In 1834, the Jewish population of Safed faced a violent pogrom that lasted a painful 33 days. Taking place years before the birth of political Zionism and the mass immigration of Jews to Ottoman Palestine, it was just one example of the violence that the Jews often faced under Muslim rule.
Safed has been an important center of Jewish life for centuries. The city became an important center of Jewish culture in the Middle Ages and by 16th century CE was the world center of Jewish mysticism, Kabbalah. A Hebrew printing press established in Safed in 1577 became the first press in all of the Ottoman Empire.
By 1834, the Jewish population of Safed stood at between two and four thousand people. From 1831 to 1841, Ottoman Palestine was conquered by Egypt, which led to a minor rebellion by the local Arab population. When the rebellion against Egypt failed to accomplish a change in rule, many Arabs turned their violence against the Jews.
On June 15, 1834, members of the local Arab population gathered to attack the Safed's Jewish community. Jewish property was plundered, as Jewish homes, businesses and synagogues were burnt to the ground. Jewish women were tortured and raped. Many Jews were murdered or maimed.
The exact number of casualties remains unknown, but eyewitness accounts described horrific scenes of murder and torture. The violence continued for over a month, forcing the entire Jewish community to flee the city and seek refuge in the nearby mountains.
When the pogrom ended on June 17, much of the city's Jewish community were left homeless, distraught, injured and in poverty.
