Description
Book SynopsisThis fascinating tour of the Jewish communities of the Ottoman Middle East, on the eve of the changes that would come to unsettle the Ottoman territories, reveals a surprisingly varied world. Visiting Istanbul, Damascus, Acre, Jerusalem, Aleppo, Basra, and Cairo, we see different landscapes, meet diverse Jewish societies, and encounter the range of their economic activities. We also see how Christians and Jews struggled with each other to establish their position in the Muslim world and secure their livelihood. In the process, the author reconsiders fundamental questions. What is a ‘diaspora’? To what extent did the surrounding culture impact the Jewish communities of the area? And, most interestingly, how did these communities respond to the onset of modernity? Though relating to Jewish society in its entirety, the main focus is on its most powerful members: the notables, who were close to the ruling elite or involved in international trade. Tsur discusses their strengths and weaknesses, considers the relationship between their position and that of the rest of the Jewish community, and analyses their eventual downfall. His study offers new insights into the social mechanisms that enabled them to establish close ties with the ruling elite and to function within it.
Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Note on Transliteration Maps Introduction 1. Istanbul: The Ottoman Capital ** 1. The Ruling Class 2. The Urban Landscape 3. Christians, Jews, and Muslims 4. Jewish Diasporas and Other Networks 5. The Missing Judaeo-Arabic Space 6. Ottoman Culture and Jewish Liturgical Poetry 7. Ordinary Jews through the Prism of Jewish Court Records 8. The Powerful Notables 9. Jewish Notables in Times of Crisis **2. Damascus, Acre, Jerusalem 1. The Farhis 2. The Ottoman Jewish Network of Notables 3. Jerusalem: The Community versus the Askerî Jews 4. Jewish Life in Muslim Court Records 5. Damascus 3. Aleppo ** 1. The Francos 2. Aleppo’s Segmented Society 3. Social Segmentation and Budding Imperialism 4. The Francos as Port Jews 5. The Rise of the Picciottos **4. The Iraqi Province ** 1. The ‘Wild East’ 2. Basra 3. Blood Libel in Reverse 4. Baghdad: The Fate of the Notables and the Community 5. The Diaspora from Baghdad to the Far East **5. Egypt ** 1. Cairo 2. Jewish Customs Officials 3. A Segmented Society? 4. Notables and Rabbis 5. The Downfall of the Notables **6. The Holy Land ** 1. Hida’s Travels among the Bedouins 2. Changes in the North of Palestine 3. The Aftermath of Hayim Farhi’s Murder **Epilogue 1. Askerî Jews 2. The ‘Castrated’ or ‘Gelded’ Elite 3. Port Jews 4. Hida and Other Learned Individuals 5. Signs of the Times Glossary Bibliography Index
