Internees at Abu Zaabal and Tora Prison Camps

This is partial list of 350 Egyptian Jews interned in Abu Zaabal prison in 1967 due to the Six Day war, 165 Rabbanit and 185 Karaites Jews. According to Jacques H Douek son of Rabbi Haiim Douek the last chief Rabbi of Egypt there was close to 500 internees in Abu Zaabal and Tora prison camps.

 All had to leave their families behind. None of them committed any crime, and none of them have been convicted of a crime except that they were Jews.

 All were born in Egypt and held Egyptian Nationality, All suffered humiliation at the hands of their guards with no regards to the clergy or to minors. Even men such as the Chief Rabbi of Alexandria Rabbi Jacques (Jacob) Nefoussi was among them.)

 The rooms were cramped with no beds and no utilities for sanitation. Many served up to three years before being released. The events were covered by the French magazine L’express “Les Juifs de Nasser” (translated) “Nasser’s Jews” and by a personal account of Marc Kheder My Life in Abu Zaabal and Tora

 If you know of someone that we have missed please provide us with the details. We are also collecting personal experiences please be as clear as possible when providing any information. You may write us in any language. Some have a difficult time reliving these painful memories, and have asked not to be identified.  We respect their privacy.
It is important to document these events for our children.

 We also would like to mention that many were also interned after the 1948  and the 1956 wars. We will make those names available as they are provided.

 The HSJE would like to thank all those that provided those names as they remember. This page would stand as a cornerstone for the needless suffering of a community because they were Jews. ( List updated October 19, 2008 )