Jews in the Modern Middle East and North Africa, 1800-Present

Harvard FAS

Not so long ago, nearly every corner of the Middle East and North Africa was home to thriving Jewish communities who spoke dialects of Arabic, Persian, Spanish and other languages who professed their loyalty to Ottoman sultans, the beys of Tunis, or the sultans of Morocco; and who thought, dreamed, loved, and died according to the rhythms of Muslim-majority societies. Starting in the mid-twentieth century, Jews began leaving the Middle East and North Africa in increasingly large…