The Jews of Egypt
The Jews of Egypt were an integrated community comprising people from all over the Jewish world. Here we shall look at them as a whole, not just the Sephardim.
Egypt is a huge subject, on which I am currently working. Most of the Egyptian Jewish records have been confiscated. Initially they were kept in a Cairo synagogue, nominally under the control of the handful of Jews who still live in Egypt. Now they are in the National Archives. Possibly the principle goal is to prevent property claims in the American courts.
Of course, Jews left Egypt with Moses. Communities were re-established in Hellenic times. Jewish communities existed at the time of Napoleon’s invasion. Muhammed Ali assumed power in 1805, nominally in the name of the Turkish Sultan but as an independent ruler. He started a process of modernisation, which included inviting Jewish settlement.
The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 was the key catalyst for the emergence of a brilliant, cosmopolitan Jewish community. The canal shortened trade routes between the east – principally India – and Europe. Overnight this meant that the old overland trade routes through Persia to Aleppo, or through Basra, Baghdad and Damascus were rendered uncompetitive. Many families – Some Sephardi and some Mizrahi – migrated to Egypt. Jews also migrated from Italy, Greece, Turkey, Persia, India, Morocco and North Africa, Yemen and Ashkenazi lands. Out of this disparate group, a new community – one is temped to say, a new civilisation – emerged. From the perspective of the early 21st Century it is almost impossible to recall how cosmopolitan and modern Egypt’s cities were. And it was not just Jews, but Italians, French, Greeks and others.
Jewish Genealogy in Egypt
Sephardic Jews have lived in Egypt at least since the time of Maimonides. Genealogically there is not much of use before the 19th Century. There were two pre-colonial censuses, in 1848 and 1868, which have been studied by Professor Mohamed Saleh, but I do not know about Jewish representation in these studies.
Below is the talk on the Jews of Egypt by Yves Fedida of the Nebi Daniel Association to Sephardic World in November 2021. It probably represents the best overview of available records on the Jews of Egypt, and a discussion on what is being held in the Egyptian National Archives.
Below is my own, earlier, talk to Sephardic World. In which I tried to open the doors to Jewish genealogy in Egypt.
The Egyptian Government has moved Jewish archives to the Egyptian national archives where, effectively, they are out of reach. This does not make research impossible, just more challenging. I suggest starting by asked older relatives a number of questions.
What are the family surnames? Where did the families move to Egypt from? Are there any old documents in the extended family? What language did the family speak at home? What languages did they know? Where did they live? What synagogue did they attend? Where were family members buried? What citizenships did family members have? What food did they eat at home? What jobs did people do? What clubs or associations were they in? Where did family members go after Egypt?
A challenge for people tracing Sephardic ancestry is often the family moved to Egypt from communities where records have been destroyed or made unavailable.
- Egypt Finding Aid of the Alliance Israélite Universelle
- Central Archives for the History of the Jewish People holdings on Egypt (includes papers of the Cicurel and Barcillon families)
- Jamie Lehmann Memorial Collection Records of the Jewish Community of Cairo, 1886-1961
- Central Zionist Archives
- The Jews of Modern Egypt and their Records – Yves Fedida
French Consular Archives for Egypt
- Alexandria (1827 – 1969)
- Cairo (1831-1949)
- Damanhour (1892 – 1935)
- Khartoum (Sudan) (1853 – 1883)
- Mansourah (1864 – 1933)
- Port Said (1863 – 1959)
- Suez (1848 – 1950)
- Tantah (1899 – 1941)
Italian Consular Archives for Egypt
- Inventory of the Tuscan consulate in Alexandria (article) (Note: Livorno was part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany
- Royal Sardinian Legation in Alexandria (1816 – 1860) (Note: this is Piedmont)
- Diplomatic Representation in Egypt (1864 – 1940)
British Consular Archives for Egypt
The British National Archives has a massive collection. Some of the items are series below:
- Foreign Office: Consulates, Egypt: Registers of Correspondence (1839 – 1909)
- Foreign Office: Consulates, Egypt: Letter Books (1805 – 1873)
- Foreign Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Embassy and Consulates, Egypt: General Correspondence (1815 – 1973)
- Foreign Office: Consulate, Alexandria, Egypt: Court Records (1855 – 1952)
- Foreign Office: Consulate, Cairo, Egypt: Court Records (1830 – 1949)
- Foreign Office: Consulate, Port Said, Egypt: Consular Court Records (1858 – 1949)
- Foreign Office: Embassy, Consulate and High Commission, Cairo, Egypt: General Correspondence (1827 – 1952)
- Foreign Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Consulate, Alexandria, Egypt: General Correspondence (1900 – 1970)
Netherlands Consular Archives for Egypt
- Netherlands Consulate in Alexandria (1895-1954)
- Netherlands Consulate in Cairo (1850-1949)
- Netherlands Diplomatic Agency Egypt and the Consulate General in Alexandria (1861-1884)
Spanish Consular Archives for Egypt
Egyptian Jews under Spanish protection
Below is the list of Egyptian Jews who qualified for Spanish protection in 1949 under Orden Circular nº 2217 de 11 de febrero de 1949.
Cairo List
Anavy, Rafael. Anavy Sidi, Alberto Rafael. Anavy Sidi, Isaac. Abou Tomboul, Nessim. Abou Tomboul, Mayer. Abou Tomboul, Simha (Alegra). Aghababa, Joseph. Aghababa Eine de, Esther. Amiel Ben Eliahou, Mayer. Amiel Israel, Ellie. Amiel Israel, Isaac. Azaria Nemmi, Jaime. Beinisch, David. Behar Hasson, David. Bechar Tarrab de, Amelia. Behar Hasson, Roger. Behar Hasson, Victorio. Behar Bembessac, Elías. Bordougo, Jacques A. Barcilon, Haim S. Barcilon Carasso de, Leonie. Barcilon, Henry. Bentata, Moise. Botton, Isaac de. Botton, José de. Botton, Joseph V. de. Isaac. Bahloul, Bolisa Jaffa Choulamita Braunstein, Máximo. Braunstein, Zaccai, Roberto. Bibas Mizrahí, Rafael. Bibas Baschkes de, María. Benghira, Aron. Ben Hasson, Moisés Haim. Ben Hasson Saporta de, Gracia. Ben Hasson Saporta, Víctor. Ben Hasson Rofé, Víctor. Cohen, Eduardo Cohen, Félix. Cohen, Moussa. Cohen Sapriel, Mauricio. Cohen Sapriel, Benito. Cohen Sapriel, Alfredo. Cohen Dayan, León Aslan. Danenberg, Eliaho. Danenberg Benyadaa de, Rosa. Danenberg, Mendel Menahen. Eli Dehar, Isaac. Ely Barouk, Juan. Escojido Carmona, León. Escojido Carmona, Alberto. Escojido Carmona, Isaac Escojido Carmona, Víctor. Escojido, Salomón. Escojido Elías. Escojido, Jaine. Ellazan Nahum, Emilia. Goldemberg, Netanel León. Goldemberg, David. Goldemberg, Vita León. Guedalia, Jacob. Hamaoui Gabbay, Joseph. Hamaoui Gabbay, Mauricio. Hamaoui Gabbay, Víctor. Hamaoui Gabbay, Máximo. Hamaoui, Samuel. Huri Gosti, Guillermo. Hauel Moisés. Hadef, Youssef. Haim Cohen, Yeuda. Hadef Al, Joseph. Hadef, Nessim. Hadef, Rahmi. Hadef, Solimán. Israel Sourejou, Jacques. Jabes Nessim, David. Kiakim, Georges. Levy Agami, Mauricio. Levy Agami, Salomón. Levy de Moisés Levy, David. Levy, Sivi. Levy, Samuel. Levy, Jacques. Levy Salama, Yvonne. Levy Abecassis, Elías. León de, Alberto. León de, Isaías. Luria, David. Libermann, Penina, Vda. De Weissmann. Leibovitz, Marcel. Leibovitz Tomaselli de, Nella. Maratchi Bentata, Alberto. Mayo Cicurel, Moisés. Mayo Cicurel, Victorio. Mayo Cicurel, Marco. Mayo Cicurel, José. Mosseri, Vda. De V. Acrist. Retjman, Joseph. Rothemberg, León. Rothemberg, Salomón. Rothemberg Lehrer de, Fanny. Razinovsky, Malka, Vda. Aboutboul Schmerling, Aron Hirsch. Schmerling Heyde de, Gros Simhon, Salomón. Simhon Busso, Joseph. Simhon Busso, Víctor. Soriano Ressman, Rebecca. Schechter, Abraham. Schechter, Moisés. Schecheter, Michel. Salama, Shameon. Salem Alcée, Samuel. Salem Menasce de, Alice. Tueta, David A. Weissmann, Jacob. Weissmann Beninson de, Bella. Weissmann Liberman, Emmanuel. Weissmann, Yeouda. Weissmann Beninson, Aron. Weissmann Beninson, Isaac Raman. Weissmann Beninson, Igal. Weissmann Beninson, Aviva. Yahiel, Mario.
Alexandria and Port Said list
Aguib, Haim. Abourgil, Youssef. Abouharoun, Elías M. Azulai, Simón. Banoun, Nessim. Banoun Levy, Ely. Benatata Baruch. Benatata Moisés. Barcilón, Abraham S. Barcilon, Roberto A. Barcilon, Elie S. Barcilon, Abraham J. Benador, Yoakim. Benzakein, Salomón S. Benzakein, Maurice A. Benzakein, Samuel A. Benzakein, Saúl A. Benzakein, Elías Isaac. Benzakein, Isaac E. Benzakein, Samuel E. Benzakein, Alberto Abr. M. Benzakein, José M. Benzakein Jacobo J. Benzakein, Félix Haim. Benzakein, Mario Isaac. Benzakein, Rafael Isaac. Benzakein, León M. Benzakein, Jacobo M. Benzakein, Mayer M. Benzakein, Salomón J. Benzakein, Pinhas J. Bibas, Carolina. Bibas, Jaime Mauricio. Bibas, Félix M. Bibas, Mauricio Jaime. Bibas, Félix J. Bibas, Vda. De Arturo, Emma. Bibace Tammam, Fortunata. Bibace, Eduardo Bibace, Alberto Bibace, Maurice. Bitchacho, Alberto Haim. Broudo, Aaron. Braunstein, Vda. De Adolfo, Dora. Benveniste, Isaac. Benveniste, Jacobo. Benveniste,Eliott. Benveniste, Rafael. Benveniste, Rinaldo. Botton, Moisés J. de. Botton, José H. de. Botton, Raúl Alberto. Botton, Hadur H. de. Botton, Vita H. de. Botton, David M. de. Botton, Vda. De Marco, Sara. Botton, Chlomo de. Botton, Félix H. de. Boubli, José. Boubli, Samuel Matuk. Bassrawi y Botton, Rachel. Bassrawi y Botton, Hiskia. Bassrawi y Botton, Hadssah. Bassrawi y Botton, Rose. Braunstein, Nathan. Braunstein, Maurice. Braunstein, Fritz. Braunstein Marie. Braunstein, Suzana. Braunstein, Elsa. Cadoche, Yehuda. Chacron, Jacques. Chacron, Alberto. Chacron, Vda. De José, Louna. Cohen, Rafael Salomón. Cohen, Abraham. Cohen, Vda. De Musa, Goharra. Cohen, Félix A. Cohen, Josua David Haim. Cohen, Haim Salomón. Cohen, Yehuda Haim. Cohen, Abraham Mordekhai. Cohen, Abramino. Cohen Arazi, Isaac. Cohen, Zaki. Dorf, Samuel. Dorf, Abraham S. Dorf, Joseph S. Dente Besso, Salvador. Ferro, Jacques. Gabbay, Schlomo. Gabbay, Jacques A. Gabbay, Elie Z. Gabbay, Theodore A. Gabbay y Pessa, Jacques. Gabbay y Pessa, Rafael. Gabbay y Pessa, Vita. Gabbay, David H. Gattegno, Alberto. Gattegno, Vda. De José, Sophie. Gattegno, Clemente. Gattegno, David L. Galimidi y Sevilla, Salomón Harrush, Yussef. Harrush, Félix Y. Habid Mishali, Joseph. Hauel y Alvo, José. Iacoel, Haim Ben Rubi. Levy Agami, Aslan Lillo, David. Mazza, Samuel. Mendelovitch, Abraham Moreno, Clemente. Munir, Jacques Abr. Maman, Alberto. Mizrahi, Nessim. Mizrahi, Aaron. Mizrahi, Joseph. Nada, Vda. Yussef, Esther. Nahmias, Alberto. Ovadía, Reina. Ovadía, Elena. Penhas Barcilai, Alfonso. Perlassof, Vda. De Moise, Sol. Rabinovitz, Albert Bernard. Salama, Salomón A. Salama, Jonás. Setton, Simón Hai. Tueta, Elieto. Tueta, Víctor. Tueta, Isaac Nessim. Tueta, Félix Nessim. Tueta, José Nessim. Tueta, David Saad. Ventura, Benjamín Baruch. Ventura, Samuel Baruch. Ventura, Edmundo Sam. Ventura, Maurice Sam. Ventura, Edmundo Baruch. Ventura, Riso Baruch. Yattah, Youssef. Zami, Elías.
Freemasonry Archives
Many Jews in Egypt were freemasons. Freemasons attend Lodges which, in turn, belong to Grand Lodges or Grand Orients. Sometimes the records of Egyptian lodges are in archives outside Egypt. The major Grand Lodges are:
- United Grand Lodge of England
- Grand Orient de France
- Grande Oriente d’Italia
- Grand Lodge of Scotland
- Grand Lodge of Ireland
Ottoman Era Archives
A little old, but there are two articles by Stanford J. Shaw:
Cairo’s archives and the history of Ottoman Egypt
The Ottoman Archives as a Source for Egyptian History
Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), a project of the United States embassy in Cairo, together with the Drop of Milk Foundation are working to restore the Bassatine cemetery in Cairo.
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