I. Indigenous and Exile Strata
The Jews of Algiers combined ancient Musta'ribi families with Megorashim expelled from Spain. They spoke Judeo-Arabic and prayed in Hebrew.
II. Ottoman Rule and Early Modern Life
Under Ottoman suzerainty, Algiers's Jews lived as dhimmis with communal autonomy — rabbis adjudicating law and scribes copying scrolls.
III. French Colonization and Departure
Algerian independence (1962) prompted virtually the entire Jewish community to leave — mostly for France and Israel.