Jews of Tsfat (Safed) terrorized by Ottoman Governor
In 1576, the Jews of Tsfat, the city with the largest Jewish population in Israel at that time, were terrorized by the Ottoman governor, together with the local Arabs.
He compelled the Jews to work on Shabbat, and his forces attacked members of the Jewish community, killing some and arresting many others who were repeatedly flogged and forced to pay enormous sums of money.
The Jews complained to Constantinople, where the Sublime Porte, the office of the Grand Vizier, ordered the Ottoman governor to cease the attacks and return all belongings to the Jews, but the defiant governors continued to do as they pleased.
Sublime Porte: Center of Ottoman administration, representing the government and the office of the Grand Vizier
Thomas Allom, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Overview
The Jews of Tsfat, the city with the biggest Jewish population in Israel at that time, were terrorized by the Ottoman governor, together with the local Arabs.
He forced them to work on Shabbat. They attacked Jews and killed some of them, and then arrest many of them and flogged each one of them many times and demand huge amounts of money from them.
The Jews complained to Constantinople with the Grand Vizier, ordered the Ottoman governor to cease the attacks and return all belongings of the Jews.
Source: Stillman, Norman A., The Jews of Arab Lands: A History and Source Book, p. 298.
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