The Israeli on a mission to build bridges between Assyrians and Jews - and his bold projects
An Israeli with family roots from Iraq's Assyrian region says he wants to connect Jews and Assyrians. Observers, however, raise questions about his endeavor.
Yaacov Maoz, an Israeli activist and fluent speaker of Assyrian who says he is on a mission to strengthen Assyrian-Jewish ties, has announced a new American tour to Assyrian organizations in the US to promote his book Jerusalem and Nineveh.
Despite being interviewed by several Assyrian outlets little is known about him. He introduces himself as a professor of Jewish history and philosophy and also carries the title of "doctor." The only independent source revealing something about his professional life describes him as working at the Israel Association of Community Centers, where he is Director for Content Development. One thing he does make clear about himself through his interactions on social media is that he is a proud Zionist.
His connection to Assyrians is based on the fact that his parents were born in Zakho and Nohadra in Iraqi Assyria before moving to Israel in 1950, according to his account. He established the Lishana Association in Israel, which consists of Jews with the same background as himself, whose parents once lived in Iraqi Assyria before fleeing to Israel. Most of this older generation speak fluent Assyrian and have it as their mother tongue. Their descendants, however, are rapidly losing the Assyrian language. "One of the great tragedies of Israel is that it was successful in making everyone speak Hebrew, which meant we quickly lost the Aramean language," he has said in interviews with Israeli media. Maoz makes the common mistake of confusing the Assyrian language with the ancient Aramean language of the Bible, which he considers part of Jewish heritage, lamenting the fact that few Jews care about preserving it.
The Assyria Post
An Assyrian "embassy" in Jerusalem
While Maoz’s concern for the Assyrian language appears genuine, the political dimension of his engagement with Assyrians is more questionable. He emerged in Assyrian circles from seemingly nowhere more than five years ago and began visiting diaspora communities after connecting online with different Assyrian individuals. His first bold claim was that he would establish what he called an “Assyrian embassy” in Jerusalem. To sell the idea, he produced a booklet describing the project, complete with a sizable budget he claimed was necessary. With this booklet in hand and connections to key persons, he sought to convince Assyrian organizations to pledge money, though this does not seem to have resulted in significant commitments.
While no Assyrian “embassy” has been established, Maoz appears to have found new ways to raise funds for ambitious projects. According to his latest announcements on social media, he has written a book titled Assyria and Israel, which he sells for the hefty price of 60 USD. Maoz has justified the price by saying that the proceeds will be used to finance a memorial monument for the Assyrian genocide in Israel. He is currently on a US tour promoting the book among Assyrian communities.
In his many appearances on Assyrian news outlets and posts on social media, he continues to use populist expressions about the rise of Assyria, seemingly to appeal to Assyrian nationalists. “Israel itself can not make Assyria a reality, but Israel has great influence in the US and we can convince the Americans to help the Assyrian nation,” he explained in one interview with an Assyrian talk show host, without giving any explanation for why Israel (or any other state) would use its influence for the benefit of another nation.
A one-way street enterprise
The promises and actions of Yaacov Maoz reveal a common pattern. From the plan to establish an “Assyrian embassy” in Israel, to proposing an Assyrian conference in Jerusalem, and now selling a book he himself acknowledges is overpriced – his endeavors appear to follow a one-way direction in which resources flow from Assyrians to him. Given the dire state of many Assyrians in Assyria, some argue that if his concern were genuine, the flow of resources should be reversed. “Maoz should raise money among fellow Israelis for different projects in Assyria to benefit Assyrians, not try to extract money from Assyrians for dubious projects in Israel,” one commentator, who has been following the interactions of Maoz with Assyrians over the years, said in talks with the Post.
While some Assyrians remain uncritical and view Maoz’s involvement as positive, others are more wary – not only of Maoz but of the phenomenon he represents. They argue that Assyrians must abandon the “come save us” mentality and stop rolling out the red carpet for anyone who claims to be pro-Assyrian. This external-savior mindset, they say, has long blocked Assyrians from realizing their own power. “There’s always a non-Assyrian that ‘discovers’ us, and we immediately and uncritically heap praise on that person. It’s shameful for a proud nation to reach this level of desperation and naivety,” the commentator said.
