Magic Carpet Ride

Although most Israeli sources say “Operation Magic Carpet” began in June 1949, in fact, the first phase began during the early months of 1948 War of Independence. The plan was launched by the Jewish Distribution Committee (“The Joint”), which chartered aircraft to rescue 4500 Jews from Yemen’s capital Aden, the site of a bloody pogrom in 1947 in which 82 Jews were murdered and synagogues, homes and shops destroyed.

JDC, and the Jewish Agency, which facilitated resettlement for the Yemenites in Israel, revealed the operation 64 years ago this week. The operation would continue throughout 1949 until over 40,000 Yemenite Jews had been brought to Israel. 

Incidentally, one of the most active airlines during this phase was Alaska Airlines. Read all about it here.                                                                        

And listen to a rare interview with James Wooten, who was President of Alaska Airlines (and a pilot) back in 1949.