NOVEMBER 24 • 2022 | 27

Arab countries’ relations with 
their Jewish residents became 
strained after the establishment 
of the State of Israel in 1948. The 
situation wasn’t bad in Egypt at 
first, even though Jews could not 
obtain passports to travel out of 
the country. Under King Farouk, 
there was discrimination against 
the Jews but no outright perse-
cution. When the monarchy was 
overthrown in 1952, and Gamal 
Abdel Nasser became prime 
minister a few years later, life 
became increasingly difficult for 
the Jews of Egypt.
Many of Egypt’s Jews left 
for Israel in the 1950s, but the 
Salama family tried to remain 
in Alexandria where their patri-
arch, Gabriel, operated a suc-
cessful printing business.
In 1966, when Joe was 19 and 
his siblings were 17, 15 and 4, 
the police came to their home 
in the middle of the night and 
took Gabriel away, holding him 
for five days. Gabriel and his 

wife decided it was time to go. 
There was another reason for 
their decision: Joe was about 
to graduate from the esteemed 
Lycée Français, but because he 
was a Jew, he would not be able 
to attend an Egyptian university.
At the port in Alexandria, 

Egyptian officials wrote “Sans 
Retour” on the Salamas’ identifi-
cation cards. The French words 
indicated they would not be able 
to return to their homeland.
Many of their relatives had 
gone to Israel, but Joe’s family 
went to Paris and then to the 

United States, joining some 
cousins who had moved to 
Detroit. They were able to 
protect some funds in Swiss 
banks, but most of the family’s 
possessions were left in their 
apartment. 
The Salamas lived in a small 
house in Oak Park. Joe went 
to Wayne State University and 
then Wayne State School of 
Medicine and did his residency 
in orthopedic surgery at Sinai 
Hospital of Detroit. He married 
Rita Pearstein at Congregation 
Shaarey Zedek, where the family 
has been members ever since. 
The Salamas are also active with 
Keter Torah Synagogue, the 
Detroit area’s Sephardic congre-
gation.
Israel estimates that 850,000 
Jews were forced to leave Arab 
countries and Iran between 
1948 and 1972. They left behind 
most of their assets, which today 
could be worth as much as $6 
billion. 

Evan Salama, Jill Salama 
Handman, Joseph Salama and 
David Salama on the Nile at 
sunset. 

Supported through the generosity of The Jewish Fund and the D. Dan and Betty Kahn Family Foundation.

 
 
 
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