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Timbuktu, Mali
Only the most persistent travelers journey to
Timbuktu. Though today one may catch a three hour
flight from the Malian capital of Bamako, before
the late 20th century
the only way to reach the legendarily remote city
was to take a lumbering five day boat ride up the
Niger, or to travel hundreds of miles across the
Sahara. The Jews were among the most persistent
of ancient travelers, at least when they wished
to trade in distant centers of commerce such as
Timbuktu. All Jews in Timbuktu converted over the
generations to Islam or Christianity, but recent
historical research has led several families in
the distant Malian city to reconnect with the
religion of their ancestors.
Jay traveled to Timbuktu in
November, 1999, when he took these photos of life
in the ancient trading center, much of which has
not changed for centuries. He plans to return
this August to further document the Jewish
presence there.
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