800-900 CE
Abbasid Rule and Jewish Life: Synagogues & Genizah
Under Abbasid rule from Baghdad (750–973), Jewish communities maintained vibrant synagogues and produced the Cairo Genizah documents that illuminate their daily life.
Under the Abbasid Rule from Baghdad, the western provinces, including the Land of Israel, were neglected at first. As the Arab presence started to shift from Benduin dominance to a more substantial Arab tribal influx, the persecution of Jews, Christians, Persians, and Samaritans increased.
Many Christians fled back to Byzantium, while Jews in Jerusalem were facing a systematic attempt to be driven out of the City.
As Islam grew stronger, the Caliphate sought to extend the sanctity of Jerusalem to the whole country.
