The city of Belgrade is located on a high, narrow piece of land between two major rivers—the Sava and the Danube. In the last 25 years, the city has developed a lot. Many of the streets are wide and well-planned, and modern buildings have been constructed in the Austrian style. Open squares can be found throughout the city, many of which serve as public markets.
However, the older section of Belgrade, near the rivers, still shows signs of its past under Turkish rule. This area has small, low-built adobe houses with red-tiled roofs, narrow winding streets, and poor sanitation. The air often carries bad smells due to a lack of cleanliness Tours Ephesus.
The Jewish Quarter and Religious Freedom
One part of the old town is known as the Ghetto, where most of the Jewish population lives in crowded conditions. Although many Jews are wealthy and own valuable property in other parts of the city, they still tend to live in this more isolated area.
Unlike in some neighboring countries, Jews in Serbia are not persecuted. The Serbian constitution guarantees freedom of religion, even though the state religion is Greek Orthodox Christianity. Out of the country’s total population of around 2.3 million people, over 2.28 million belong to the Orthodox Church. Other religious groups include:
Roman Catholics: 10,411, Muslim Gypsies: 11,586, Turks: 2,489, Jews: 5,102, Protestants: 1,002
Prejudice Rooted in Economic Rivalry
While Jews in Serbia are not legally discriminated against, they often face social prejudice. They are generally not appointed to public office—not due to law, but due to social customs. In the streets, it is not unusual for Jewish people to be insulted or mocked Peace Brings Prosperity to Serbia.
The main cause of resentment seems to be economic. Many Jews are highly successful in business. They own the best shops and often sell goods at lower prices than their Christian competitors. In areas like trade, brokerage, and commission work, they are known for being smart, cautious, and profitable—even when others suffer losses. Their commercial success has made them both admired and envied.
Interestingly, despite the negative talk, no one I met in Serbia could accuse a Jew of dishonesty. They always kept their promises and never charged unfair prices.
A Stark Contrast Conditions in Romania
In contrast to Serbia, the treatment of Jews in nearby Romania is far worse. There, Jews make up a large part of the population but still suffer harsh discrimination. Many of the old restrictions from the Middle Ages are still enforced.
For example:
Jewish children are not allowed to attend public schools. Jewish students cannot enter universities or technical schools. Jews are banned from working in factories or practicing professions like law and medicine.
They are forbidden from certain types of business.
The aim seems to be to force the Jewish population to leave Romania altogether. These actions go against the Treaty of Berlin, which was supposed to protect minority rights when Romania became a kingdom. However, Jewish appeals for justice are ignored.
Serbia and Bulgaria A Safer Option
Fortunately, conditions in Serbia and Bulgaria are much better. Because of this, many Romanian Jews are now emigrating to these countries, where they can live with more freedom and fewer restrictions.
