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SUPPL.] II. THE JEWS OF EGYPT. 389
even shabby dress before they go out: and though
their houses have a mean and dirty appearance from
without, many of them contain fine and well
furnished rooms. In the house, they are not so
strict as most other Orientals in concealing their
women from strange men, or, at least, from persons
of their own nation, and from Franks : it often happens that a European visiter is introduced into an
apartment where the women of the Jew's family are
sitting unveiled, and is waited upon by these women.
The same custom also prevails among many of the
Syrian Christians residing in Cairo. Intrigues are
said to be common with the Jewesses ; but there
are no avowed courtezans among them. The condition of the lower orders is very wretched; many
of them having no other means of subsistence than
alms bestowed upon them by their superiors of the
same sect.
Avarice is more particularly a characteristic of
the Jews in Egypt than of those in other countries
where they are less oppressed. They are careful,
by every means in their power, to avoid the suspicion of being possessed of much wealth. It is for
this reason that they make so shabby a figure in
public, and neglect the exterior appearance of their
houses. They are generally strict in the performance
of their religious ordinances ; and, though overreaching in commercial transactions, are honest in
the fulfilment of their contracts.
Many of the Egyptian Jews are " sarrafs" (or
bankers and money-lenders) : others are seyrefees,
| Title | An account of the manners and customs of the modern Egyptians - 2 |
| Creator | Lane, Edward William |
| Publisher | C. Knight and Co. |
| Place of Publication | London |
| Date | 1842 |
| Language | eng |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Title | 00000401 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | SUPPL.] II. THE JEWS OF EGYPT. 389 even shabby dress before they go out: and though their houses have a mean and dirty appearance from without, many of them contain fine and well furnished rooms. In the house, they are not so strict as most other Orientals in concealing their women from strange men, or, at least, from persons of their own nation, and from Franks : it often happens that a European visiter is introduced into an apartment where the women of the Jew's family are sitting unveiled, and is waited upon by these women. The same custom also prevails among many of the Syrian Christians residing in Cairo. Intrigues are said to be common with the Jewesses ; but there are no avowed courtezans among them. The condition of the lower orders is very wretched; many of them having no other means of subsistence than alms bestowed upon them by their superiors of the same sect. Avarice is more particularly a characteristic of the Jews in Egypt than of those in other countries where they are less oppressed. They are careful, by every means in their power, to avoid the suspicion of being possessed of much wealth. It is for this reason that they make so shabby a figure in public, and neglect the exterior appearance of their houses. They are generally strict in the performance of their religious ordinances ; and, though overreaching in commercial transactions, are honest in the fulfilment of their contracts. Many of the Egyptian Jews are " sarrafs" (or bankers and money-lenders) : others are seyrefees, |
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