History of the Jews in Baghdad

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The history of the Jews in Baghdad spans over a millennium, tracing back to the founding of the city in the 8th century under the Abbasid Caliphate. Positioned near the Jewish centers of Sura and Pumbedita, Baghdad attracted a significant Jewish population, supported by the caliphs' encouragement of settlement. Throughout the Abbasid era, Baghdad emerged as a center for Jewish learning and religious leadership, hosting prominent figures and scholars. However, periodic restrictions under certain caliphs impacted Jewish civil rights, with policies enforcing distinctive dress and barring public worship.

Baghdad's Jewish community continued to thrive under various Islamic regimes, despite facing intermittent hardships, such as forced conversions and massacres during the 13th and 14th centuries under Mongol and other foreign invasions. By the 19th century, the Jewish community in Baghdad experienced a cultural and economic renaissance, contributing to local trade networks and establishing prominent families, like the Sassoons, who would later form influential diasporic networks across Asia.

In the 20th century, political changes in Iraq, culminating in the rise of the Ba'athist regime, led to the decline of the Jewish population in Baghdad as emigration increased. Despite facing challenges, Baghdad’s Jewish community has left a rich legacy, evidenced by the historic synagogues, schools, and enduring cultural traditions that shaped the city’s history.