The Jews of Arab Lands: A History and Source Book

This is a classic sourcebook on the title subject. It's full of a wealth of info. It's a four-star, though, instead of five because it doesn't have good summaries like JR Marcus (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/087820217X/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_0) for example. Still, if you need info on Jews in in Arabia, I highly recommend this book.

This came in a very timely fashion. The only problem was that there is some water damage on the book that I don't believe was mentioned in the product information. Otherwise, the book is in pretty good condition.

Little known history of Jews in Northern Africa and the Middle East from Biblical times to modern day. Scholarly, footnoted.

The book I purchased was a used book in very good condition at a very reasonable price. It was shipped quickly and received by me in a timely and good condition. I would recommend this seller very highly. I will be using this book in a course I am taking.

arrived in excellent condition

This book is composed of two parts - 100 pages of history and over 300 pages of source material (translations of letters, proclamations, histories, etc.). I found the history section to be interesting, but somewhat superficial. I found the source material to be somewhat difficult to read as it did not have any narrative flow and was quite dry as a result, but it did support the history section and is important as reference material. The book starts with the Jews of Arabia and their interactions with Mohammad and covers the period through the Ottoman Empire and events occurring in the late 1800’s. As such it does not cover the modern state of Israel, WWI, WWII or any of the other tumultuous events of the 20th century.The book contains some black and white photographs printed on the same coarse paper as the rest of the book. I recommend the book to those seriously interested in the subject, but more casual readers may find the book somewhat disappointing since only 100 pages is narrative history. The reference material will, however, delight more serious scholars and those interested in delving into it.

This is one of the most important books, for it is both history and documentary, of the Jews of Arab lands in modern times. The first hundred pages are a history of Jews in the Arab world. It begins in the 7th century with the conquests of Islam and then describes the ascendancy, decline and persecutions that followed. It tells of the Sephardim and also of the persecutions by the Almohads which destroyed, albeit temporarily, North African Jewry.The documentary history forms more then two thirds of the book and is what makes this a virtual museum to the history of these Jewish communities. It begins with the time of Mohammed and the first Jewish converts and persecutions of Jews in Arabia. Documetns show how Jiyza, the special discrimination tax that Jews were forced to pay for their `protection' to Muslim leaders. Other documents show how the Caliphs intervened in the appointment of Jewish leaders or arbitrated in disputes between karaites and Rabbinical Jews. One document from 1198 tells the story of the forced conversion of the Jews of Aden by the Muslim rulers. One document from Egypt deals with whether a Jewish female prostitute may donate money to buy a Torah scroll. The last documents are the most harrowing and deal with the coming of Europeans and Blood Libels in the late 19th century. An amazing source book and a must have for anyone interested in the true history of the Middle East, one that also deals with minorities like Jews who once were an important part of the fabric of that part of the world.Seth J.Frantzman

Stillman gives a concise, yet thorough history of the Jews in Arab Lands. While he covers over eleven (11) century's of Jewish History, he touches on the important events and figures that shaped attitudes to the Jewish populations from Spain to Iran. The second half of the book is dedicated to the sources which he draws from to paint the picture of Jewish life throughout those lands.If you are looking for a general overview, I would recommend his work. While his writing is clear, at times the sources are not translated well enough for a fluid read.

Content is what needed.