The last Jew in Afghanistan, Zevulun (Zablon) Siman-Tov, decided to stay in Kabul - despite the conquest of the Taliban.
This is what Israel Today has learned.
"Despite the situation, I decided to stay in Kabul," he said.
Last April, Siman-Tov stated in an interview with the local media that he plans to immigrate to Israel "after the Tishrei holidays," but, apparently, he will remain in Kabul nonetheless, although "Israel Today" has learned that various sources have offered him rescue from the country.
For many years the conflict was known in the Western media between the last two remnants of the old Jewish community in Afghanistan, Zablon and Ishak (Yitzhak) Levy.
However, for the past 16 years, since Levy's death, Siman-Tov has been left alone as the last Jew in the country.
Siman-Tov was born in 1959 in Harat in northwestern Afghanistan, not far from the borders with Iran and Turkmenistan.
Following the Civil War, he was forced to cross the border into his northern neighbor, Turkmenistan, but later - in 1998 - moved to the Afghan capital, Kabul, under Taliban control.
The Taliban, who have anti-Semitic ideology and rhetoric, have repeatedly abused the carpet dealer - right up until the last moments of the previous Islamic statement in 2001.
Rabbi Mandy Hitrik, chairman of the Union of Rabbis of Islamic States, told Israel Today in a call from Turkey: "We in the Union of Rabbis in Islamic States help every Jew so that he can live his life where he lives.
This is our job, which is why we also sent matzah on Passover and religious articles as a sign of goodness.
When he wanted to leave a few months ago then we helped him.
When Kabul was occupied by Taliban forces, we realized he wanted to leave.
We turned to the Turkish and American Foreign Ministries so we could arrange an exit for him.
He decided to stay.
If he needs help, we are always on the side of every Jew in the Islamic countries.
This is our role as Jews and as rabbis.
"Once he decides he does not want to leave, we will help him stay in Kabul."
For an interview with Zevulun Siman-Tov from 2020 >>>