which major jewish settlement was farthest from jerusalem in 500 c.e.

Answer 1

By 500 CE, one of the major Jewish settlements that was notably far from Jerusalem was in Babylonia (present-day Iraq). The Jewish community in Babylon, particularly in cities like Nehram, Pumbedita, and Sura, became centers of Jewish scholarship and life. This area was significant in the development of Jewish culture and religious texts, particularly the Babylonian Talmud, which had a profound influence on Jewish learning and practice. While these communities were geographically distant from Jerusalem, they remained integral to Jewish identity and spirituality during that period.