Fragments from the life of Dubrovnik Jews

Poznato je da je Dubrovnik tokom cijelog srednjeg vijeka bio pod protektoratom nekoliko država: Bizanta, Normandskih kraljeva, Venecije i nekih manjih talijanskih državica. U tim državama su živjeli Jevreji još od rimskog carstva. Oni su bili organizovani, imali su svoje opštine ili slične organizacije. Velike jevrejske kolonije su postojale i u Apuliji, Siciliji i Albaniji (Valona). S tim kolonijama su Dubrovčani stalno trgovali. Vrlo je važna i činjenica da su iz tih država u Dubrovnik dolazili ljekari, učitelji i muzičari, među kojima je bilo dosta Jevreja. U gradovima južne Italije, naročito u provinciji Pulje (Bari i drugi) bilo je dosta Dubrovčana koji su trgovali sa tamošnjim Jevrejima. Pod protektoratom Venecije, Dubrovnik je bio od 1204. do 1358. godine nakon toga je i dalje bio u živim trgovačkim i ekonomskim odnosima. Dubrovčani su i tu susretali Jevreje, trgovce kao i druge koji su dolazili iz drugih krajeva u Veneciju također zbog trgovine. Jevreji koji su povremeno dolazili u Dubrovnik, vrlo brzo su otkrili da Dubrovčani već simbolički poznaju Jevreje putem preduskršnjih i uskršnjih zabava (maskerada) u kojima se Jevreji prikazuju vrlo negativno, podložni izrugivanju, podsmijehu i poruzi. Ta percepcija se nastavila i u daljoj istoriji Dubrovnika. Ovakav način tretmana Jevreja je stvoren u Dubrovniku i u svim kršćanskim državama pod uticajem Papskog Rima, gdje su se te ulične predstave nazivale "džudijate". O tome kada su se te predstave počele održavati u Dubrovniku, nemamo pouzdan podatak, pošto su se u dubrovačkom arhivu podaci sistematski počeli prikupljati tek od kraja 13. vijeka...It is known that throughout the Middle Ages, Dubrovnik was under the protectorate of several states: Byzantium, the Norman kings, Venice, and some smaller Italian states. Jews have lived in these countries since the Roman Empire. They were organized, they had their own communities or similar organizations. Large Jewish colonies also existed in Apulia, Sicily, and Albania (Valona). The people of Dubrovnik constantly traded with these colonies. It is also very important that doctors, teachers, and musicians came to Dubrovnik from those countries, among whom there were many Jews. In the cities of southern Italy, especially in the province of Puglia (Bari and others), there were many people from Dubrovnik who traded with the Jews there. Under the protectorate of Venice Dubrovnik was from 1204 to 1358, after which it continued to have lively trade and economic relations. The people of Dubrovnik also met Jews, merchants, and others who came to Venice from other parts also for trade. Jews who came to Dubrovnik from time to time quickly discovered that the people of Dubrovnik already symbolically knew the Jews through pre-Easter and Easter parties (masquerades) in which Jews were portrayed very negatively, susceptible to ridicule, and scorn. That perception continued in the further history of Dubrovnik. This way of treating Jews was created in Dubrovnik and in all Christian states under the influence of the Pope of Rome, where these street performances were called "džudijata." We do not have reliable information about when these performances began to take place in Dubrovnik, since data were systematically collected in the Dubrovnik archives only from the end of the 13th century..