In the cemetery, the ground was covered with grass, and there were tall trees providing shade over the graves. Some of these trees were fruit-bearing, allowing visitors to pick the fruits.
The attitude of the citizens of Dubrovnik towards the Jews varied and often depended on the prevailing situation in the city. The Catholic Church played a significant role in shaping public opinion and it often preached against Jews as well as trying to influence the Dubrovnik Republic government and other bodies to act against Jews. Despite the Dubrovnik authorities asserting the independence and secular nature of the Republic, the Church managed to interfere in secular affairs. A notable instance of this occurred in 1734 when the Jewish holy book of the Talmud, which serves as a central text of Jewish law, was confiscated and burned.
The cemetery faced minor offenses over time, such as unauthorized cutting down of trees or trespassing to harvest fruit. Due to the grassy terrain, some individuals even brought their cattle to graze in the cemetery. In 1733, an attack on the Jewish cemetery was recorded. Unknown perpetrators broke into the cemetery during the night, damaging several tombstones, erasing names from some, and even attempting to dig up one of the graves. Although the authorities documented the incident and conducted a search for the culprits, they were neither identified nor punished. Similar incidents occurred repeatedly, leading the authorities to intervene on several occasions and dispatch soldiers to the cemetery to warn the violators.