Encyclopaedia Judaica
Jews in Egypt 05: The independent kingdom since 1768
Arbitrary national policy of Egypt governments under the Beys - Suez Canal - Zionism in Egypt under English occupation
Encyclopaedia Judaica (1971): Egypt, vol.6, col.502: Eliyahu ha-Navi synagogue
in Alexandria. Israel Museum Archives, Jerusalem
from: Egypt; In: Encyclopaedia Judaica 1971, vol. 6
presented by Michael Palomino (2008)
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<INDEPENDENT KINGDOM.
[since 1768: Ali Bey: his wars - the Jewish war contribution - Suez Canal - English occupation - modern school systems - growing Jewish communities]
The transition from a Turkish province to an independent kingdom was accompanied by a difficult struggle during which the Jews also suffered considerably. In 1768 when Turkey became embroiled in war with Russia, Ali Bey, the governor of Cairo, proclaimed himself the independent governor of Egypt. He also made an effort to impose his authority on Palestine, Syria, and the Arabian Peninsula.
[[The kings of Egypt tried to perform the ancient big Egypt Empires once again]].
In order to provide for the tremendous expenses of his wars, he levied a heavy contribution on the Jews, which they were compelled to pay within a short period (see Ben-Ze'ev in Zion, (1939), 237-49). The reforms of *Muhammad (Mehemet) Ali (1805-1848) and later the opening of the *Suez Canal brought a new prosperity to commerce and the other branches of the Egyptian economy.
[[Supplement: First the Suez Canal brought work for the people, but after the opening of the Suez Canal Egypt lost all intermediate trade between India and Europe. So Egypt went bankrupt and became a pawn in the hands of England and France]].
As a result of the changes in all spheres of life [[with the English occupation of bankrupt Egypt]], the Jewish population grew. Jews from European countries settled in Egypt and schools where education was dispensed along modern lines were introduced [[by the English colonial occupation]]. Alexandria again became a commercial center and its Jewish community expanded until it was equal to that of Cairo.
The census of 1897 showed that there were 25,200 Jews in the country. Of these, 8,819 (including approximately 1,000 Karaites) lived in Cairo, 9,831 in Alexandria, 2,883 in Tanta, 400 in Port Said, and 508 in al-Mansura. There wee also small communities in other provincial towns, numbering a total of 4,600 Jews. The immigrants from the European countries founded their own (col. 498)
communities, even though they recognized the authority of the rabbis of the existing ones. Thus, in the middle of the 19th century there were communities of Italian and Eastern European Jews in Alexandria, while in Cairo the immigrants from Italy and Turkey united in one community.
["Normal" relations between Muslims and Jews - blood libels - the big frustration of the Muslims]
The relations between Muslims and Jews were normal and there were only rare cases of disturbances resulting from religious hate. In 1844 there was a blood libel against the Jews of Cairo and this was repeated in 1881 and in 1901-1902. In 1840, after the blood libel of *Damascus, Moses *Montefiore and Adolphe *Crémieux came to Egypt and established Jewish schools in cooperation with R. Moses *Algazi. In Alexandria, rabbis who distinguished themselves by their western education were appointed, and social activities were encouraged in the community. The numerical increase, the improvement of the cultural standard, and the development of social activities continued throughout the first half of the 20th century.
Encyclopaedia Judaica (1971): Egypt, vol.6, col.500, map with the main Jewish communities at the end of 19th century: Alexandria, Damanhūr (Damanhur), al-Maḥalla al-Kubrā (al-Mahalla al-Kubra), Ṭanṭā (Tanta), Zifta, al-Manṣūra (al-Mansura), Mīt Ghamr (Mit Ghamr), Zaqāzīq (Zaqaziq), Banhā (Banha), Port Said, Ismailiyya, Cairo, Suez.
[[Supplement: The Muslim disaster by the Suez Canal and by the English occupation
The Suez Canal which was built with all European force was the grave for the Egypt and Muslim economy. The leading country of Egypt broke economically down. Add to this the English occupation was an absolute humiliation for all Muslims, and Egypt was not at all an independent kingdom any more. The English occupation installed new industries and railway lines but the Muslim mentality to be merchants did not change and all industry was not appropriate to them, and at the end the big profit always landed in the English hands. The foreigners in the occupied country got also a special court with "Western" law and were exempt from Muslim rule. The same occupations and faults of development happened in the Middle and in the Far East, and the pockets of the English racist Queen were getting fuller and fuller.
So there developed a big frustration potential in the Muslim population. It was only a matter of time when the Muslims would start a mass movement against "democratic" colonial Europe and the Jews who were growing within European colonialism.
(see: Ulrich Haarmann (ed.): Geschichte der arabischen Welt; edition C.H. Beck, Munich 1987)
And since 1896 there was the colonial Herzl book "The Jewish State" with the plan of a colonial Herzl Israel against all Arabs with its borderlines at the Euphrates according to First Mose chapter 15 phrase 18. The humiliations against the Muslims did never stop since 1869. All this is not mentioned in the Encyclopaedia Judaica...]]
[1917-1937: Jews in Egypt - figures]
After World War I Sephardi Jews from Salonika and other Turkish towns, as well as Jews from other countries, settled in Egypt. According to the census of 1917 there were 59,581 Jews in Egypt, of which 29,207 lived in Cairo, and in 1937 their numbers reached 63,550, of which 34,103 lived in greater Cairo and 24,829 in Greater Alexandria.
[Jews in public Egypt life - Zionists in Egypt - Palestinian Jews driven to Egypt by the Turks]
With the improvements in the economic and intellectual standards, the Jews took an active part in public life. Some financiers were appointed as members of Parliament and ministers. Joseph *Cattaui was a member of parliament in 1915 and minister of finances and communications in 1923, and Aslan Cattaui was a member of the Senate during the 1930s. Some, such as Ya'qub (James) *Sanu', were even associated with the Egyptian nationalist movement.
On the other hand, Zionist organizations were created at the end of the 19th century in the larger towns such as Cairo, Alexandria, Mansura, Suez, Damanhur, and al-Mahalla al-Kubra. As a result of the expulsion of large numbers of Palestinian Jews to Egypt during World War I, the attachment of Egyptian Jewry to the Palestinian population and to the national movement strengthened.
[Jewish newspapers in Egypt since 1880]
The reinforcement of Jewish consciousness [[by persecutions in Russia and Zionism which followed]] found expression in the publication of Jewish newspapers in various languages. In 1880, a Jewish weekly in Arabic, al-Haqiqa ("The Truth"), began to appear in Alexandria. In 1903, a weekly in Ladino, Mizrayim, was founded in Cairo. From 1908 to 1941 a French weekly, L'Aurore, appeared in Cairo, and in 1919 another French weekly, Israël, was founded in Cairo. This newspaper was amalgamated in 1939 with the Alexandria weekly La Tribune Juive, which was first published in 1936. It appeared until 1948, as did the Arab weekly al-Shams ("The Sun"), which was founded in 1934.
[E.A.]> (col. 499)
[[The time from 1930-1945 is missing in the Encyclopaedia Judaica]].
Sources
Encyclopaedia Judaica (1971): Egypt, vol.6, col. 497-498
Encyclopaedia Judaica (1971): Egypt, vol.6, col. 499-500
