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The Virtual Jewish History TourCyprus
By Ariel ScheibCyprus is the large island located in the easternmost part of the Mediterranean. The inhabitants of Cyprus were at first, perhaps, Carians; in historical times, Phenicians; and later, Greeks. During the last period of Greek occupancy, there were numerous Jewish settlers living in Cyprus. The Jews had close relationships with many of the other religious groups on the island and were seen favorably by the Romans. During the war over the city of Ptolemais between Alexander Jannæus and Ptolemy Lathyrus, King of Cyprus, many Jews were killed. During the war the Jewish citizens remained steadfast in their allegiance to King Lathyrus. In Roman TimesThe Jews fared well in Cyprus during Roman rule. During this period, Christianity was preached in Cyprus among the Jews at an early date, Paul being the first, and Barnabas, a native of Cyprus, the second. They attempted to convert the Jews to the ideas of Jesus. Under the leadership of Artemion, the Cyprian Jews participated in the great uprising against the Romans under Trajan in 117 C.E. In further punishment a severe law was enacted, according to which no Jew was permitted to land on Cyprian soil, not even in case of shipwreck; nevertheless Jewish residents still lived on the island. After a few years of calm, the Jewish communtities began to grow and thrive once again in Cyprus. In 610, however, the Jews again participated in the insurrection against the Greeks under the rule of Heraclius. In 646, and again in 1154, Cyprus was devastated by the Arabs; in 1571, it was annexed by Turkey, having been taken from the Venetians. In 1878, Cyprus came under English rule.G. S. Kr. Modern HistoryDuring the last twenty years of the nineteenth century several attempts were made to colonize Russian and Romanian Jewish refugees in Cyprus. The first attempt, in 1883, was a settlement of several hundred Russians was established in Orides near Papho. In 1885, 27 Romanian families settled on the island as colonists, but were not successful in forming communities. Romanian Jews in 1891, again bought land in Cyprus, although they did not immigrate to the country. Fifteen Russian families under the leadership of Walter Cohen founded a colony in the year 1897 at Margo, with the help of the Ahawat Zion of London and the Jewish Colonization Association. In 1899, Davis Trietsch, a delegate to the Third Zionist Congress at Basel, in August 1899, attempted to get an endorsement for Jewish colonization in Cyprus, especially for Romanian Jews. Although, his proposal was refused by the council; Trietsch persisted, convincing two dozen Romanian Jews to immigrate to the land. Twenty-eight Romanian families followed these and received assistance from the Jewish Colonization Association. These settlers established farms at Margo, and at Asheriton. The Jewish Colonization Association continued to give a small support to the work in Cyprus. Most Jewish communities during the early 1900s were located in Nicosia In 1901 the Jewish population of the island was 63 males and 56 females. In 1902, Theodore Herzl introduced the idea of establishing Cyprus as the “Jewish Homeland.” This idea was presented in a pamphlet to the Parliamentary committee on alien immigration in London, bearing the title "The Problem of Jewish Immigration to England and the United States Solved by Furthering the Jewish Colonization of Cyprus."
Today, the Jewish community has only about two dozen congregants with little organized religious activity. The Israeli Embassy does serve as a religious center during High Holidays and festivals. Israel has had diplomatic relations with Cyprus since Israel’s independence in 1948, when Cyprus was a British protectorate. Israel and Cyprus’ associations have continued to expand since 1960, the year of Cyprus’ independence. ContactsThe Jewish Community of Cyprus Israeli Embassy Sources: World Jewish Congress Map: CIA Photos courtesy of: USHMM Photo Archives |
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