Jewish Occupations
 

The Jews in Aden were mostly artisans. Most jewellers and all the silversmiths were Jews. Silver ornaments were worn exclusively by men, women and children of all communities. When it is remembered that the Arabs had a great fondness for weapons richly decorated with silver it becomes obvious how large a market there was for the silversmith's trade. But the Jews did not only decorate weapons;  many of them also engaged in their manufacture.

Besides the Banyans they were the only other people who changed and lent money, although on a small scale. The few bookbinders tended to be Jews. They were also spinners, weavers, carpenters and masons. Mat and reed work, which had been one of their principal trades, was dying out due to the discouragement of the authorities of the building of temporary huts of inflammable materials.

They were employed in cigarette manufacture and the trade in ostrich feathers was entirely in their hands. By the 1940's most Jewish men worked as shopkeepers or as import/export merchants. Their businesses were mainly in the Jewish quarter in Crater though some wealthier businessmen had shops in Steamer Point where they could cater to the flourishing tourist trade.

Many of the accountants and cashiers of the inland chiefs were Jews whose families lived in Aden. By virtue of their occupation, they had access to reliable information, and because their homes were in the settlement, their interests were with the British. The Political Agent, Haines, did not miss this opportunity to build an efficient spy network. Though he had some Arab spies, the Jews could write Hebrew, a language the Arabs could not read, and thus the Jews were to become Haines' best spies. "My only trustworthy informers are Jews", wrote Haines.

Haines was mindful in ensuring his agents did not attract attention. For example, he would have a Jew leave al-Hawtah and proceed as far as a wood which was a few miles to the south. Then he would hand his dispatches to another Jew who would come to Aden by sea. Thus the first would not arouse suspicion by being absent from al-Hawtah for a night and the second by not being seen too often on the road. When Haines wanted to be absolutely certain about the veracity of a rumour he would have it checked by several spies at one time, each acting without the knowledge of the others.

Center, standing is Yedida Menahem Mansoor, sitting on the right is her sister Hanna Menahem Mansoor. Photo taken c1936-1938.

The Jewish woman's place was in the home, and she would rarely go out, often not even to the market; her husband or the servant would go instead. Feeding and clothing the family, often of six to thirteen children, was no mean feat in the early years when there was no ready-made food and clothing all had to be made. By the 1950's and 1960's, with the benefits of education and modernisation, a few women ventured into the workforce, though they were in the minority. Some women played a more public role, such as Hannah Selim Mori who was a doctor and midwife, not only to the Jewish community but also to the non-Jewish population.