Raydah is a large market town

Market town

Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...

 located 11 miles north of Amran, northwestern Yemen

Yemen

The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....

. In previous years, before most Yemeni Jews emigrated, the Suq al-ahud or Jewish market was held here.

As of 2009, the Jewish community numbers 266 persons. The community operates three synagogues and two schools. During the 2008-2009 Israel-Gaza conflict tensions with local Muslims increased and an Islamic extremist shot dead a Jewish teacher, Masha Ya'ish al-Nahari

Masha Ya'ish al-Nahari

Moshe Ya'ish al-Nahari was a Jewish Hebrew language teacher in Raydah, Yemen, who was killed by Abdul Aziz Yahya Al-Abdi, a Muslim Yemenite who accosted him near his home demanding that he convert to Islam. Al-Nahari's attacker subsequently boasted of the killing and the prosecution demanded the...

. The last time an incident of this kind occurred in Raydah was in 1986 when two Jews were killed. The Jewish community has lately complained of intimidation and threats and have requested assistance from the government. In June 2009, 16 Jewish families in that reside in the town left for Israel.