Jewish Heritage in the Middle East and North Africa: What Synagogues, Cemeteries, and Texts Reveal

This event has been cancelled.

We will feature a talk about Belgian Jewry on the same date. You can click here to find out more.

Thursday, November 6

USA 12:00 pm PT / 3:00 pm ET

UK 8:00 pm / France 9:00 pm / Israel 10:00 pm

The talk will last approximately 90 minutes

About this talk

Although only a few Jewish communities remain today in the Middle East and North Africa, the region preserves a rich and multifaceted Jewish past. This heritage is embodied in extensive material culture—including hundreds of synagogues, cemeteries, Judaica items, and textual sources—dispersed across Arab and Islamic countries. These materials are not static relics; they form part of a living archive: a dynamic, tangible conduit through which the histories and experiences of Jewish communities can be reinterpreted within their lived environments and the social, cultural, political, and historical dynamics that shaped—and continue to reshape—them.

About the Author

Yoram Meital is a professor of Middle East Studies at Ben-Gurion University. He has conducted extensive research on various topics related to Arab societies during the modern era, focusing on Egypt's social, cultural, political, and legal history. From 2017 to 2021, he served as the historical consultant to the Jewish community in Cairo, actively participating in documenting and preserving Egyptian-Jewish heritage. His publications include Revolutionary Justice: Special Courts and the Formation of Republican Egypt (2017); Peace in Tatters: Israel, Palestine, and the Middle East (2006); and Sacred Places Tell Tales: Jewish Life and Heritage in Modern Cairo (2024).

RECORDING INFORMATION

This talk will be recorded and shared with registrants the day after.

It will be available for 3 days, and 7 days for members.

This event has been cancelled

You will be asked to select one of these options:

General admission - $18

Supported admission - $9

Sponsor this talk - $36

With your contribution you will also be donating to the Jewish Community in Cairo