In class reading P.15-29

About 2000 years ago, Ottoman Empire assailed Israel. As a result, Jews needed to move to Europe. When they got back in 19th century, there were only 25,000 people in Palestine and Syria. Most of them were descendants of Spanish Jewry and ancient local families, and they were Ottoman subjects. The Ottoman state was based on the principle of Muslim superiority and the Jews along with the Christians were regarded as infidels and second-class citizens (Dhimmis) and had to pay a special poll tax (jizyah) for the protection of the state and as a sign of their inferior status. This kind of special control, pressure or compress caused to reduce the population.