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Drop of Milk (Goutte de Lait), Cairo, Egypt

Cairo, Egypt

Drop of Milk is a charitable Non-Governmental Organization founded in 1921. [1] They are Egypt’s oldest Jewish charity association. [2]

Description

Drop of Milk was originally founded to support the disadvantaged members of the Jewish community of Cairo. Through education, the association provided a means of social mobility, especially for women. Oftentimes, girls would be hired to work in department stores for their French language skills and social graces. Boys from upper-class families would see the girls there and offer to marry them, thus breaking class barriers. The association's support has continued in recent years through efforts to increase access to books in Hebrew throughout Egypt. [3] However, due to the mass exodus of Jews from Egypt (following the establishment of the state of Israel), Drop of Milk has shifted their focus toward preserving Jewish heritage throughout Egypt as well as the promotion of interfaith understanding. [4, 5] Recent accomplishments include the restoration of the Bassatine Jewish Cemetery. Drop of Milk is currently based out of the Sha’ar Hashamayim (Adly St.) Synagogue in Cairo. [6] 

Cairo, Egypt

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Sources

Notes


[1] Drop of Milk Egypt جمعية قطرة اللبن (@D.O.M.Egypt), About, n.d., https://www.facebook.com/D.O.M.Egypt/?ref=page_internal.  


[2] George Mikhail, “Egypt’s dwindling Jewish community struggles to maintain its heritage,” Al-Monitor, July 10, 2018. https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2018/07/egypts-jews-want-to-open-their-temples.html#:~:text=The%20Drop%20of%20Milk%20Association,members%20of%20the%20Jewish%20community.  


[3] Ibid.


[4] Elinoar Bareket and Racheline Barda, “Egypt”, in Encyclopedia of Jews in the Islamic World, Executive Editor Norman A. Stillman. Consulted online on July 27, 2022, https://referenceworks-brillonline-com.oca.ucsc.edu/entries/encyclopedia-of-jews-in-the-islamic-world/egypt-COM_0009910?s.num=0&s.f.s2_parent=s.f.book.encyclopedia-of-jews-in-the-islamic-world&s.q=egypt. 


[5] Drop of Milk Egypt جمعية قطرة اللبن (@D.O.M.Egypt). 


[6] George Mikhail. 


Works Cited


Drop of Milk Egypt جمعية قطرة اللبن (@D.O.M.Egypt). About, n.d. https://www.facebook.com/D.O.M.Egypt/?ref=page_internal.  


Mikhail, George. “Egypt’s dwindling Jewish community struggles to maintain its heritage.” Al-Monitor. July 10, 2018. https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2018/07/egypts-jews-want-to-open-their-temples.html#:~:text=The%20Drop%20of%20Milk%20Association,members%20of%20the%20Jewish%20community.  


Bareket, Elinoard and Racheline Barda. “Egypt.” In Encyclopedia of Jews in the Islamic World. Executive Editor Norman A. Stillman. Consulted online on July 27, 2022. https://referenceworks-brillonline-com.oca.ucsc.edu/entries/encyclopedia-of-jews-in-the-islamic-world/egypt-COM_0009910?s.num=0&s.f.s2_parent=s.f.book.encyclopedia-of-jews-in-the-islamic-world&s.q=egypt.