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The Jews, dispersed among the people of the orient and the occident, served as an international educational bridge at a time when other nations warred. In striking contrast to an intellectually frozen world in the Middle Ages, the Jews manifested a burning zeal for education and considered it essential to their very survival. A knowledge of reading and writing was a normal possession of every Jew. As a link between East and West the Jews were excellent carriers of Arabic learning to the profit of mankind.

Throughout the entire Moslem empire in Spain, North Africa, Egypt, Palestine and Babylonia, the Jews took an active part in the Arabic re-naissance. One of the prominent physicians to the Caliph Umar was the scientist of Jewish descent, Maser Djawah bin Djeldjal of Basra. He was also a noted poet, scientist, philosopher and translator of many literary works.

The sole survivor of Charlemagne's delegation to Harun al-Rashid in 797 A.D. (who brought back the first elephant seen in Europe in 802 A.D.), was the Jew Isa'ac, who was fluent in Hebrew and Arabic. Another Jew, by the name of Joseph, who lived in Spain in the ninth century, is said to have introduced to the Western world the system of Arabic numerals which was used then in India.

One of the greatest physicians of this period was Isa'ac Israeli of al-Qayrawan (circa 855-955) known to the Western world as Isa'ac Judaeus.
He distinguished himself by his treatises on fevers, and his work as a physician was one of the Western lights of the Arabian period. He excelled first as an oculist and later on in the treatment of trachoma and ophthalmis. Isa'ac was born in Egypt but eventually settled in Qayrawan. At the behest of the Fatimid Caliph 'ubaydullah al-Mahdi, he composed several medical works which were written in Arabic and translated into Hebrew and Latin.

In other words, by way of reading and writing: mankind has almost always been blessed by intercultural relations between people of totally different background. Even as far back as 2000 & 1000 years ago the idea of universal human rights has been our main pillar of knowledge ...