Pumbedita

Pumbedita was a city in Babylonia, on the River Euphrates, on a channel called Schunja - Schumvata, the northernmost connecting channel between the Euphrates and Tigris. She was together with Sura of 3 until the 11th century as a leading center of Jewish learning. Today, situated on the territory of former Iraqi city of Fallujah Pumbedita.

At the time of writing of the Talmud, the city was surpassed in importance by Sura, but later reached under Sherira Gaon and his son Chai Gaon which 968-998 or 998-1038 directed the Academy of Pumbedita a leading role.

The region was known for its abundance of water, its pleasant climate and its thriving trade; in their vicinity attracted caravans from Babylonia over to Syria. Cereals and date palms were planted, and the drawn here flax formed the basis for a thriving textile industry. Until the beginning of the era of Geonim the city was known more for their material wealth as for their erudition. When the academy was destroyed by Nehardea in the 3rd century, attracted there by scholars Pumbedita.

At the end of the 10th century, the Academy of Pumbedita was moved to Baghdad. According to sources that have been found in the Cairo Geniza, and Arabic sources was the Baghdad Academy apparently until the 13th century. From the 12th and 13th centuries the names of nine Geonim are known, who considered themselves the descendants of the Academy of Pumbedita. Benjamin of Tudela, who traveled to Babylonia in 1170, wrote that at this time in Pumbedita about 3,000 Jews lived. Although the number may be exaggerated, but the existence of a Jewish community at this time is not disputed.