Figure 1.--

Egypt was a major refuge for the Jews of the Dispora following the revolt against Rome (1st century AD). Egypt had one of the most dynamic Jewish communities in the Diaspora. After the Arab conquest Jews were tolerated to a varying degree. During the Caliphate Jews were subjected to major periods of persecution by different caliphs (9th-11th centuries). Finally the large Jewish quater in Cairo was destoyed and the Jews there murrdered in mass (1012). Conditions in Egypt varied at thewhim of local rules after the destruction of the Caliphate. There were periods of relative tollerance and periods pf percecution. The Ottomans seized Egypt (1517). Again treatment of the Jews varied depending on the attitude of the various sultans. Ottoman rule weakened in the 19th century and local rulers began to exert indepedence. The French and British took an increasing interest in Egypt at mid-century with the construction of the Suez Canal. During the late 19th century there were at least six blood libel persecutions in Egyptian cities (1870-92). Egypt was affected by European anti-Semtism. The Tsarist secret police published the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. It was a forgery, but widely deseminated. Most Egytians to this day regard it as a historical document. Egyptians nationalists were influenced by the anti-British and anti-Semetic writings and broadcasts of the Grand Mufti of Jeursalem in Palestine. Both the Free Officers movement and the Muslim Broytherhood were heavily influenced by anti-Semitism. At the end if world War II (1945), there were about 75,000 Jews in Egypt. Most lived in Alexandria and Cairo. Unlike the other Jews in North Africa, the Fascists in never occupied Egypt, exceot for the Western Desert. Thus Egyption Jews did not experience the NAZU Holocaust. After Israel declared independence and Arab armies attacked, Jews in Egypt were targeted (1948). Arabs carried out bomb attacks in Cairo, killing about 70 Jews. Authorities arrested prominent Jews and confiscated their property. After Nassar seized power he demanded control of Suez. The Isrealis wanted the British and French to remain, seeing them as a moderating influence. A still murky Isreli operation was carried out which became known as the Lavon Affair (1954). Isreali agents carried out a series of bombings in Alexandria and Cairo. The targets included British and American facilities, but were designed so as to avoid any significant loss of life. The goal was to convince the Americans and British that the British and French needed to retain control over the Suez Canal. The Egyptians captured one of the agents and made further arrests. Details of the plot came out in a show trial (1955). The actual details are still murky, however, as there is evidence that the Egyptians used torture in their investigation. Some evidence suggests that Egyptian intelligence was aware of the plot from the beinning. It is still not known at what level in he Isreali Government the operation was authorized. The Egyptians used the Lavon Affair to launch a major persecution of the Jews remaining in Egypt. While this was underway, the Suez War occurred (1956). After the War, Egyptian authorities expelled over 25,000 Jews and confiscated their property. Authorities jailed about 3,000 Jews. An Egyptian Jew passed himself off as an Arab and penetrated the Syrian ruling cliche. He passed important untelligence on to Israel which was used in the Six Days War (1967). More Jews were detained and tortured. More Jewish property was confiscated. Most Jews concluded that life was impossibe in Egypt. Today there is only a handful of elderly Jews remaining in Egypt.

Diaspora

Egypt was a major refuge for the Jews of the Dispora following the revolt against Rome (1st century AD). Egypt had one of the most dynamic Jewish communities in the Diaspora.

Caliphate

After the Arab conquest Jews were tolerated to a varying degree. During the Caliphate Jews were subjected to major periods of persecution by different caliphs (9th-11th centuries). Finally the large Jewish quater in Cairo was destoyed and the Jews there murrdered in mass (1012). Conditions in Egypt varied at thewhim of local rules after the destruction of the Caliphate. There were periods of relative tollerance and periods pf percecution.

Ottoman Era

The Ottomans seized Egypt (1517). Again treatment of the Jews varied depending on the attitude of the various sultans. Ottoman rule weakened in the 19th century and local rulers began to exert indepedence.

British Protecorate

The French and British took an increasing interest in Egypt at mis-century with the construction of the Suez Canal. During the late 19th century there were at least six blood libel persecutions in Egyptian cities (1870-92). Egypt was affected by European anti-Semtism. The Tsarist secret police published the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. It was a forgery, but cwidly deseminated. Most Egytians to this day regard it as a historical document.

The Holocaust

Egyptians nationalists before World War II were influenced by the anti-British and anti-Semetic writings of the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem in Palestine. During the War the Grand Mufti broadcast anti-Semetic and anti-British propaganda from Berlin. Both the Free Officers movement and the Muslim Brotherhood were heavily influenced by anti-Semitism. The Grand Mufti was wanted as a war criminal, but managed to elude the Allies and was given refuge in Egypt. At the time there were about 75,000 Jews in Egypt. Most lived in Alexandria and Cairo. Unlike the other Jews in North Africa, the Fascists in never occupied Egypt, except for the Western Desert. Thus Egyption Jews did not experience the NAZI Holocaust.

Isreali Independence War (1948-49)

After Israel declared independence and Arab armies attacked, Jews in Egypt were targeted (1948). Arabs carried out bomb attacks in Cairo, killing about 70 Jews. Authorities arrested prominent Jews and confiscated their property.

Lavon Affair (1954)

After Nassar seized power he demanded control of Suez. The Isrealis wanted the British and French to remain, seeing them as a moderating influence. A still murky Isreli operation was carried out which became known as the Lavon Affair (1954). Isreali agents carried out a series of bombings in Alexandria and Cairo. The targets included British and American facilities, but were designed so as to avoid any significant loss of life. The goal was to convince the Americans and British that the British and French needed to retain control over the Suez Canal. The Egyptians captured one of the agents and made further arrests. Details of the plot came out in a show trial (1955). The actual details are still murky, however, as there is evidence that the Egyptians used torture in their investigation. Some evidence suggests that Egyptian intelligence was aware of the plot from the beinning. It is still not known at what level in he Isreali Government the operation was authorized.

Suez War--Expulsions (1956)

The Egyptians used the Lavon Affair to launch a major persecution of the Jews remaining in Egypt. While this was underway, the Suez War occurred (1956). After the Wat, Egyptian authorities expelled over 25,000 Jews and confiscated their property. Authorities jailed about 3,000 Jews.

Six Days War (1967)

Current Situation

Today there is only a handful of elderly Jews remaining in Egypt.

Egyptian Media

Malicious racist diatribe regularly appear in the government controlled newspaper, Al-Ahram. This is a country which signed a U.S. brokered peace treaty with Israel. Anti-Jewish and anti-Israel articles appear along with anti-American polemics. The Arabic version of Al-Ahram include articles that are even more virulent tha the Engklish-language version. Common fare includes Holocaust denial, blood libel stories, editorials that praise Hitler and movies that present the forged "Protocols of the Elders of Zion" as historical fact are common.

Individual Experiences

One Egyptian Jew trlates his experiences, "In June 1967 I was one month away from finishing my university studies when I was abruptly incarcerated and summarily expelled from Egypt after a harrowing 6 days in the Egyptian jails. A few more of my friends and relatives remained jailed for over 3 years for no other reason than being Jews living in Egypt. I was thrown out of the country with a torn shirt on my back and holding a pair of glasses broken intentionally on my face and little else. When a month later my parents were allowed to leave the country, having lived over 50 years in the country of their birth, they were only allowed the equivalent of 10 dollars each in their pockets and 30 Kilograms worth of clothing to show for a whole life lived in Egypt, in a Jewish community with ancient and biblical roots. Several notable scholars lived in this community, including Maimonides, the first person to write a systematic code of all Jewish law, and renowned Kabbalist Isaac Luria. In the early 20th century, Jews contributed beyond their proportion in the Egyptian population, to all aspects of life in Egypt. Jews were visible in politics, the arts, economy, industry, crafts, banking. In 1945 there were 80,000 Jews living in Egypt; today there are less than 20, all over the age of 70. As documentation of what happened to my family, the complete record of my story can be found at A Personal Exodus Story. After my family’s harrowing exodus, we found our safe haven. We succeeded in making a new life for ourselves and our families with the grace of G-d and the help of every Jewish organization and community that we encountered during our rough journey. The ultimate priority of those who helped us in our time of need was to restore our dignity as human beings and to help us get on our own two feet. We rejected the status of “perennial victims” and chose instead to move on with our lives as productive citizens. The current Middle East narrative is unfortunately slanted and one sided, speaking only of the Palestinian refugee experience. There is never a mention of others affected in the region and what became of them. It is not empathy, sympathy, or the negation of the stories of others that we seek as “forgotten refugees.” We seek acknowledgement of our history and redress of our rights; which have been woefully ignored in the process."

Sources

Bonan, Israel. "Lest we forget," The Jewish Advocate (December 1, 2006).

Created: 1:03 AM 12/1/2006
Last updated: 2:42 AM 5/29/2007