In English: Invigning av Egyptens judar

The Museum of Mediterranean and Near Eastern Antiquities is now exploring an often overlooked part of Egypt's history. On Friday, September 20th, the exhibition Jews of Egypt opens, showcasing the long history of the Jewish minority in Egypt. Visitors will be taken on a journey through centuries of Jewish presence, from the Middle Ages to the expulsion during the 1950s and 1960s, with personal stories and artifacts.

On Friday, September 20th, at 6:00 PM, the exhibition Jews of Egypt will be inaugurated with a speech by Rani Kasapi, Head of Content and Learning.

Singer Agnes Kofoed Christianson will perform songs by Leila Murad, accompanied by oud player Mohamed Ismail. Leila Murad was one of the biggest stars in Egypt and the entire Arab world during her time.

The Jews of Egypt exhibition will become an important part of the Mediterranean Museum's core offerings on Egypt by highlighting an often overlooked part of the country's history. With borrowed artifacts, photographs, and personal stories, Jews of Egypt provides insight into the contributions of Jewish groups to Egypt's cultural, economic, and political life.

"We are broadening the narrative of Egypt," says Sofia Häggman, Egyptologist and Curator at the National Museums of World Culture. "The exhibition also shows how Jewish, Christian, and Islamic communities coexisted for centuries, creating a successful society with a cultural life that inspired the world."

Jews of Egypt is divided into four chronological themes, from the medieval Fustat—Egypt's first capital—through the golden years of the 19th and 20th centuries, to the displacement of most of the country's Jews during the 1950s and 1960s.

Through several personal artifacts, documents, and films, visitors gain insight into the successes, hopes, losses, and sorrows of Jewish families. Today, more and more people are taking an interest in the Egyptian-Jewish cultural heritage and its future.

The exhibition opens on September 20th and will be on display at the Mediterranean Museum until September 2025.