The Jewish Community of Lebanon: Erasure and Memories

The Lebanese Jewish Community reaches back to Biblical times, but hardly has any remaining presence today. A complex mosaic of more than 20 religious denominations, Lebanon was a prosperous and tolerant society. However, after the Six-day war, fault lines started to appear, triggering the first major wave of Jewish migration. In 1975, the rest of the Jews had to escape a war-ravaged country. I will be drawing on my own family history, memories plus historical books. Furthermore, as a visual artist, I will also be presenting some of my photo-text series which often focus on the experience of war and displacement and the undeniable attachment to my birthplace, Beirut.

About Leslie

Leslie Hakim-Dowek was born and grew up in Beirut but had to leave at the beginning of the Lebanese civil war in 1975. She is a visual artist based in London and a Senior Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Portsmouth involved in both art and academic projects. Her practice often focuses on issues of identity, memory and migrancy.