Cairo Genizah : Letter

Cairo Genizah

<p style='text-align: justify;'>Recto: part of a letter, c. 1050 CE, probably from the Jewish community of Damascus, to the Jewish community in Fusṭāṭ, regarding their persecution by the Bedouin tribes who have usurped control of the city (they refer to them as 'Arabs', rather than the usual term for Muslims, 'Goyim', drawing a distinction, probably, between uncivilised and civilised behaviour). The harsh measures enacted against the Jewish community, by the city's leaders and the qadi known as 'the nephew of Abū l-Sayyār (Ibn Uḵt Abū l-Sayyār), inlude denying them access to the city's water supply, forbidding them to slaughter animals, and the extortion of special taxes. When a new Fāṭimid governor arrived to restore order, Ḥaydara 'Treasure of the Realm', the Jewish community presented him with a decree obtained from the court in Cairo. Ḥaydara read the decree and then demanded a bribe to remove the restrictions on the Jews. Verso: Unrelated text in Arabic script. </p>