Jewish Monumental Material Culture in Novi Pazar: Historical Evolution, Religious Infrastructure, and Heritage Conservation

Folkloristics 10/2 (2025): 19–36
Author: Čedomila Marinković
Text:

This study examines the Jewish material culture of Novi Pazar, emphasizing the historical evolution, religious infrastructure, and cultural conservation of its Sephardic Jewish community during the Ottoman Empire and post-war periods. The community, founded in the late eighteenth century by merchants from Sarajevo, developed a structured kehillah that preserved religious and social autonomy. This study relies on archaeological evidence, archival documentation, and recent preservation efforts to reconstruct the spatial and material aspects of Jewish life in Novi Pazar, emphasizing the community's religious practices, cultural identity, and constant challenges in heritage preservation amidst urban transformation. Prominent religious structures include the ritual bath (mikveh) incorporated into the Isa Beg Hammam, demonstrating architectural adaptation to Ottoman urban limitations and compliance with halakhic purity regulations. The 1857 synagogue, likely inspired by Sarajevo's El Kal Viejo, demonstrates cultural continuity despite Ottoman-imposed limitations on non-Muslim religious design. The Jewish Bridge (El Ćupri Čiko) eased Sabbath observance by allowing transit without infringing halakhic regulations. The Jewish cemetery constitutes a significant material testament to the community's historical existence. In spite of the destruction during the Holocaust and later disregard, new restoration initiatives by local officials and NGOs seek to save this place, addressing the issues posed by urban expansion and the politics of remembering. This study emphasizes the significance of material culture in recreating minority histories and illustrates the interaction between religious practice, urban environment, and cultural identity. It contributes to extensive dialogues regarding Ottoman pluralism, Balkan multiculturalism, and the conservation of Jewish legacy in the Balkans.

Keywords: Jewish material culture, Novi Pazar, Sephardic Jews, Ottoman Empire.