1 2 3 8 9 Chapter Two | Jewish Roots in Gaza 1 A structure in Gaza iden�fied as the tomb of Samson Photograph from 1928, courtesy of the Margolin family) 2 On the right: The column on Hirschfeld's grave in the Rishon Lezion cemetery; On the le�: The inscrip�on on the column - 'The Redeeming Angel' 3 The lithurgic poem "Yāh Eternal Lord." We have clear evidence from the period a�er the first Muslim conquest that there was a Jewish se�lement in Gaza, and there were people there who made a name for themselves in biblical tradi�on. This would not have happened if it had not had seminaries for learning the Torah. Many documents found in the famous Cairo Genizah (archive) men�oned the Jewish se�lement in Gaza in that period. However, the first Muslim period is also characterized by mul�ple wars and conquests between Egypt and Syria, and when the Crusaders conquered the land in the year 4859 (1099 AD), they found Gaza in ruins, deserted by its inhabitants. 15 Gaza as an Administra�ve Center During the Mamluk era, the situa�on changed from one end to another. The city, which was a sleepy village during the Crusades, became a bustling administra�ve center. The Mamluks made Egypt their central hub, and Gaza's posi�on as a city on the Israeli-Egyp�an border gave it par�cular significance as a trading post. Unlike earlier �mes, there is a plethora of evidence a�es�ng to Jewish habita�on in the city from various travel books wri�en by Jews and non-Jews. A fascina�ng tes�mony is that of Rabbi Meshulam of Volterra, a Jewish banker from Florence, who visited Gaza in the year 1481. And so he writes: Aza is called Gaza by the Ishmaelites. It is a good and lush land, and its fruits are lovely. There is also good bread and wine, although the wines are only made by the Jews. There are sixty Jewish homeowners with a beau�ful, small synagogue, vineyards, fields and houses, and they have already started making new wine. And they honored me tremendously, especially Rabbi Moshe B.R. Yehuda Sephardi, and he is a li�le heavy-mouthed, and Rabbi Meir Sephardi a goldsmith... And the Jews are si�ng on the top of the land, may the Lord exalt them. And the house of Delilah is on top of the land, at the head of Judaica.16 Notably, Rabbi Meshulam established the �tle "Sepharadi" 11 years before the expulsion from Spain. Most interes�ng is the men�on of the "head of Judaica." According to Rabbi Meshulam, it is the mound where Delilah's house was located, and where Samson had lived. To this day [before the 2023 Iron Swords War], a tour of city would have revealed that the highest neighborhood in the city is called by the Arabs 'Harat al-Yahud' - the neighborhood of the Jews. Rabbi Meshulam also men�oned the existence of a synagogue in the city. At the city's highest point stands a Catholic church, which is different from all churches in Israel and the world. Its entrance is in the east, and the direc�on of prayer is to the west. Several years ago, fragments of ancient marble bars were discovered in the church yard. One of the fragments was inscribed in Greek: "For peace be upon Yaakov Ben Elazar, his sons, to give thanks to God for the holy place..." A second fragment shaped like a pillar was inscribed: "The angel who redeems me from all evil will allow me to ascend to Jerusalem." It turns out that the church was built on the remains of the city's ancient synagogue, hence its strange and rare shape. The well-known commentator of the Mishnah, Rabbi Ovadia of Bartenura, also visited Gaza in the year 1488. He published notes of his travels in his book 'A Journey to the Land of Israel,' and so he wrote: We stayed in Gaza for four days, and there today was an Ashkenazi Rabbi, called Rabbi Moshe of Prague, who fled from Jerusalem and brought us to his home against my will. I was with him all the days that I stayed in Gaza. And on Shabbat (Saturday), all the elders of the congrega�on and the Pharisees came to dine with us, and they brought grapes and fruit as was their custom, and we drank seven or eight cups before ea�ng, and we were merry.17 Among the deportees from Spain and Portugal in the year 5292 [1492], there were quite a few families who set their sights on the Land of Israel. Some of them chose the city of Gaza as their place of residence. The Jewish se�lement in the city grew considerably and numbered several dozen families.18 One of them was the Kastel family, which included seven brothers, and all of them le� Spain toward the Land of Israel and se�led in Gaza.19 How the Mighty Have Fallen Less than twenty years passed, and in the year 1517, the Land of Israel was conquered by the O�oman Sultan, Salim. So began four hundred years of the Turkish occupa�on of the Land of Israel. A significant movement of Jews to Israel also started, reflected in the Jewish community of Gaza. At that �me, the livelihood of Gaza Jews con�nued to be based on trade and agriculture. Their engagement with agriculture raised many halachic problems, evident in the History of Responsa in Judaism. An example of this is a ques�on that appears in one of Responsa books, by Rabbi David Ben-Zimra, who resided in Egypt at the �me: Would our rabbi please teach us if the people of Gaza must set aside dona�ons and �thes because few people own land, the rule, whether it is from the Land of Israel for this ma�er or not? Answer: It seems certain that they will be required, as it is said - the Land of Israel owes dona�ons and �thes, according to the Torah at this �me, Gaza also owes dona�ons and �thes according to the Torah.20 The lithurgic poem "Yāh Eternal Lord., sung to this day at the Shabbat table in both Ashkenazi and Sepharadic communi�es, was wri�en by Rabbi Israeli Najara, son of Rabbi Moshe Najara, originally from Safed and moved to Damascus to serve as the rabbi of the city.21 Rabbi Israel served as the rabbi of Safed and from there he moved to serve as the Chief Rabbi of Gaza. He served in this posi�on in Gaza for five years un�l his death in 1625. He was buried in Gaza, and his son, Rabbi Moshe Najara, assumed the posi�on a�er him.22 The period of the Rabbis from the Najara family was one of the most prosperous �mes of the Jewish community in Gaza. However, this situa�on changed in a short �me due to Nathan of Gaza, prophet of the Jewish messiah claimant Sabbatai Zevi. The false crowning of Sabbatai Zevi as the Messiah was also held in Gaza. As we know, the affair caused a deep ri� among the people of Israel and caused heavy damage to the Jewish community in Gaza. The important Jewish community that flourished spiritually and economically at the beginning of the 17th century Indeed - fell from its glory at the end of this century.23 The Jewish se�lement in the city recovered and regained its strength at the beginning of the 18th century. Apparently, this was thanks to Rabbi Shmuel Kastel, one of the members of the Kastel family men�oned above. On the cover of the book 'The Song of Songs,' which he recopied, he wrote: "Yah Ribon Olam" God, You are the mater of the universe - this world and all worlds; You are the King who reigns over all kings. You perform powerful and wondrous acts and it is a joy for us to sing, to declare Your praise. Holy God, Let me arrange the singing of your praises to You morning and evening, You, who created all life - holy angels as well as mankind, beasts of the field and of the sky. God, You are the Master of the universe - this world and all worlds. Your works and acts are great and powerful, making humble the mighty, straightening those who are bent. Were people to live for thousands of years, they would yet be unable to comprehend the immensity of Your power. God, You are the Master of the universe - this world and all worlds. God of honor and greatness protect Your sheep from the lions, and bring Your people out of exile - the na�on You chose from among all others. God, You are the Master of the universe - this world and all worlds. Return to Your holy Temple and to the "Holy of Holies," The place where the spirit and soul of Israel will rejoice, and sing songs and praises: Jerusalem, the city magnificent. God, You are the Master of the universe - this world and all worlds.
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