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Origin and history

The Jewish cemetery of Carpentras, founded in the middle of the 14th century, is the oldest in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Located at the intersection of the roads towards Caromb and Bédoin, in the Font-rousse district, it extends over 2 hectares northeast of the city. In 1343 Bishop Hugues authorized his creation in exchange for a royalty, thus marking a burial place for the local Jewish community. Thirty-three 2-metre-long terminals initially delineated the site, which was renovated in 1843 thanks to a subscription: aisles, funeral chapel, gheniza (deposit for used sacred texts) and a wall of enclosure were added. In 2009, the Heritage Foundation launched a collection for its maintenance, raising €6,000.

This cemetery is inseparable from the history of the Comtadin Jews, present in the Comtat Venaissin since the Middle Ages. Expelled in 1322 by Pope John XXII, they were allowed to return in 1326 and concentrated in four cities, including Carpentras, forming the kehilot arba (four holy communities). In the 16th century, these communities were forced to live in specific neighborhoods, the Careers, around their synagogues. Administered by baylons (local officials), they paid taxes proportional to their wealth and were subject to trade restrictions, particularly in the trade in fabrics. Their prosperity in the 17th century was based on the lending of money, maquignonning and trade in fabrics.

The cemetery remains a tragic symbol of contemporary anti-Semitism: it was desecrated by neo-Nazis in 1990. Since 2007, it has been listed as historic monuments, recognizing its heritage importance. The synagogue of Carpentras, built in 1367 and restored in the eighteenth century, completed this religious and community landscape. By 1789, the Careers had lost a quarter of their population, and by 1808 there were only 561 Jews left in the four communities, marking the gradual decline of this historical presence.

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