Star of David shining over the gulf

A contribution to understanding Jewish connections between Trieste and Gorizia

Abstract

The Jewish presence in Trieste and Gorizia is documented since the thirteenth century onwards and their presence in the Littoral increased on the arrival of exiles from Styria and Carniola in the Early Modern Period. In the seventeenth century, some Jews in the Littoral were elevated to the rank of so-called court-privileged Jews or privileged Jewish individuals in the service of the imperial crown. Both Jewish communities had close family and business ties throughout history. The differences between them, however, should be sought both through numeric comparison and in terms of their economic power and influence on the political and social life of respective cities. The Jewish community in Trieste is still active today and is the only one in Friuli Venezia Giulia. Since 1969, it also incorporates a small number of Jews from Gorizia, with the Trieste rabbi also holding jurisdiction over the entire territory of Slovenia.