The Jewish presence in Chartres seems to date from the 12th century, documents attest to it for 1130.

Places still mark this presence, such as the  rue aux Juifs . The old synagogue would have been located where the Saint-Hilaire hospital is now.

At the end of the 19th century, dwellings in the streets of the Jews will be sources of inspiration for the novel La Terre by Emile Zola.

Among the illustrious Jews of Chartres, note the presence of Mattathias, a contemporary of Rashi, but also Joseph of Chartres, author of biblical commentaries, and the poet Samuel ben Reuben of Chartres.

On 27 January 2025, a ceremony was held in Chartres to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp. Chaired by the Eure-et-Loir Prefect, Hervé Jonathan, the ceremony took place in front of the stele honouring Jewish deportees from the Eure-et-Loir. The ceremony was attended by elected representatives, representatives of the civil and military authorities and, above all, secondary school pupils. The prefect reminded them of the dangers of the rise in anti-Semitic acts and the authorities’ determination to stand firm.