On 12 March 1496, the Jewish community of Syria faced expulsion, a tragic episode in the broader history of persecution that followed the expulsions from Spain and Portugal.
Under the rule of the Mamluks, who governed Syria at the time, shifting political and religious pressures led to waves of discrimination against Jewish populations.
Many Jewish families, having already endured displacements across Europe and the Mediterranean, were once again forced to abandon their homes, livelihoods, and cultural heritage, seeking refuge in the Ottoman Empire and other regions more tolerant of their presence.
This event marked yet another chapter in the centuries-long struggle of Jewish communities against exile and displacement, shaping the historical and demographic landscape of the Middle East.
