Arab abuse of the Jews of north Africa, in the mid-1800s

Continuing with my excerpts of the journeys of Israel Joseph Benjamin he wrote about in "Eight years in Asia and Africa from 1846-1855," here are some of his observations about Jewish life in Tripoli and Tunis, what is now Libya and Tunisia.In all the above mentioned villages the houses are most wretched. In the apartments, mats of palm twigs are spread over the bare floor,...

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How Persian Muslims mistreated Jews in the 19th century

Continuing on my excerpts from Eight years in Asia and Africa from 1846-1855 by Jewish explorer Israel Joseph Benjamin, the author summarizes the plight of the Jews of Persia, not withstanding that some of them were very successful in business.Among the Persian Jews are some who are very rich, and this wealth is the source of so many dangers, that they are obliged to conceal...

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Persecution of Jews by Muslims in Shiraz, Persia in the 1850s

Continuing on with my summary of portions of the book, "Eight years in Asia and Africa from 1846-1855" by Jewish explorer Israel Joseph Benjamin, this was what he had to say about the Jews of Shiraz, Persia, present-day Iran:Shiraz. — Deplorable condition of the Jews.Only about twenty years since, nearly 3000 Jews lived in this once magnificent and flourishing city. By persecutions,...

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19th century Muslim Jew-hatred in Erbil, Kurdistan

I'm continuing on with my reading of the journey of Israel Joseph Benjamin in the middle of the 19th century.Here is what he encountered in Erbil, in what is now the Kurdistan portion of Iraq:Erbil is divided into two parts ; of which the one lying on the mountain is the city, the other, in the vast plain is the seat of trade and industry. One hundred and fifty Jewish...

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A eyewitness to Arab antisemitism in Palestine, 1847

One of the most repeated lies made by Palestinian Arabs is that before Zionism, Jews lived in harmony with the Arabs of Palestine and throughout the Middle East.Israel Joseph Benjamin was a Jewish explorer who traveled the world seeking to find the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel in the 19th century. He describes, in simple terms, his visits to Jewish communities worldwide.His straightforward...

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Jews visit the grave of Otniel ben Kenaz in Hebron

Arab media reports that IDF soldiers protected Jews who visited the cave gravesite of Otniel ben Kenaz in Hebron.Otniel was the first Biblical judge after Joshua's death. Jews are allowed to visit only a few times a year, and one of those days is Tisha B'Av.The Jerusalem Post reported on one such pilgrimage in 2019.One 19th century visitor to the tomb was Israel...

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