History of the Jews in Sardinia

[1] Little recorded Jewish history of early Sardinia remains but it is presumed they led a quiet, provincial life with full rights along with the natives.

They even left a mark on Sardinian itself in words like Friday that, unlike the other Romance languages, is actually chenàpura or cenàpura, deriving its name from the Latin cena pura in order to designate the food prepared for Shabbat eve.

After the fall of Rome, a succession of foreign rulers became the governors of Sardinia and life for the Jews became increasingly harsh.

[6] This synagogue was eventually forcibly converted into a Roman Catholic Church, which today goes by the name of Santa Croce[7] However, the largest Jewish community in Sardinia was located in the city of Alghero.

Thus, many Sardinian Jews arrived in Malta,[9] Greece, and the Italian region of Calabria,[10] which became a temporary home for other Sephardic refugees as well.

[12] During the 19th century, a modest number of Jewish families from Italy settled back on the island, which had been previously ceded to and made into a possession of the House of Savoy.