Today’s NY Times features a fascinating article, entitled Manama Journal, on the Jews of Bahrain. It tells of King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa and his relationship with his 36 Jewish subjects. At the core of the article stands the unspoken question, what is a Jew, at least according to Bahrainis?
Are we a small cabal with undue influence over global markets and media, who must be mollified? Are we good Arabians who happen to follow another religion? Are we a sophisticated minority that serves the royal family and are rewarded for doing so? Are we pawns in a larger game of Sunni v. Shia?