French Jewish Traditions and Recipes
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      • Battered Vegetables with Olive Tapenade Dip (Hanukkah)
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        • Mashed Celery and Potato
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Jews living in Muslim-ruled Algeria
 

Picture
Jewish Algerian couple around 1858
Ashkenazi Jews  often have the misconception  that Sephardi Jews did not suffer  from anti-Semitism in  North Africa.
It  is true that anti-Semitism in  the countries of Europe since the Middle  Ages, which was systematic and virulent, has no equivalent in North Africa: there have been massacres of Jewish people from time to time,  but nothing like the  Spanish Inquisition, Russian pogroms or the Holocaust.
Do not imagine, however, that the Jews living in  Algeria lived a dream  situation, devoid of violence or humiliation. They were  called Dhimmis, which is the Arabic term to refer to non-Muslim population
living in Islamic conquered land. As such, the Jews were considered second-class  citizens subjected to dictatorial deprivation of any legal and human rights  since they were non-Muslims. They had to pay various taxes and tolls, give  deference to their Muslim neighbors, and were subjected to all kinds of daily  humiliations.

 

French Colonization (1830 - 1962)

 

Picture
French colonization of Algeria
In 1830, France colonizes Algeria, at once  giving Jews the same rights as  Muslims. Algeria counted at the time 15 000  Jews, 80% of them living in  cities.
They were 6 500 in Alger which represented 20% of the  population of  the city.
In 1870, Adolphe Crémieux – a Jewish French Secretary of State-  edicts a decree giving full citizenship to every Algerian of European  lineage.
  This includes mostly Jews, but not exclusively (some European of Spanish, Italian or Maltese origins became French too). These French people living in Algeria will later be called "Pieds-Noirs" (Blackfoot). 
Jews in Algeria are overjoyed by this decree  that  not only protects them from their Muslim neighbors, but gives them access  to French Education and Culture as well. They embrace French civilization with  enthusiasm, almost immediately dressing, speaking or thinking like French people.

Eventually, this decree will unfortnately create a gap even bigger between  Jews and Muslims,  culminating with the expulsion of the Jews from  Algeria in  1962.  


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