# Jewish community in Egypt?



## ArabianNights (Jul 23, 2011)

I am not Jewish, but I was wondering if anyone has come across any Jewish Egyptians in Egypt and how I can come about finding a Jewish scholar/Rabbi. I am doing some work, which means that I am referencing some stuff from the Jewish scriptures and I want to make sure that I am using it in the correct 'context' etc. This work will be published and widely available, so it's quite important for me to get it checked by some religious scholars. 

I don't want to have any type of Jewish equivalent of Fatwas or the sort on my head (or Muslim one's either!) I will need to do the same with Islamic and Christian leaders, which I think will be easier here in Egypt - but am not so sure about the Jewish side. I know there is a Synagogue here in Alexandria, which is one of the oldest one's and I know that there is one in Cairo in the old part of town, however I have heard that Alex's Jewish community have dwindled to the extent that there are not enough men to carry out services in the Synagogue. Shall I just walk in and ask? Any suggestions?

Thanks


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## Guest (Dec 21, 2011)

there is a temple near maddi police station, see google earth


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## canuck2010 (Jan 13, 2010)

farrell said:


> there is a temple near maddi police station, see google earth


Yea, that would be the one barricaded and surrounded by military guards 24/7.


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

I know two Jews in Cairo.. one is Egyptian from Alex and the other is British but to be honest they keep it quiet and do not advertise the fact. I was actually unaware they were Jewish until a couple of years ago despite knowing them more than ten. Quite simply Jews are not welcome in Egypt.


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

farrell said:


> there is a temple near maddi police station, see google earth




Strangely enough I was just talking to a women about this synagogue only days ago.. she informed me that just after WW11 a German officer bought the land next door and built the big villa that is now in ruins..so that any remaining Jews had to pass the German villa to get to prayers... well that is her slant on it


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## Whitedesert (Oct 9, 2011)

farrell said:


> there is a temple near maddi police station, see google earth


If it is a temple it is Hindi, if it is Jewish it is a synagogue.


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

You may like to read The Man in the white sharkskin suit.. all about Egyptian Jews and why they felt they had to leave the country.


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## Whitedesert (Oct 9, 2011)

I dont know of any Jewish people around. There is a synagogue that I pass from time to time that is abandoned and derelict and which has been like that for a long time already. Seriously doubt if it has been used since Nassar chucked them all out and nationalised their properties.


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## PaulAshton (Nov 18, 2011)

Ask any Egyptian, there are no Jews and no homosexuals in Egypt


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## Guest (Dec 21, 2011)

Whitedesert said:


> If it is a temple it is Hindi, if it is Jewish it is a synagogue.


please google "beside The Jewish Temple Sarayat El Maadi, Maadi, Cairo"

i am simply trying to contribute and answering where i have usefull information

do i feel a sence of scarcasam not beholding to this form?

in the bible Jesus used to visit the temple, prehaps its a simular translation as synagogue


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

The Egyptian government has announced that it will not allow Jews to pray in Cairo's newly-restored Maimonides Synagogue, in retaliation for Israel's security response to Arab rioting on the Temple Mount.

“The Al-Aqsa Mosque is part of the heritage of the Palestinian Arabs and Israel is not entitled to block them from it,” said Dr. Zahi Hawass, Secretary-General of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities.

A Qatari newspaper quoted Hawass in a telephone interview late last week as saying the Maimonides Synagogue would be treated an an Egyptian antiquity, not a Jewish house of worship.

Nor will he allow the Egyptian Jewish community to administer the site – a direct response, he said, to the “provocative practices carried out by the Jews in their celebration which was held in the temple.” Hawass was referring to the wine served at the opening of the synagogue and the joyous dancing with which the celebration was carried out – both practices which he said were offensive to a billion Muslims.

The report “confirmed the temple will not be delivered to the Jewish community in Egypt in any way,” with Hawass stressing that “he would not allow any Jew to pray in the temple, and would not allow any Israeli to pray in the temple.”

Previous reports indicated that Egyptian authorities would allow Jews to pray in the synagogue.

Hawass also denied reports that American Jews had helped pay for the restoration of the synagogue, which he said had cost the Council several million dollars. However, he said, Egypt will continue to restore its ancient synagogues, with the next one to be in Alexandria, the Temple of the Prophet Daniel.


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## ArabianNights (Jul 23, 2011)

MaidenScotland said:


> I know two Jews in Cairo.. one is Egyptian from Alex and the other is British but to be honest they keep it quiet and do not advertise the fact. I was actually unaware they were Jewish until a couple of years ago despite knowing them more than ten. Quite simply Jews are not welcome in Egypt.



Thats quite sad, that they have to hide their faith, especially in a so called muslim country, where different faiths should be tolerated and have freedom of worship and expression. In Saudi, they do not have any churches either - which is against the rules of Islam. Islamically, people of other faiths should have freedom to worship and express their faith. But I am also not surprised, sadly, because these so called Muslims have corrupted Islam so much, that it has become what people 'think' it is today. 

It would be great to be able to speak with anyone who is Egyptian and Jewish.... it would be such an awesome experience and fascinating to say the least. I had the same fascination - and still do - with Coptic Christians in Egypt. The idea of Christians in the Arab world for me was mind boggling, to say the least, mainly because I was raised in a country, where Christianity was the 'majority' and my perception was that Christianity was a 'western' thing. I even thought that Bethlehem and Jerusalem were fictional places, limited to the Nativity play that I used to be in when I was a child LOL. 

Would your Jewish friend be against the idea of a meet up to discuss these types of things with her - or not? I can understand any worries or discomfort she/he may have, but it would be nice to see if at least if she knows some kind of religious leader who might want to help....


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

ArabianNights said:


> Thats quite sad, that they have to hide their faith, especially in a so called muslim country, where different faiths should be tolerated and have freedom of worship and expression. In Saudi, they do not have any churches either - which is against the rules of Islam. Islamically, people of other faiths should have freedom to worship and express their faith. But I am also not surprised, sadly, because these so called Muslims have corrupted Islam so much, that it has become what people 'think' it is today.
> 
> It would be great to be able to speak with anyone who is Egyptian and Jewish.... it would be such an awesome experience and fascinating to say the least. I had the same fascination - and still do - with Coptic Christians in Egypt. The idea of Christians in the Arab world for me was mind boggling, to say the least, mainly because I was raised in a country, where Christianity was the 'majority' and my perception was that Christianity was a 'western' thing. I even thought that Bethlehem and Jerusalem were fictional places, limited to the Nativity play that I used to be in when I was a child LOL.
> 
> Would your Jewish friend be against the idea of a meet up to discuss these types of things with her - or not? I can understand any worries or discomfort she/he may have, but it would be nice to see if at least if she knows some kind of religious leader who might want to help....




I am sorry but I wouldn't even ask them to meet you... no offense but they do not want people being able to point out that they are Jewish.


In Saudi Christians are now allowed to practice their faith but building a church might just be asking too much


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## ArabianNights (Jul 23, 2011)

MaidenScotland said:


> I am sorry but I wouldn't even ask them to meet you... no offense but they do not want people being able to point out that they are Jewish.
> 
> 
> In Saudi Christians are now allowed to practice their faith but building a church might just be asking too much



Thats fine, completely understandable


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