The Execution of Family Law Court Rulings in Jewish Communities in Tunisia and Libya in the Early Twentieth Century: The Challenge of Enforcement Without Sustenance Ronel Atia

Abstract

The article examines the enforcement of verdicts by Jewish courts in two early entiethcentury Jewish communities: in Tunisia, particularly the capital city of Tunis, as it transitioned from Muslim rule to an European protectorate, and in Libya during the last years of the Ottoman Empire. It analyzes three documents that reflect the ways in which various Jewish courts handled cases related to family law and used sanctions to uphold Jewish law. The situations described in these documents raise questions about the Jewish courts’ authority to execute judgments in matters under their immediate jurisdiction. This article may provide a basis for the study of similar issues in other Jewish communities in the Ottoman Empire and in other periods throughout history.