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Levana Zamir

EGYPT

Descended from aristocratic Egyptian Jews, Levana Zamir’s family fled Egypt in 1948 with only two days notice. With nothing but their suitcases, Levana’s mother smuggled jewels in the hem of her coat into France.

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Timeline of the Jews in Egypt

650 BCE
Jewish mercenary force garrisoning an Egyptian outpost for the Achaemenid Empire.
3rd Cen. BCE
Thousands of Jews live in the Egyptian Diaspora, their communities centered on Alexandria.
115-117 CE
The Emperor Trajan destroys Alexandria’s Jewish community.
629
Massacres of Jewish residents throughout the Empire.
641
Arab conquest of Egypt. The Jews prosper under Muslim rule as dhimmi, or second-class citizens, for centuries.
1517
The Ottomans defeat the Mamelukes. Egyptian Jews are allowed to retain their government positions and live peacefully, with the exception of blood libels in Alexandria in 1844, 1881, and 1902.
1919
Jews flee to Egypt, swelling the population to nearly 80,000.
Late 1930s
Arab-Jewish clashes in Palestine, and the rise of Nazi Germany, turns public sentiment against the Egyptian Jews.
1945
The Jewish Quarter of Cairo is severely damaged by anti-Semitic riots.
1948
The establishment of Israel and the Arab-Israeli War. Jewish areas are bombed. 70 Jews are killed, 200 are wounded, and riots kill more.
1950
40% of Egypt’s Jewish population have emigrated.
1954
Sharply increased anti-Semitism
1956
The Suez Crisis. Egyptian government declares all Jews enemies of the state. 25,000 forced to emigrate, leaving behind all their possessions. 1,000 imprisoned.
2014
Less than 40 Jews remain in Egypt.