Origins and history of the Jews of Yemen

The Yemenite Golus (galut - exile) is possibly the most exotic story in the annals of Jewish history. The first question that comes to mind is: How -- and why -- did Jews get to such a backwater as Yemen?

Nehama C Nahmoud wrote a series of four articles in 1997 - 98 for the Jewish World Review about the origins and treatment of the Jews of Yemen.

You can read Part I here, Part II on the Jewish kings of Yemen here, and Part III on the Muslim period here. (Nahmoud wrote a Part IV but it does not seem to be posted on the Internet.)

With thanks: Albert