Among the oldest Jewish community in the world, the Libyan Jewish community was established over 2,500 years ago. By World War II, the Jewish population in Libya swelled to some 35,000 people, roughly 3.6 percent of Libya’s total population. Though a minority, Libya’s Jews had long integrated into the society around them.
In 1911, Italy colonized Libya. Within twenty years of Libya’s occupation, Jews faced the backlash of Fascist Italian policies. Libyan laws quickly absorbed European anti-Semitism restricting Jews from certain jobs, expelling them from government-operated schools, and labeling them as “the Jewish race” on their passports.
In 1942, Libyan Jews faced repression by a new occupier: Nazi Germany. Germans attacked Jewish neighborhoods, Jewish stores, Jewish-owned buildings, and eventually deported Jews to forced labor camps where over one-fifth of Libya’s Jewish population was murdered.
In 1943 the Allies liberated Libya, though Jews continued to face widespread violence. Within two years of the Nazi occupation, anti-Jewish rioting swept Tripoli. In a single pogrom in early November 1945, five synagogues and over 1,000 Jewish homes and stores were destroyed or looted leaving 140 Jews dead and several more injured.
In 1948 rioters killed another 12 Jews and destroyed 280 Jewish homes, for the first time in retaliation for the establishment of the State of Israel.
Amid continued violence and discrimination, Libyan Jews sought refuge in newly established Israel. By 1951, nearly 31,000 Libyan Jews immigrated to Israel. Those who stayed in Libya faced continued attacks amid a series of wars between Israel and its Arab neighbors. In 1967 the 7,000 Jews that remained in Libya faced violence in retaliation for the Six Day War. Jews were labeled as outsiders, untrustworthy, and disloyal. Anti-Jewish legislation was passed, Jewish property was confiscating, and the ancient Jewish community quickly evaporated as Jews immigrated to Israel.
Today, there are no Jews left in Libya.
