Jewish Blogging - From Mogadishu, Somalia
I was introduced to a blogger today who might have forever gone unnoticed in the Jewish blogosphere. A blogger who, honestly, may have lived and died, without so much as a blurb in the news media.
Avraham lives in Mogadishu, Somalia. A 19 year old young man who lives with his mother, he paints out a picture of what his daily life is like as a “Yahud” in Mogadishu where, in his words, 99% of the people are Muslim.
He speaks nostalgically of back when “the government used to have control” of the Islamic courts, and daydreams sometimes about returning to Yemen — where there are at least “more Jewish people”. But he knows, he could never leave his mother (presumably, alone) in Mogadishu.
A blog from a point of view I have never heard before, which really puts words like “exile” and even the entire holiday of Purim into a new perspective for me. I only hope Avraham can keep blogging.
Meet Avraham and his mother. Visit AvrahamShanshi.blogspot.com.
Fascinating blog from Mogadishu. This is what “citizen jounralism” is meant to be. It puts the slick professional sites to shame.
FYI: I think Avraham was actually writing with nostalgia for when the Union of Islamic Courts was in control of Mogadishu in the fall — at least they kept the peace between the warlords that ruled the city since Siad Baare’s downfall. If he’s 19 years old, he can’t possibly remember a functioning government in Somalia.
—RZ · March 11th, 2007 at 9:08 pm
Heart-wrenching to read and at the same time full of hope. One hope I can’t get out of my head is for them to make it to E”Y.
—DeisCane · March 12th, 2007 at 8:32 am
I’m going out of my mind reading that blog, it makes me want to cry — hysterically.
It’s so sad. To him, it’s just “daily living”.
—Y-Love · March 12th, 2007 at 12:34 pm
It is heartbreaking to read it. I’m going to stay in touch with this young brave boy.
Blanca
—Blanca · March 12th, 2007 at 1:15 pm
Good afternoon folks
This is a sad blog I tell ya. I am glad people all around the world are recording the atrocities happening in Somalia - only time will tell how Somalia will recover from these tragic times.
Say….I don’t mean to be rude but some issues need to be addressed about this blogger. [Someone already touched on the first issue]
First Issue: How come he remembers or quotes soo much about the collapse of the somali government from the tender age of 4 years old (He says he is 19; the civil war in Somalia begun in 1992; subtract that from his age - he must have been born in 1988/89, am I right?)
Second Issue: Why hasn’t he not mentioned anything about the diaspora of the christian minorities in Somalia? It seems to me he covered almost everyone else.
Third Issue: Someone needs to ask him if he remembers FIFA World Cup 1990? If he does, he must be hiding his real age and/or intentions.
—Jaamac · March 12th, 2007 at 3:01 pm
@Jaamac
1. How do you know what YOUR society was like at the time YOU were born? Someone told you about it, or you read it in a book?
2. Because he’s jewish and covers the jewish history and the current situation.
3. See no. 1.
—Natalie · March 13th, 2007 at 6:43 am
To Jamaac.
He is Jewish and he is writing about how his life as Jewish person living in a Islamic country !
Come on, didn’t your parents tell how your society looked like when you were little ? Mine did
And i even know how life in the 1800 century was like!!!
—blanca · March 13th, 2007 at 8:16 am
I too was skeptical at first, but he sounds really knowledgeable about the situation.
If he is not actually Somali, he has certainly lived in Somalia for a long time.
And as far as Jaamac’s questions his mom probably told him and he learned from readings books.
This is how I know about stuff that happened when i was born.
—Nony · March 13th, 2007 at 11:00 am
The skepticism I’m seeing here SERIOUSLY disturbs me, this is potentially a young man’s only voice, — this is NOT the time for suspicion. If anything, we should be sending airline tickets and hoping he responds!
—Y-Love · March 13th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
Already anti-semitic actions on his blog!! So sad to see,
My hearth goes with Abraham.
—Lillian · March 14th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
Dear all:
My initial post was not meant to question Avraham’s blog. I just doubted Y-Love’s reading of it. (With respect, of course.) When Avraham wrote:
” i can say for 90% that we had it better when the city was in control of maxkamida islamka (islamic courts). at least we had peace. and poeple could move freely, and live in peace, or buy food in peace.”
I think he is referring to a time when the city was in the control of the Union of Islamic Courts — an Islamist militia that came to power in Mogadishu last year. for the 15-odd years before this, the city was controlled by clashing warlords, The Islamic Courts, as a political faction, did not exist before 1992 and the city’s individual religious courts didn’t constitute a major political or societal threat during the Siad Baare years.
—RZ · March 14th, 2007 at 3:59 pm
muslim somalis find this post, say bizarre things
—Mobius · March 15th, 2007 at 4:30 am
I doubt Ibraahin is a Jewish boy living in Mogadishu. To beging with he claims to be a Somali clan called Shanshi who are 100% muslim and don’t have Jewish origins. Some of the most respected Sheikhs of the past 200 years in Mogadishu are from this clan.
—Hassan · April 4th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
thank you avraham may the almighty hashem bless you and your mother and our motherland ofcourse amen/amiin
—dalal · May 12th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
waryaa hassan i myself from mogadishu, there were yemeni yahuudi(jews) who were living mogadishu especially hamarweyne and shingaani, if you know what iam talking about.
yemeni yahuudi communitys in mogadishu were living there in hundred of years,but most of them immigranted to isreal 1960s and 70s, but i myself doub it if mr ibraahim yahuud from mogadishu is realy living there. if hes, i whish him best and happy life.and no matter if hes yahuud or muslim kristaan , only think is matter is hes soomaali.
—ahmed · May 12th, 2007 at 2:29 pm
I did not believe this Ibrahim is Jew there where no Jew in Somalia now or before Yibir are original Israelites but they now 100% Muslim I am not young man I traveled extensively in Somali in 1970’s, 1980’s and early 1990. Sanshi are probably from Oman or Portugal not Israelites,
—Ahmed · January 2nd, 2008 at 1:32 am
Listen guys to go to heaven isn’t has to be muslin or Jewish or Christian
As long as you are good person who isn’t harming another fellow human been and helping the needed people you will go to heaven. Just be a good person and help whoever needs help. God will bless you here and hereafter.
“Please use your commonsense.” And see god’s miracles and wonderful things that he created. Don’t hate anybody if you hate someone , remember you hate yourself we all the some.
—leave him alone · September 19th, 2008 at 7:31 pm