SUITCASE OR COFFIN: 50 YEARS SINCE THE EXODUS OF THE JEWS OF ALGERIA, AN ILLUSTRATED TALK BY LYN JULIUS

Of the 850,000 Jews who left Arab countries, the Jews of Algeria were unusual: they held French nationality, and the great majority resettled in France, not Israel. The Jews tried to maintain neutrality as the war for independence gathered pace, but ultimately to no avail. Together with the French settlers or 'pieds noirs' the Jews were given a stark choice by Algerian Muslim independence fighters: suitcase or coffin. Lyn Julius will explain the background to this unique community and the dilemmas confronting them. A collaboration between the Spiro Ark www.spiroark.org, 02072896321 and Harif www.harif.org, 07506033848