Jews in Palestine from 637 -1099 and What happened To Them

 Nadene Goldfoot                                         

Notice that southern Ephraim has written, "Original land given to Dan.  Jericho was situated in eastern Benjamin.  Megiddo points to Zebulan but is in Manesseh.  The Arnon River is the boundry line of Reuben and MOAB.  

The turn of the century had Rabbi Hillel to remember.  

• Rabbi Hillel (b: 1st century BCE)  (Hebrew: הִלֵּל Hīllēl; variously called Hillel the Elder or Hillel the Babylonian; died c. 10 CE) was a Jewish religious leader, sage and scholar associated with the development of the Mishnah and the Talmud and the founder of the House of Hillel school of tannaim. He was active during the end of the first century BCE and the beginning of the first century CE.   He has been credited for writing the GOLDEN RULE in the negative 
• form "Do not do unto others that which you would not have them
•  do unto you"
• He came from Babylon to Israel, although he was descended from David. His descendent, Judah haNasi, traced his lineage through both the female lineage of the Tribe of Benjamin and the family of David. 

                 Arab Islamic Caliphates (637–1099)

The period of Arab rule began with the Rashidun Caliphate and continued with other dynasties. Muslim forces capture Caesarea, forcing the city's estimated 100,000 Jews to follow the Pact of Omar, which meant they had to pray quietly, not build new synagogues and not prevent Jews from converting to Islam. The Jews were also forbidden from riding horses and holding judicial or civil posts, and were forced to wear a yellow patch for identification.

During 637-1099, rabbis in Palestine were leaders of Jewish communities, engaged in various professions like scribes, merchants, and physicians, and played a crucial role in preserving Jewish law and traditions. However, the rabbinate was decentralized after the Palestinian Sanhedrin was dissolved, and many prominent scholars established their own academies in various locations. 

They didn't seem to produce any outstanding leaders/rabbis during this period in Palestine.  Between 637 and 1099, the Jews who remained in "Babylon" (the name Jews continued to use for Mesopotamia/present-day Iraq long after the ancient city's decline) were a flourishing, well-established community. The community was led by two powerful central institutions: the Exilarchate and the Gaonate. This era, known as the Geonic period, marked the peak of Babylonian Jewish influence before its gradual decline. It was these Babylonian Jews who had the energy to continue the growth and development of Judaism.  Their Talmud was more informative than the Palestinian one.  

From 637 to 1099, Jews in Palestine experienced a complex and fluctuating status under the rule of the Arab caliphates. The conquest brought a period of relief from Byzantine persecution but replaced it with the second-class status of dhimmi, defined by the payment of special taxes and subject to discriminatory regulations.

A central rabbinic body called the Palestinian Gaonate existed for about 200 years, first in Tiberias and later in Jerusalem. The Gaonate represented the Jewish community and was structured around legalistic principles before transferring to the Fatimid-controlled city of Tyre in 1071 due to Seljuk conquest. 

 Establishment of dhimmi status: The dhimma system formalized the protected but subordinate status of Jews and Christians as "People of the Book".  In exchange for security and the right to practice their religion, Jews were required to pay a poll tax (jizya) and a land tax (kharaj).  Jewish communities were allowed to return to Jerusalem and resettle the country.  Internal and external pressures ultimately led to a decline in the Palestinian Jewish population by the end of the 11th century (1099). 

• Rashidun Caliphate (637–661): Following their conquest, the Rashidun Caliphate began Islamic rule in Palestine, establishing the military district of Jund Filastin (Philistines?) "Jund Filastin translates from Arabic to "the military district of Palestine". It was one of the military districts of the Umayyad and Abbasid province of Bilad al-Sham (the Levant). 
• It was in 637 CE that  what is Iraq today (Mesopotamia ) was taken by the Babylonians (Arabs). 
• Early Islamic rule (637–750 CE)
  • A return to Jerusalem: Following the Arab conquest led by Caliph Umar, Jews were permitted to re-enter Jerusalem after nearly 500 years of exclusion under Byzantine rule. One account suggests that Umar allowed 70 Jewish families from Tiberias to resettle the city, with the explicit guarantee of religious and civil liberties.
  • Umayyad Caliphate (661–750): The Umayyad dynasty centered its rule in Damascus and designated Palestine as a major hub of Islamic faith and learning. Significant monuments were built during this era, including the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
• Later restrictions under the Umayyad Caliphate (661–750) curtailed the Jews' public conduct, religious observances, and legal status.
• Abbasid Caliphate (750–969): When the Abbasid dynasty took power, the capital moved to Baghdad. During their rule, the capital of Palestine was established in Ramla.
• During the period of 750–969 CE, rabbis in Palestine were primarily involved in the ongoing development of Jewish tradition, specifically the compilation of the Yerushalmi Talmud, serving a largely Arab Muslim population and engaging in a variety of livelihoods such as medicine, teaching, and trade to support themselves. The rabbinate had become more decentralized following the abolition of the nasi (patriarchal) office around 425 CE, leading to rabbinic academies and scholars operating independently across the region. 
• Fatimids and Seljuks (969–1099): The Fatimid Caliphate in Cairo and the Seljuk Turks in Damascus ruled the region for brief periods, with Jerusalem remaining an important site for pilgrimage and study. 
• Decline of the Gaonate: 

  In 1071, the Seljuks conquered Jerusalem, leading to the transfer of the Gaonate's center to Tyre in what is now Lebanon, which was under Fatimid control at the time. 
• • The First Crusade: 

    The period ended with the First Crusade (1096–1099), which saw Crusaders capture Jerusalem in 1099, resulting in the massacre of many Jews and Muslims.                        

    

                               

    Siege of Jerusalem in 1099 
  • 
    
  • Taking of Jerusalem by the Crusaders, 15th July 1099 , by painting by Émile Signol (1847), Palace of Versailles

  Resource: 
• https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/timeline-for-development-of-muhammad-s-islamic-message-570-1258#google_vignette
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillel_the_Elder