The first historical records that mention the presence of Jews in Dubrovnik date back to the 13th century. These records indicate that there were four Jewish doctors working in the city at that time, which suggests that Jews began to arrive and settle in Dubrovnik during the same period. Many of them came from regions such as Albania and southern Italy, where Jewish communities were growing significantly.
During the 14th century, Dubrovnik gained its independence and quickly emerged as an important commercial and maritime center along a strategic route between the East and the West. As a result, an increasing number of Jews started to pass through the city and some chose to stay, either temporarily or for longer periods of time.
Parallel with the Jewish settlement, various institutions and organizations necessary for their communal life began to be established, including a cemetery. In the Dubrovnik neighborhood of Ploče, a city cemetery was established in the mid-15th century, where both Christians and Jews were buried. Jews were the first of foreigners and of a different faith to receive permission to reside and settle in the city, and they were granted the right to be buried in the city cemetery. Over time, the number of Catholic burials in that cemetery decreased, and it eventually became exclusively used by the Jewish community.