Mr Lewis, who davened with the Jews of Sana'a on Wednesday morning, told the Jewish Telegraph: "It was humbling to meet such brave and proud people who, in the most challenging of circumstances, have retained their Jewish way of life.

"It was also moving to hear of their love for Yemen and gratitude to the president for taking personal responsibility for their wellbeing.

"It was particularly moving to be able to spend a few moments davening with the rabbi in the community's makeshift shul.

DELIGHT: Ivan Lewis with an elderly Yemenite Jewish woman who was thrilled to meet the Jewish foreign minister

Mr Lewis, who was on a three-day official visit to Yemen, had insisted that he met the Jewish communityto ensure that it was safe.

The visit followed a meeting of 25 foreign ministers in London last week about the stability of Yemen, chaired by Foreign Secretary David Miliband.

Speaking through an interpreter to the Jewish Telegraph, Yemen's Chief Rabbi Yahya Yousef Mousa insisted that the community enjoyed a good life.

"Jews are very comfortable in Yemen,'' he said.

He added that the community had been "very pleased'' to have been visited recently by President Ali Abdullah Saleh who had provided all the assistance they had sought.

He insisted that Yemeni Jews were free to do what they wanted, which included visiting Israel or emigrating there, although those remaining preferred to remain in the country.

Rabbi Mousa added that kosher food was available, although he did not specify from where it was obtained, and that they carried out their own shechita.

President Saleh personally oversaw the relocation of most of the Jewish families from Raidah to the capital Sana'a in 2000 after they were suddenly targeted by a terrorist organisation.

Today about 60 families remain, others having emigrated to Israel and America.

The Bury South MP is concerned for the safety of a small number of Jews in Raidah, 40 miles north of the capital.

Mr Lewis told the Jewish Telegraph: "Many of them would like to be relocated and the president has already allocated additional accommodation for them in Sana'a.''

The foreign minister appealed to northern and Scottish Jewry to twin with their "Yemenite brothers and sisters''. Mr Lewis said that Rabbi Mousa urgently needed further treatment for severe rheumatoid arthritis, having previously been seen by doctors in a Jordan hospital.

He added that funds to build a new synagogue would be minimal by British standards. Mr Lewis continued: "President Saleh has made sure that every Jew is given an allowance because it is one of the oldest communities of them all in Yemen.''

Most were silversmiths and carpenters in Raidah but all their possessions were confiscated by the terrorists and the allowance had ensured that they could set up in business again.

Many of the silversmiths were renowned for designing djanbias, traditional daggers that only Muslims are allowed to carry.

YOUTHFUL: Ivan Lewis with the younger generation of Yemenite Jews

Mr Lewis said that they had been provided with houses, security and necessary equipment and although the community lived in relative poverty it was not destitute.

"By Yemeni standards they live in reasonable conditions, but not by yours or mine,'' he said.

He added that they received a monthly delivery of kosher food arranged by the government, but it appeared difficult to keep kosher although the community was very frum and all men sported peyot.

Three teach Hebrew and the children also learn Arabic and English in school.

Mr Lewis, speaking from Sana'a, said that he had raised the issue of the Jewish community with President Saleh who had told him to see it for himself.

"When the community complained to him that they weren't getting enough money, he raised the amount," said Mr Lewis.

"He has also given them a special additional allowance to help them celebrate yomim tovim.''

Mr Lewis said that it was "days like this which make me realise how lucky I am to have this job.

"It was a very emotional visit. What was amazing was how proud the community is.

"One elderly lady was so thrilled that I was not only a British government minister but Jewish and had come all this way to see her''.

He warned, however: "We have to follow up the situation of those people in Raidah.''

Last year some Raidah Jews slipped undetected out of the city and travelled to the capital 50 miles away to meet American State Department officials who assisted their flight abroad from the antisemitic attacks they were encountering.

The violence towards the community intensified last year and one prominent member was gunned down outside his home.