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366 Alexandria. Eg-ypt (Modern)

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THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA

wherever Jews and Gentiles came into was esiieciall y strong ami marked in Alexandria (Hadrian, "Letter to

direct contact, but

" in Vopisoiis. " Vita Saturniiii," iliap. viii. in tlie " Scriplorcs

Blending of Servianus Religious





Aiiirusta." ed. Peter, IHG.j, Ideas. In spite of all this. Judaism ii. 20!)). From retained its peculiar characteristics even here. Philo"s intimation that because of llie allegorical interpretation, many had failed to give due value to the literal meaning of the I>aw. it must not be concluded that large numbers of Jews habitually broke the Law. Pliilo himself alTords proof that even those who most favored the allegorical interpretation still kept to the letter of f^eripture ("l)e Migratione Abraham," certain laxity may S 10; ed. jMangey, i. 450). indeed have obtjiined in some ((uarters; but in its essential points, the law was everywhere observed by the llelleni/.ing Jews as long as they remained within the pale of the synagogue. It may be well to append here whatever is known of the history of the Samaritans in Alexandria and in Egypt (compare Juynboll, "C'omSamarimentarii in Ilisioriam Gentis Samaritame," pp. 38-41, 43-45, Leyden, 1846). tans, Alexander the Great is said to have settled Samaritans in the Thebaid ("Ant." xi. 8, At th? time Ptolemy I., Lagi, con§ 6. end). ([uered Palestine, he took with liitn many prisoners, not from J udca or Jerusalem alone, but also from Samaria and from those living near .Mount Gerizim, and settled them in Egyi)t ("Ant." xii. 1). In a papyrus belonging to the middle of the third century B.C., mention is made of a village called Samaria in central Egypt ("The Fliuders-Petrie Papyri," part ii., ed. bv MahatTv. pp. [14] 3. [HS] 9. [93] 4, During the reign [94] 22, [90] 13, Dulilin. US93). of Ptolemy VI., Philometor, the Jews and Samaritans in Egypt are sai<l Id have brought before the king a dispute as to which was the true center of Ilislcirin;

A

worship, Jerusalem or Gerizim ("Ant." xiii. 3, §4; compare xii. 1. end). The existence of the Samaritans in Egypt is also implied in letters of the emperors Valentiuian. Theodosius. and Areadius to the pnrfiftiiD Anf/ustnlis ("Codex Theodosianus, "ed. ILencl. It can further be proved that they lived xiii. 5, 18). there during the .Middle Ages, and even till the seventeenth cent lu-y (see Juynboll, pp. 43—to; lleidenheim. " Nachri<hten fiber die Samaritaner [in .EgypI en] aus einem Ilandsehriftliehen Reisejournale aus dem 15. Jahrhundert " in " Viertel jahrsschrift fiir Deutsehund Englisch-Theolog. Forschung u. Kritik." 1807, iii.

354-350;

Briill.

Bmlls "Jahrb." erence to

Egypt.

Jews

"Die Samaritaner in Kairo " in vii. 4;i-45). For further ref-

1885,

in Alexandria in medieval times, see E. Sen.

ALEXANDRIA, EGTPT — Modern



The

Jewish community of Alexandria, numbering (in 1900) 10.000 persons, is governed by an elective body of prominent men called the "Conimvmita." This body numbers sixteen members, four being elected aimually to serve for four years; only those contrib uting to the congregational treasury have the right to elect. The amount ipialifying for the voting privilege ranges from £1 (S5) to £10 (SSO) annually, according to the circumstances of the Organiza- individual. The constitution and bytion. laws of the community are registered

with the Austrian government. The Community, has entire control of the finances and affairs of the several congregations, making no distinction between natives and foreigners, or between Sephardim and Ashkenazim. In the year 1899 there

were distributed at Passover 1,700

366 kilos

(3,400

pounds) of mazzot. The Comnninitil is called upon almost every week to provide means of transport for poor travelers. For such <as<'S of illness as do not need hosiiital treatment, it maintains in the city a dispensary with attendant ))hysieians. The revenues of the comnuinity are derived from

synagogue dues and olTerings. burial fees, and the tax on "kosher-meat," as well as from real estate and the dowry tax. All ecclesiastical matters are in the hands of a chief rabbi. A priiilinghouse was foimded in 1874 by Hayyiin Mizrahi, from which numerous prayer-books, sermons, and respcinsa, and many volumes in .Vrabic and Hebrew as well as in European languages have been issued. In e(nnpment and in the quality of its work it bears comijarison with the best European presses.

With the exception of the blood accusation of March. 1881 (see Foun.h.ki Aff.mh), which threatened fora time the peace of the eonununity. tin- conJews in Egypt has been very satisfacan' under no special restrictions. Their trade is with Europe in general, and with England in particular. Many of them are bankers and cajiitalists; while merchants, commercial travelers, .scribes, and artisans are numerous among them. They are also represented among the lawyers and ollicials of the courts. The languages spoken by the Jews of Alexandria represent many tongues. They are of various nationalities, and include Syrians. Turks, dition of the tory.

They

Rumanians, Russians. Austrians, Germans. Italians, and Frenchmen, with all the diverse characteristics and customs of each nation. Situated as it is on the Mediterranean highway, Alexandria always lias a large transient population of poor .lewisli emigrants, going east or west, and these often are a lieavy tax upon the resources of the community. The synagogues are; (1) "Keneset Eliyahu." the most ancient of all, recognized as the synagogue of the community, and so called because it is sjiid that the Prophet dwelt on that spot for some time. In the year 1487 Rabbi Obadiah SynagogVLBS. da Hertinoro visited Alexandria on his journey from Italy to Jerusalem, and referred to this synagogue, stating that there were about twenty-five Jewish families in the city, and two ancient synagogues, in the siiiallerof which (dedicated to Elijah the jjrophet) the majority of the community worshiped. About the year 1870, prominent men of the community set about restoring this relic of antiquity and it is now an elegantly appointed building with marble pillars and pavement, glass windows, and modern sittings. The women'sgallery runs round three sides of the auditorium, and the building is situated in a well-kept garden or park. One-storied houses face both sides of the park; and into these sick persons, both Jews and Jlohammedans, are taken in the belief that miracles are perfonned there by the prophet Elijah. This synagogue is well attended by the wealthier portion of the community; on the riay of Atonement as many as five hundred persons worshi]> there. Alongside is a large hall where fu;

neral services are held. (2) The chief synagogue in Alexandria

is

known

as the "Zeradel." Its antiquity is evidenced by a stone slab inserted in one of its walls, which bears the following inscription in square Hebrew characters; " I, Jmlah, son of R. Saul of Spain (unto whom be peace), bought this site and built this synagogue for the welfare of my soul and the souls of my fam." ily, in the year 1311 after the destruction. The remainder is obliterated bj' decay. The lowest .

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