Culture
The Traditions of the Jews of Algeria
Algerian Jewish culture grew from three roots: Jews who had lived in North Africa since Roman times, refugees from Spain who arrived after 1391 and 1492, and, from the nineteenth century, French schools and the French language. Families spoke Judeo Arabic at home and, over time, French.
Jewish musicians were at the heart of Algeria's Andalusian music. Cheikh Raymond Leyris of Constantine was one of its greatest masters, and singers like Lili Boniche, Reinette l'Oranaise, and Enrico Macias carried it to new audiences in Algeria and France.
At home, Shabbat meant t'fina, a stew of meat, chickpeas, and eggs cooked slowly overnight, and couscous on Friday nights. Holidays brought honey soaked pastries and sweets shared with family and neighbors.
Since nearly the entire community left in 1961 and 1962, Algerian Jews in France, Israel, and the Americas have kept these traditions alive. JIMENA's oral histories preserve their memories in their own words.
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