac Levy shared the synagogue and surrounding buildings in the center of Kabul, but at the same time hated each other. Various versions of their life under the Taliban are circulating. Their hostility should be based on each one of them claiming to be the true caretaker of the synagogue and its Torah. Finally, personal allegations were running so high, that they both ended up in Taliban prison for a while. The Taliban position towards both men has been, at least, ambivalent. On the one hand, the Jewish men did not have to grow a beard, as other male Afghans, because it was accepted that they were not muslim. On the other hand, a Taliban commander who lived opposite the synagogue forced the men to convert to Islam and instructed the locksmith next door to make sure the men were visiting the mosque five times per day for prayer. Also the Taliban are said to have stolen valuable, old judaica from the synagogue.
Despite the hard life Simintov and Levy stayed in Kabul, also because they had muslim friends and neigbours who, just like them, were suffering from the repressive regime of the Taliban. In January 2005 Isaac Levy died, leaving Zablon Simintov with the remnants of Afghan Jewish history.
Zablon Simintov was born in Herat. There he had a wholesale business in toys. Following the faction fighting after the Soviet invasion he left Herat in 1980 and moved to Kabul where he continued his business. In 1992, during the civil war, he fled Afghanistan and went to Turkmenistan. There he got married and had two daughters. After bringing his wife and daughters to Israel he returned to Afghanistan in 1998 to protect and continue his business. However, in 2001, during the last days of their regime, the Taliban looted his business. Since then he has no work and income anymore. He lives of loans from friends and money he demands from foreign journalists in exchange for interviews and reportages.
The synagogue and annexes, built in 1966, were damaged during the civil war. Only a dusty pile of books and a few framed texts are left of the original judaica. Zablon lives in one room, where the tv is switched on all day. He watches sports, Dari dubbed Indian soap series and the news. Visits and tv watching are interrupted by his regular prayers. But during his prayers he is also casting a glance on the tv and interrupts the prayers to comment on the news if necessary.
In the north-east of Kabul is the old Jewish cemetery. Today it measures approximately 600 square metres, before at least 900. All tombstones are vanished, a brick wall is surrounding an empty field. The place is guarded over by the muslim Ameri family, who are on friendely terms with Zablon. Many of Zablon’s relatives are buried here. From time to time he visits the cemetery for prayer.
Apart from his wife and daughters, five brothers and sisters of Zablon live in Israel. He has not seen them since 1998. When asked if he wants to migrate to Israel, he answers affirmative. However, without financial support from third parties – relatives, the state of Israel or organisations - this can not be realised.