At the crossroads in antiquity where East and West met stood one of the most beautiful cities on earth alongside a seaport pulsating with life in the heart of the Hellenistic empire: Alexandria. It was there that a most unique Jewish community one of the world’s largest and most powerful flourished for centuries. The Jewish community of Alexandria was noted not only for its size but also for the prominent social status its members enjoyed one without parallel anywhere outside Eretz Yisrael. Alexandria was home to Torah scholars successful businessmen erudite philosophers military officers and artisans and craftsmen in a variety of fields.

Alexandria was the most prestigious and wealthiest port city in the world and its Jews were an inseparable part of the city’s life. More than Jews anywhere else in the vast Diaspora Alexandrian Jews felt completely at home. Jews had lived in Alexandria since its founding and played a very important role in the city both economically and culturally for hundreds of years. Alexandria was the seat of Egypt’s government first under Greek and later under Roman rule and powerful connections formed between the ruling powers and the city’s large Jewish populace. 

The Jews of Alexandria often used their political influence to assist their brethren in Eretz Yisrael and elsewhere. They also opened their homes and wallets to benefit Jewish refugees who arrived there to escape persecution in Eretz Yisrael. When King Yannai embarked on a campaign against the Jewish Sages Yehoshua ben Perachya escaped to Alexandria. When the danger had passed Shimon ben Shetach sent him a letter that attested to the admiration that Eretz Yisrael’s Jews felt for their brethren in Alexandria: “From me Yerushalayim the holy city to you Alexandria of Egypt my sister; my husband dwells in your midst and I am desolate” (Sotah 47a).

The Alexandrian connection to Eretz Yisrael was expressed in many ways: the contribution of the machatzis hashekel aliyah l’regel the gifts of the kehunah bikurim maasros and much more. Special artisans were sent from Alexandria in order to assist the Kohanim in making the lechem hapanim and the ketores (see Yerushalmi Yoma ibid.) and to fix the vessels of the Beis HaMikdash that had been damaged (see Arachin 10b). Even some Kohanim Gedolim hailed from Egypt such as Chanamel Hamitzri (see Parah 3:5) and Shimon ben Baitus. Various Sages from Eretz Yisrael also visited the community (Yerushalmi Eiruvin 3:6) and were consulted by its residents on matters of halachah (Bava Metzia 104a and Niddah 69b).