Between Van Gogh and the Talmud

Provence! Just the name conjures up visions of quaint sun­drenched villages, the radiant colors of Van Gogh paintings, and mountains spilling down to meet the Mediterranean. But more than that, it is the perfect place to explore France's Jewish sights and heritage through a kosher travel. It is here that one can find some of the oldest Jewish sights in France. 

Historians say this may have been home to Jews since the first century of the Common Era, though evidence is scarce. Archeologists establish more firmly that there were Jews in Arles and Marseilles in the fifth century. 

Jewish culture thrived in Provence in the early Middle Ages. Here, the Talmud was interpreted by monumental scholars where Jews from all over Europe sought out Provencal scholars on matters of Halacha. The Jewish culture of Barcelona was added in the 12th century when parts of Provence came under Catalonian rule. The intellectual life of both communities was enriched when science, poetry, philosophy, and the translation of Arabic literature were added to the scholarly repertoire. 

Among the noted Provencal scholars were Rabbi Moshe of Arles and his son Rabbi Judah ben Moshe of Arles, whose Talmudic interpretations are cited in some of Rashi's work. 

Sadly, Provence was no stranger to anti­Jewish riots, edicts, or forced baptism, and many rulers restricted Jewish life and commerce. The most infamous anti­Jewish riot wiped out almost the entire community of Toulon in 1348 ­ the height of the Black Death. The loss of life was so high that the Crown lowered the special Jew tax for a period of 10 years. 

But there was one area of Provence in which Jews enjoyed relative safety ­ the Comtat Venasissin, the present Vaucluse Department. Ceded to the Vatican in 1274, it remained in their hands until 1791 when it reverted to France. Jews in the Comtat spoke a Judeo­Provencal dialect and developed their own liturgy, Comtatdin. Under the protection of the Avignon Popes, Jews flourished. 

Though all was not trouble free, Jews were permitted to live in the cities of Avignon, Carpentras, Cavaillon, and L'Isle­sur­la­Sorgue, known at the time as the Arba Kehilot ­ the four holy communities. With the exception of L'Isle­sur­la­ Sorgue, those cities contain some fine vestiges of the Jewish quarters of old. 

The Jewish community of Avignon goes back to the first century after the destruction of the Second Temple, but most documentation of Jewish life here begins in the 12th century. The first Jewish quarter (carriere) faced the Pope's Palace on Rue de Vielle Juiverie. By the early 13th century, the carriere was on Rue Jacob and Place Jerusalem, where the present synagogue stands. Built in 1846, the synagogue replaced a much older one that had burned the year before. There were many restrictions on Jewish life within the carriere ­ walls surrounded it and three gates restricted Jewish activity. The Church of St. Peter collected tolls, and it was forbidden to sell kosher meat outside the quarter. This tiny area, barely 100 square yards, was home to over 1,000 people. 

Carpentras Jews have lived here on and off since the 12th century, mostly as refugees from various expulsions elsewhere in France. Today's community numbers a few hundred mostly elderly Jews. The synagogue on Place de la Maire was built from 1741­1743 and contains pieces of a 14th­century synagogue. A French historic landmark, it was partially restored in 1930, 1953, and 1959. Because of a law forbidding exterior decoration the synagogue is quite plain, but it conceals an ornate sanctuary. 

The Rococo interior is similar to Italian synagogues of the same period. The raised bimah (podium) at the opposite end of the room from the Ark is characteristic of this style. 

In the older synagogue the women sat in the basement, not in the mezzanine. A small window allowed them to hear what was going on, and there was an official known as the rabbi of women. The basement contains remnants of a matza bakery and a mikva.  Nearby, off Rue Mercire, the south door of the Cathedral of St. Siffrein was known as La Porte Juive where Jews in the Middle Ages were forced to stand there and listen to sermons. 

Carpentras' medieval cemetery was destroyed in 1322, and the grave markers were used to build the town's ramparts. The present cemetery was established in 1367, but as papal edict forbade tombstones, the earliest stones are from the 18th century. 

The Old Jewish quarter of Cavaillon is on the rue Hebraique, just off the main street and behind the tourism office. Local Jews were required to live here beginning in the 15th century, although the community dates back to the 13th. The community was quite small and except for a few refugees, there were no Jews here on the eve of World War II. In the 1960s, some Jews from North Africa began to settle here and the community grew. Above a passageway between the Rue Hebraique and the Rue Chabran, the restored synagogue overlooks the old carriere. It is smaller than the one in Carpentras, but no less elaborate. No longer a working shul, it stands as an historical monument. 

The museum in the synagogue's basement (street level) once housed a matza bakery. Today it depicts the community's history and contains Torah scrolls, ritual objects, and historical documents. Though small, it is a fascinating look at French Jewish life in the town and in the region, best seen through a kosher cruise. 

Join Kosher River Cruise to explore the fascinating Jewish history and heritage of Southern France.  Go kosher cruising and & tour the region with historians and educators as they bring this incredible region to life, including interactions with the local communities of Avignon, Carpentras and Lyon!