I would like to share with you my pain. A brother of mine was kidnapped at the age of 8 months more or less. The story starts when my parents came from Yemen in what’s called the immigration “on the wings of eagles” in 1949, possibly in October. They arrived at Ein Shemer or Pardes Hanna, together with my eldest brother. My mother (Badra) had an eight-month-old beautiful and very healthy boy.

In the nursery they told her the boy was sick and that she should leave him in their care temporarily. She was so naïve! The next day she came to breastfeed him, and so she would do for a few days, come to feed him and everything was fine. One day she came to breastfeed him and couldn’t find him. She was told he died, she didn’t believe him, brought my father, together they asked for the body to bury it and were told there was no body, it was already buried. They also didn’t give them a death certificate!

Poor people, they didn’t know what to do and nobody helped them search. They gave up, there was no one to talk to. My poor mother didn’t accept it. She knew in her heart he’s still alive, always looked for him everywhere she saw kids. She kept talking about what a beautiful child he was. From the pain she became sick and passed away young at 54. She always asked that we search for him!!

His ID number is 4150234, Salem Bauni Ben Simon. His mother – Badra.

I hope that justice is done and the abducted Yemeni children will return home to their roots.

Malka Yaakov