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Synagogue, al-Hajjarah, Yemen
The town of al-Hajjarah is located in the Haraz Mountains of Yemen, five kilometers west of Manakha. The town dates back to the 11th century AD, and served as an important fortification during the Turkish occupation of Yemen.1 The original town was divided into the Muslim quarter, and the Al-Ba'aha quarter, which was the Jewish quarter.2 The town was built for defense, and there is only one entrance into the town, through the Fortress Gate.3 The Jewish quarter is located outside the fortified area of the town. To get to the Jewish quarter, turn right before the stone stairs leading to the town gate. As has happened in several other towns, the old synagogue has been transformed into a building for housing animals. The Jews of al-Hajjarah lived in the Al- Ba'aha quarter until the 1950s, when they all fled to Israel.
Description
Hajjarah The town of Hajjarah was originally constructed as a safe house for dignitaries.4 Constructed from local sandstone and basalt, later decorated with white gypsum paint, the homes of Hajjarah were windowless on the bottom floors.5 The solid walls served as a protection against invasion. These lower floors were used for protecting livestock and for grain storage. The upper floors were reserved for the family living quarters. The main living room was typically situated on the top floor. These living rooms usually had many airy windows and were furnished with pillows and low couches. These houses in the region, the tallest having four or five stories, having different levels for different purposes; more specifically the first floor is for the animals, the second for the coffee, the third floor for the grains, the fourth for food, and the fifth for chewing qat and wedding ceremonies.6
Sources
[1] Powell, Michael. "Al Hajjarah & Manakhah - Hiking the Haraz Mountains of Yemen." The Candy Trail. http://www.thecandytrail.com/al-hajjarah-manakhah-hiking-yemen/
[2] Annand, Michelle, "The Fortress and Steppes of Hajjarah." Yemen Times, September 22, 2005. Accessed June 25, 2014. http://0-search.proquest.com.luna.wellesley.edu/docview/429781909?accountid=14953
[3] McLaughlin, Daniel. Yemen: the Brandt Travel Guide. Connecticut: Globe Pequot Press Inc., 2007, 93. Accessed June 20, 2014. http://books.google.com/books?id=eQvhZaEVzjcC&lpg
[4] Annand. "The Fortress and Steppes of Hajjarah."
[5] Evans, RJ. "The Secret Cities of Yemen." Kuriositas. August 7, 2011. http://www.kuriositas.com/2011/08/secret-cities-of-yemen.html
[6] Annand. "The Fortress and Steppes of Hajjarah."