Mediene Remnants: Yiddish Sources in the Netherlands Outside of Amsterdam (Studies in Jewish History and Culture)

Mediene Remnants

Studies in Jewish History and Culture Edited by

Hava Tirosh-Samuelson (Arizona State University) and

Giuseppe Veltri (Leopold-Zunz-Centre for Jewish Studies, University of Halle-Wittenberg)

VOLUME 23

Mediene Remnants Yiddish Sources in the Netherlands Outside of Amsterdam

by

Tehilah van Luit

LEIDEN • BOSTON 2009

Illuminated title-page of the takanot of the burial society Menachem Avelim (1792), showing a visitor sitting shiva with a mourner. Rotterdam, inventory no. 14a. Municipality archive Rotterdam.

My gratitude goes to the Henriette Boas Fund that made this publication possible. This book is printed on acid-free paper. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Van Luit, Tehilah. Mediene remnants : Yiddish sources in the Netherlands outside of Amsterdam / by Tehilah van Luit. p. cm. — (Studies in Jewish history and culture; v. 23) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-90-04-15625-8 (hardback : alk. paper) 1. Manuscripts, Yiddish—Netherlands—Catalogs. 2. Ashkenazim—Netherlands— History—Manuscripts—Catalogs. 3. Jews—Netherlands—History—Manuscripts— Catalogs. 4. Archives—Netherlands—Catalogs. 5. Netherlands—Ethnic relations— History—Manuscripts—Catalogs. I. Title. II. Series. Z6605.Y5L85 2009 [PJ5119.N4] 015.49202391—dc22 2009012451

ISSN 1568-5004 ISBN 978 90 04 15625 8 Copyright 2009 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands. Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill, Hotei Publishing, IDC Publishers, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers and VSP. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher. Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use is granted by Koninklijke Brill NV provided that the appropriate fees are paid directly to The Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Suite 910, Danvers, MA 01923, USA. Fees are subject to change. printed in the netherlands

CONTENTS Introduction ................................................................................

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PART ONE

PUBLIC RECORDS Jewish Communities ................................................................... Appingedam ............................................................................ Culemborg .............................................................................. Deventer .................................................................................. Dordrecht ................................................................................ Edam ....................................................................................... Eijsden ..................................................................................... Gorredijk ................................................................................. Haarlem .................................................................................. The Hague ............................................................................ ’s Hertogenbosch ..................................................................... Leeuwarden ............................................................................. Leiden ..................................................................................... Maarssen ................................................................................. Maastricht ............................................................................... Middelburg .............................................................................. Oisterwijk ................................................................................ Oldenzaal ................................................................................ Rotterdam ............................................................................... Uithoorn ................................................................................. Wanneperveen ........................................................................ Zierikzee .................................................................................. Zutphen ................................................................................... Zwolle ......................................................................................

3 3 5 6 7 9 10 11 11 15 21 31 36 40 43 84 107 108 109 113 114 115 115 116

Independent Institutions ............................................................. Rayze Chevre .......................................................................... Chevrah Tehilim u-Mikra ......................................................

119 119 120

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Supra-Communal Institutions .................................................... The National Archives in The Hague ................................... The Supreme Consistory .................................................... Supreme Committee for Jewish Affairs .............................. Criminal Records .................................................................... The State Archives in Gelderland ...................................... The Municipal and State Archives of Groningen ............ The National Archives in The Hague: Raad van State ....

121 121 121 142 157 157 163 164

PART TWO

PRIVATE RECORDS Rabbis ......................................................................................... Joshua Aaron Lipschütz .......................................................... Shlomo Zalman Rozenbach ................................................... Jacob Fränkel ..........................................................................

167 167 174 175

Commercial Records .................................................................. NEHA ..................................................................................... Eindhoven ...........................................................................

183 183 184

Private Archives .......................................................................... Nathan Bonnet ....................................................................... Salomon Avraham Breetbaard ............................................... Efraim Fishel Mak .................................................................. Izak Salomon Schwartz and Regina Plaat ............................ The Hague Municipal Archive .............................................. National Archive in The Hague ......................................... Asser Family ............................................................................ Jewish Historical Museum ......................................................

186 186 186 187 188 189 190 190 191

Appendix I .................................................................................. Jewish Archives in the Netherlands ........................................ Private Records ....................................................................... Commercial ............................................................................. Other ....................................................................................... Appendix II ................................................................................. Circumcision Registers ........................................................... Bibliography ................................................................................ Plates ...........................................................................................

193 193 196 196 196 200 200 207 210

INTRODUCTION This inventory provides a survey of the extant Yiddish sources relating to the Jewish communities of the Netherlands in Dutch archives. While some scholars may be familiar with a section of these Yiddish sources, no overview and quantitative summary of the available sources has until now been published. With the launch of the Menasseh ben Israel Institute’s major research project on the cultural history of Ashkenazi Jewry in the Netherlands, the need for an inventory of Yiddish sources became paramount. Indeed, the principal conclusion of the present inventory, and a guiding principle in its compilation, is that it is by no means exhaustive and represents only a modest beginning. The amount of material that has survived is enormous. Because of the constraints of time it was decided to concentrate on archives of Jewish communities in the Dutch provinces, the Mediene, and to ignore Yiddish sources relating to the Jewish community of Amsterdam, which require a separate volume. Moreover, there is clearly more Yiddish material relating to the Mediene which has yet to surface and must await a future survey. It has long been known that certain Dutch municipal and state archives held documents and records of Jewish communities, however, the extent to which these might actually be located and whether they contained any Yiddish sources remained unclear. The first step in this investigation was therefore to send out a questionnaire to every archive in the Netherlands. This asked two key questions. Did the institution possess any archives or records of Jewish communities or individual members of these communities, whether inventoried or not? If so, did these documents contain material written in the Hebrew alphabet.1 The response to the questionnaire was broad and informative. Moreover, it provided new and unexpected information, which enabled a more precise picture to be drawn up of Jewish archives in the Netherlands

1 The assumption being that Dutch archivists are generally unacquainted with the Hebrew alphabet, let alone able to decide whether a document is written in Hebrew or in Yiddish.

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including, in some cases, specific dates and periods.2 Unfortunately, it also became apparent that in some regions: for instance in large areas of Twente and Achterhoek in the east of the Netherlands, where many small communities existed and where Yiddish was used, hardly any archives remain. There are many different reasons for the loss of Jewish archives in the Netherlands. First and most obviously, the unintentional destruction of material that inevitably occurs over time. Second, the German occupation and theft of Jewish archives, which accounts for major gaps in the archival record.3 Indeed, until 2002 the Russian State Military Archive in Moscow held unexamined material belonging to several Dutch communities which were taken from German storage depots after the Second World War. These archives contain material relating to the Dutch Jewish Community (Nederlandse Israelitisch Kerkgenootschap or NIK), the Dutch Jewish Main Synagogue (Nederlands Israelitische Hoofdsynagoge or NIHS), the Dutch Jewish Seminary (NederlandschIsraelitisch Seminarium) in Amsterdam and the Jewish communities of The Hague and Utrecht, mainly from the nineteenth century to 1944.4 A third reason for the disappearance of Jewish archives in the Netherlands is, unfortunately, negligence on the part of the communities themselves. 2 The information is included in the present inventory in two appendices. See also the survey by J. Cahen and M. Dop, ‘Een studiewijzer voor het onderzoek naar de geschiedenis van de Mediene’, in: J. Cahen (ed.), De Mediene. De geschiedenis van het Joodse leven in de Nederlandse provincie, (Amsterdam 1984), pp. 52–56. The present research focuses on Yiddish sources from the Mediene and aims to contribute to new approaches towards the cultural history of Ashkenazi Jewry in the Netherlands. One of the areas that requires a new approach is the study of the local history of Jewish communities. Most of the many local histories of Jewish communities draw upon the archival material of the local authorities or, at best, also include data from Jewish community sources written in Dutch. With some exceptions, information written in Hebrew and in Yiddish is ignored. Knowledge of these languages would seem to be a prerequisite for any research in Jewish studies. For a critical analysis of the state of research in the field of local histories on Jewish communities see: R. Cohen z’’l, ‘De dansende bruid: Het verval van de joodse gemeenten in Drente als methodologisch probleem’, Studia Rosenthaliana, 26 (1992), pp. 54–64 and J. Michman, ‘Nostalgische en academische Medienologie’, Studia Rosenthaliana, 25 (1991), pp. 91–98. 3 Odette Vlessing, curator of the Jewish archives in the Municipal Archive of Amsterdam points out in ‘De archieven van de Joodse gemeente Amsterdam’, Hakehilla, 29.3 (1983/84), pp. 13–17 that the Einsatzstab Rosenberg selected these archives in November 1943: ‘The “important” pieces were sent to Germany and the remaining material, probably archives from small Jewish communities were destroyed’. 4 P. Menasse, Verdwenen archieven en bibliotheken. De verrichtingen van de Einsatzstab Rosenberg gedurende de Tweede Wereldoorlog (The Hague 1995), p. 89.

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Discussions regarding the preservation of archives of Jewish communities began in the 1920s, and the arguments continue to reverberate.5 In April 1921 the Nieuw Israëlietisch Weekblad 6 published an optimistic report on the state of Jewish archives. It claimed that the key nineteenthcentury documents were reasonably well preserved, and this positive fact would make a profound impact on the study of the history of Dutch Jewry between 1814 and 1870. However, Dr Jacob Zwarts was rather less euphoric. In a sober article in the same weekly he presented a more realistic picture that reflects the same sense of loss encountered in the present survey. He complained that archives held by many old and small communities were not stored in an orderly fashion, and no expert advice was available. His words betray a sense of desperation at the general neglect of these archives. ‘On the old oroun hakoudesch [. . .] lies a stinking pile: old pinkas books [. . .] filthy and covered with the dust of ages in the most literal sense of the word’.7 His exasperation regarding the ignorance and indifference of the local shamashim towards the historical treasures of their communities might seem condescending, but it echoes in the present research, ‘for the archives which are to be saved, are mainly Yiddish’.8 What now remains of the archival Yiddish sources and how can these be characterised? The chronological parameters of the available Yiddish sources are clear. Most of the material dates from around 1750 to 1825. Earlier material is rare;9 and after this period, the material

5 Two historians took a leading role in the debate: Dr J. Zwarts and D.S. van Zuiden. Both mourned the deplorable state of the Jewish archives. Van Zuiden blamed demographic factors for the loss of Jewish archives: the migration of provincial Jews to cities had caused the decline of small communities and the demise of their property and archives. In his introduction to the regulations for the preservation of Jewish archives he states that ‘the sale of archival documents of small communities could be called the immediate cause’ for issuing a set of regulations. See his ‘De Joodsche archieven in Nederland’ in: Verordening van den 26 Juni 1921, houdende regelen ten aanzien van kerkelijke archieven, Nederlandsch Archievenblad. Orgaan van de Vereeniging van Archivarissen in Nederland, 3 (Groningen 1920/1922), pp. 1–6. See also J. Zwarts, ‘De Joodsche archieven in Nederland’, Nederlandsch Archievenblad, 30 (1922/1923), pp. 32–42; and in the same publication two letters to the editors from Van Zuiden and Zwarts, pp. 119–121. 6 Comment by the editor, ‘Joodsch archiefwezen in Nederland’, NIW, 15 April, no. 47 (1921), p. 13. 7 J. Zwarts, ‘De Joodsche archieven in Nederland. Feiten en wenschen’, NIW, 6 May, no. 50 (1921), p. 2. 8 J. Zwarts, Ibid., 13 May, no. 51 (1921), p. 9. 9 The earliest documents are the pinkassim of the Jewish community of The Hague (1723) and Middelburg (1725).

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gradually tails off. Most of the documents are from the public archives of Jewish communities, the vast majority contain official records. This is reflected in the inventory. Most documents of this nature are categorised under the following subdivisions: official community documents, semiofficial institutions within the community and private archives. Official community documents include pinkassim,10 one sefer zikhronot, takkanot, incoming and outgoing correspondence of parnassim, announcements made in synagogue, financial accounts and all documents concerning community tasks relating to education, charity and poor relief. Documents belonging to semi-official institutions mostly deal with societies, or chevres that operated within the Jewish community but kept their own separate pinkassim, takkanot and accounts. A third, smaller category of private archives includes material from rabbis, merchants or other private persons of a more personal nature. The Jewish communities referred to in the present inventory are the various Ashkenazi communities in the Netherlands. The inventory avoids using the ephemeral legal titles imposed on the Ashkenazi community over the years, such as Hoogduitsch Gemeente (High German Community) until 1795, and Nederlandsch Hoogduitsch Israelietisch Gemeente (Dutch High German Jewish Community under the Supreme Consistory 1808–1810, and the Consistoire Central 1810–1813) and from 1814 Nederlandsch Israelietisch Kerkgenootschap (Dutch Jewish Religious Community) following William I’s return in 1813. Naturally, since Yiddish is an Ashkenazi language, the Sefardi or Portuguese communities remain outside the scope of this study. Although the inventory is not an analytical bibliography, it is does provide brief descriptions of the sources and their characteristics. Most of the records, such as letters written and received by parnassim, are described in this way. Nevertheless, the constraints of time and the

10 Pinkassim, or protocol books, contain the records of a Jewish community. Some, but not all, include the community’s takkanot and subsequent additions. The contents of pinkassim in the present inventory vary. They may include copies with approbations of takkanot of societies, or chevres, as for example the sefer zikhronot of the community of Leeuwarden. This also includes copies of correspondence from parnassim, their decisions, synagogue announcements and records of events that were important for the community. It contains lists for distribution of meat and matza flour for the poor, annual accounts as well as records of issues regarding law and order in the community. Ledgers were also called pinkassim, or pinkas of the gabbai. The pinkas of the Jewish community of Dordrecht, mentioned by M. Jansen in De verdwenen Mediene: Dordrecht (Dordrecht 1995) is an example of this type.

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vast amount of material have meant that this attempt has not always been successful. As a result the inventory is not always consistent. Furthermore, certain practical problems unfortunately prevented efforts to investigate the archives of the Jewish community of The Hague. For these records reference has been made to the comprehensive inventory of this community’s archive compiled by Joel Cahen.11 The documents of Jewish communities (and in a few cases also of individuals) kept in the state archive at The Hague are supra-communal. Most of the material deals with issues that involved Jewish communities after 1808 and concern the elite within these communities.12 These documents belong to a new era of Dutch Jewish history reflecting the new realities of the emerging modern Dutch state, in which centralising tendencies dominated and which involved decrees imposed by government on its citizens. One aspect of the Emancipation Decree issued by the National Assembly on 2 September 1796 was to curtail the autonomy of the Jewish communities in the Netherlands. With the installation of the Supreme Consistory in 1809, and after the end of the French occupation in 1813, when the Committee for Jewish Affairs (Hoofdcommissie tot de Zaken der Israelieten 1814) was established, centralised bodies took over the supervision of Jewish communities. The Hoofdcommissie dealt with internal affairs of the Jewish communities, and community functionaries reported to this central government department. A wealth of material can be found in the archives of the Supreme Consistory pertaining to the state’s policy of integrating Jews into Dutch society. A central aspect of this policy was the suppression of Yiddish.13

11 My thanks to J. Cahen for allowing me to use his description of the relevant documents. 12 See also below. 13 The decree of King Louis Bonaparte, issued on 10 Hooimaand 1809, opens as follows: ‘en willende krachtdadig medewerken, om uit den weg te ruimen, al hetgeen de civilisatie onder het gros der Israëlitische Onderdanen kan hinderlijk zijn, en in aanmerking nemende, dat het maar al te zeer verwaarloosd gebruik der Hollandsche Taal, onder hen dient bevorderd, en dat der zoogenaamde Joodsche Taal afgeschaft te worden’; (‘and with the intention of working efficaciously to remove all obstacles that may obstruct the civilisation of the mass of Jewish Subjects, with especial attention to the fact that the neglected use of the Dutch Language must be promoted, and that the so-called Jewish Language to be abolished’). This decree contains measures to serve this purpose: a translation of the Tanakh in Nederduitsch and the explicit demand that teachers teach their pupils in Dutch, using this translation. Teachers who did not follow this directive would be penalised: loss of income for six months, and after a

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The Supreme Consistory demanded that all correspondence with the central administration be in Dutch. Yet this was not always adhered to; some correspondents were unable or refused to comply. The archives of the Supreme Consistory provide an excellent overview of government decrees designed to promote and coerce the integration of Jews into Dutch society14 and a relatively large number of Yiddish documents reflecting the response to these decrees in the upper echelons of Jewish society. Central government policy towards Jews following the restoration of the House of Orange in 1813, generally continued the policies pursued under Louis Bonaparte (1806–1810). The archives of the Hoofdcommissie show that this policy was pursued with even greater persistence and involved every aspect of Jewish life.15 As the dossiers in these archives become thicker, the number of Yiddish documents declines. In these dossiers, well over two-thirds of the material written in Yiddish dates from before 1820. Government policy to suppress Yiddish seems to have been particularly successful among those involved in community administration. Yiddish was still used after this date, but

second transgression the total and final suspension of their teacher’s license. To receive a license the candidate had to be examined. Rabbis also had to use the planned translation and actively promote Dutch. See: National Archives (ARA), Erediensten, 2.07.01.04, Archives of the Supreme Consistory, inv. no. 4, doc. no. N 20, N 4. For an extensive survey on the centralising and nationalising policy of the Supreme Consistory and the Committee for the Affairs of the Israelites see: B. Wallet, Transitie, de Hoofdcommissie tot de zaken der Israeliten en de joodse gemeenschap in Nederland in de eerste helft van de negentiende eeuw (1814–1851) MA thesis, University of Amsterdam (2000). 14 The conscription decree of King Louis Bonaparte, issued at 8 Hooimaand 1809, is illuminating: ‘Willende aan onze Israëlitische Onderdanen de gelegenheid verschaffen, om evenals andere Ingezetenen tot de eer te worden toegelaten, om tot verdediging van het Vaderland mede te werken’ (‘Willing to offer our Jewish Subjects the opportunity to be admitted, like other Inhabitants, to the honour of contributing to the defence of the fatherland’). See: ARA, Erediensten, 2.07.01.04, Supreme Consistory, inv. no. 4, doc. N 10, N 2. 15 This includes the Reglementair tarief op kerkelijke inzegeningen, with its many specified and detailed prescriptions for Jewish weddings. See for instance for Amsterdam: ARA, Erediensten, 2.07.01.05, inv. no. 15, doc. no. 62, 29 January 1819. The elaborated rulings and exams for rabbis (in the same dossier, doc. no. 1819, 15 January 1819 and teachers (in three grades). The reorganisation of the Godsdienstige Armenscholen, (Religious schools for the Poor) with the stipulation that ‘het gebruik der zogenaamde Joodsche taal of verbasterd Hoogduitsch in die scholen wordt afgeschaft, en alzoo krachtdadig uit de weg geruimd’ (‘the use of the so-called Jewish language or corrupted High-German will be abolished, and thus energetically eliminated’). See: ARA, Erediensten, 2.07.01.05, inv. no. 8, 10 May 1817. Furthermore the central government continued the hierarchical organisation of Jewish communities initiated under Louis Bonaparte, into synagogue resorts.

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the number of documents gradually declines. It was therefore decided not to conduct a complete survey of all the sources, which would be time-consuming, but to concentrate on the years 1832–1842 as a case study. Indeed, in this period there are consecutive years in which no Yiddish sources are found.16 The Yiddish sources that have been examined to date stem from the upper strata of Jewish society: rabbis, parnassim, prominent members of Jewish communities who presided over chevres, community functionaries such as gabbaim, shochtim, chazzanim and melamdim. Occasionally ordinary members of the Jewish community appear in documents. This usually occurs in correspondence received by parnassim. Presumably further material relating to less prominent Jews will also be found in various forms and unexpected corners of private and public collections. One example described some years ago by Rena Fuks-Mansfeld comprises the records of Jewish criminals.17 Locating Yiddish in criminal records is like searching for a needle in a haystack.18 Nevertheless, additional efforts in this direction may well prove profitable. Apart from dealing with a different layer of Jewish society, the limited material examined to date shows that subjects of criminal investigations were not always (semi) illiterate. Several were observant Jews, learned even, who used refined Yiddish. There is no proof that these people had distanced themselves from Jewish society; on the contrary, in some cases they

16 Not consulted were the following archives held in the State Archives of The Hague: Suriname, ‘Journaal van de Nederlandsch Hoogduitsche Israelitische Weeskamer’, January 1778 to May 1840, under ‘Commissie tot de Zaken der Nieuwe Wees- Curatele en Onbeheerde Boedelkamer, (1778) 1828–1876’, access no. 105.11.13, which ‘did not exist any more’, and the circumcision register of the High German Jewish Community 1773–1853, access no. 105.11.16, inv. no. 20, that was unavailable. 17 Already in the 1960s she wrote an article about the Rootkop gang, in the present inventory included among: State Archives Arnhem, access no. 0124, inv. no. 4, 586. See: R. Fuks-Mansfeld, ‘Een Joodsche roversbende in Gelderland en Overijssel in de eerste helft van de 18de eeuw’, Bijdragen en Mededelingen Gelre LX (1961), pp. 185–208. See also the pioneering study of Florike van Egmont, Banditisme in de Franse Tijd. Profiel van de Grote Nederlandse Bende 1790–1799, (Soest 1986). And E. Timm, ‘Zwei neuaufgefundene jiddische Briefe von 1602 und ihre Bedeutung für die Sozial- und Sprachgeschichte’, Aschkenas. Zeitschrift für Geschichte und Kultur der Juden, 4 (1994), pp. 449–66. 18 A test was made in the following archives: the State Archives of Gelderland in Arnhem, the Municipal Archives of Nijmegen, the State Archives of Drente in Assen, the State and Municipal Archives of Groningen and the archives of the Raad van State in the National Archives in The Hague. It appeared that it was only in Assen and in Nijmegen that the criminal records of cases in which Jews were involved held no documents written in Yiddish.

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were particularly devout and presumably belonged to a community.19 Criminal records offer a unique source for social and judicial history brimming with information about the everyday life of Jews in less fortunate circumstances.20 The records are also challenging for linguists since the Yiddish documents in the dossiers are frequently translated by translateurs for the judicial authorities.21 Since these criminal records stem from archives of local or regional judicial authorities, they are listed under Supra-Communal Institutions after the dossiers found in the State Archives of The Hague. As the investigation progressed it was decided to employ the broadest possible definition of Yiddish. This was motivated by a wish to open up a vast body of material to researchers of West Yiddish, enabling linguists to analyse the many variants and nuances of the language. The inventory therefore includes sources written in Yiddish;22 in German written in Hebrew letters23 and variants of this type that employ

H. Poppers and A. Frank maintain that these people had distanced themselves from their Jewish surroundings. See: H. Poppers, De Joden van Overijssel van hun vestiging tot 1814 (Utrecht, Amsterdam 1925), p. 39 and H. Brugmans and A. Frank, Geschiedenis der Joden in Nederland, Eerste Deel (Tot circa 1795) (Amsterdam 1940), p. 404. R. FuksMansfeld, underlines in her early article that these criminals were mostly shomrei mitzvot. In many cases, although not all, this observation is true. 20 From the examined sources, it appears that the legal procedures and the punishments were executed without discrimination and with an almost painstaking meticulousness. In Assen, a dossier describes how the judicial authorities even imposed an educational punishment for a Jewish adolescent, who had stolen some small item, but had to take care of his widowed mother. The punishment amounted to a few days on bread and water, ‘to never let him do it again and enable him to continue to care for the widow’. 21 Some translateurs were professors of oriental languages. While the judicial authorities appear in general to have been fair towards Jewish suspects, the translators sometimes made insinuations in their translations concerning the suspect meaning of the text. 22 I.e., Western Yiddish: see M. Weinreich, ‘Principles of Western Yiddish’, in: Y. Mark (ed.), Jude Yofe Bukh (New York 1958), pp. 156–194; and also E. Timm, ‘Glikls Sprache von ihren sozialhistorischen und geographischen Hintergrund’, in: M. Richardz (ed.), Die Hamburger Kauffrau Glikl. Jüdische Existenz in der Frühen Neuzeit (Hamburg 2001), pp. 49–67. 23 This term was used by Erika Timm in her Yiddish Literature in a Franconian Genizah. A contribution to the printing and social history of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries ( Jerusalem 1988), pp. 18–19 for fragments of Yiddish works, found in the genizah of Veitshöchleim, that were written shortly before 1800. Here she refers to ‘Yiddish [that] gradually turns into German but is still written in Hebrew letters’. Furthermore she applies the term to literary productions printed after 1800 from printing towns in southern Germany and for tehinot that were published before 1850; idem, p. 26. See also: S. Lowenstein, ‘The Yiddish Written Word in Nineteenth-Century Germany’, in The Mechanics of Change: Essays in the Social History of German Jewry (Atlanta 1992), pp. 184/85 and 195–99. He 19

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more Hebrew lexical elements, a loshn kodesh component, or interspersed with Hebrew paragraphs; and variants of signon sofrim or Kanzleistil. Signon sofrim seems at first glance to be a hybrid style of Hebrew and Yiddish. It is not unlike the official styles of non-Jewish functionaries and secretaries who slipped into Latin when they wished to be especially solemn. Thus a scribe of a Jewish community might employ an official style to write up the regulations and records of his community or society, to compose pamphlets issued for the kahal, to describe events of major importance to the community or note decisions of the beit din. A solemn occasion might require a style based on a Hebrew component yet might also flow over into Yiddish.24 Meanwhile, those who wrote German in Hebrew letters may have made a personal choice to remain within a Jewish discourse, or to present their information in a Jewish format. In the first half of the nineteenth century, parnassim and leading community officials were able to switch from one language to another without much difficulty. For example, between 1836 and 1841, opzigter S.J. Frankfort uses at least three languages in the records of the Deventer pinkas. Correct Dutch, is found alongside fair Hebrew and Yiddish, as well as German in Hebrew letters. On other occasions parnassim also employed the formal signon sofrim. Yiddish speakers are characteristically

uses the term for the variant that maskilim called Jüdisch-Deutsch. Paul Wexler calls the variant Hebrew in German letters, or Ashkenazi German, to emphasise that the option of using the Hebrew alphabet implied a choice that underscores the Jewish character of the basically German language. See: P. Wexler, ‘Ashkenazic German: 1760–1895’, International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 30 (1981), pp. 119–30. 24 Uriel Weinreich attempts to describe the characteristics of signon sofrim from a linguistic point of view. In his ‘Hebrew-Yiddish Chancery style’, [H] Leshonenu 24 (1960), pp. 54–66, Weinreich elaborates on Max Weinreich’s theory that Yiddish is a fusion language, rooted in Hebrew and maintains that ‘though we do not know with methodological certainty which Hebrew fundaments were fused with Yiddish in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries . . . it suffices to assume that in the general grammatical forms of the Hebrew fundament in Yiddish a certain stability exists towards Yiddish’. Weinreich subsequently tries to substantiate his theory with grammatical categories and claims as objective ‘fact’ that people were aware of this absorption process of Hebrew. He further develops the notions of ‘closed’ and ‘open division’. He maintains that there was a stage at which Hebrew became an accepted part of Yiddish and that there was a use of Hebrew that was not ‘legitimate’, or rather beyond the boundaries of ‘accepted Hebrew’. His conclusion is that the signon sofrim deviates from these standards of ‘accepted Hebrew’ in Yiddish, as far as syntax and compounds are concerned. See also Weinreich on regional mapping of the use of Hebrew and Yiddish in ‘Ashkenazi Hebrew and Hebrew in Yiddish: its Geographical Aspect’, [H] Leshonenu 22 (1958), pp. 242–253.

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polyglots,25 a talent particularly widespread among Jewish functionaries in the first half of the nineteenth century. Occasionally it is possible to distinguish the various linguistic registers employed for different occasions and discourses. Several instances are immediately apparent in the Dutch context. Dutch was generally used in contacts with nonJews; where this concerned public events Jews would naturally speak or write in Dutch. This reflects the success of the language policy of the Dutch authorities. On the other hand, Dutch was already being used in the eighteenth century for official correspondence with authorities, albeit with the assistance of a translator. The Jewish chancery style usually appears in internal official documents of communities and societies. Why people chose to use Yiddish or German in Hebrew letters is hard to discern. Perhaps the main consideration was to use a language shared by both author and reader. The choices, however, are not always clear; occasionally the decision seems to be completely arbitrary. Once Yiddish had been replaced by Dutch as the language of speech, Jews tended nevertheless to use German in Hebrew letters when writing for other Jews. Apparently, using a recognisably Jewish medium was considered important. All variants of West Yiddish described in the inventory are presented as Yiddish without any further specification. Where documents contain Hebrew or Dutch, or indeed any other languages, this is mentioned under the heading Language. In some cases additional information about the use of language and observations about the transition from Yiddish to Dutch is presented under de heading Remarks. These comments also provide historical information of particular relevance to the document. Where possible, documents are presented with their Hebrew date and the equivalent in the Common Era. Where a document has a Yiddish or Hebrew title, as many pinkassim have, the entry is given in Hebrew characters and translated. Finally, some preliminary remarks are appropriate regarding one of the most intriguing historical puzzles at the heart of this inventory: 25 Benjamin Harshav describes this phenomenon of polylingualism in his The Meaning of Yiddish, (Berkeley 1990). He furthermore, maintains that Yiddish was always an ‘open language’: ‘moving in and out of its component languages and absorbing more or less of their vocabularies, depending on the group of speakers, genre of discourse, and circumstances’, idem, p. 28. Here, B. Harshav expands Max Weinreich’s earlier theory of Yiddish as a ‘fusion-language’. See: Max Weinreich’s standard work on the history of Yiddish and the linguistics of Yiddish, History of the Yiddish Language (Chicago 1980).

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how long did Yiddish survive in the Netherlands? Several scholars have tackled this question. Jacob Shatzky, who dedicated several articles to Yiddish literature in the Netherlands, argues that throughout the nineteenth century the Jewish masses continued to speak Yiddish with a dogged tenacity.26 Hartog Beem, claims that speaking Yiddish became a sign of a lack of education among the upper strata: while ‘the man in the street held on to this inherited language until far into the nineteenth century . . . continuing speaking Yiddish among the plain people was embarrassing in the eyes of the elite’.27 Beem mentions that Chief Rabbi Benedict Naphtali Dusnus of Leeuwarden continued to preach in Yiddish until the 1880s. When his successor abandoned the custom, he met with fierce objections from the community.28 J. Zwarts points out that the ‘Kulturkampf between Yiddish and Dutch was still very much alive in Utrecht in the 1870s’.29 In Utrecht, he continues, the abolition of Yiddish that began with the establishment of the Dutch kingdom in 1815, met with ‘stubborn resistance’ that lasted a century. Although from different ideological backgrounds, these scholars share one common argument in their description of the tenacity of Yiddish. They all present the Jewish masses as Yiddish speakers opposed to the Dutch speaking elite or enlightened intellectuals, who also occasionally wrote Jüdisch-Deutsch: two mutually exclusive sections of Jewish society involved in a cultural struggle.30 Khone Shmeruk and Rena Fuks-Mansfeld have adopted a different position. In sparse prose Shmeruk describes the decline of Yiddish literature in the Netherlands in the nineteenth century when ‘the Yiddish speakers went over to Dutch in the course of the spread of Haskalah

26 J. Shatzky, ‘The last Outcrops of Yiddish Language and Literature in the Netherlands’, YIVO Bletter, [ Y] August-September 10 (1936), pp. 245, 251, 262. 27 H. Beem, ‘Yiddish in Holland: Linguistic and Socio-linguistic notes’, in: U. Weinreich (ed.), The Field of Yiddish: Studies in Language, Folklore and Literature (New York 1954), p. 123. 28 Idem, p. 133 and De Joden van Leeuwarden. Geschiedenis van een Joods Cultuurcentrum (Assen 1974), p. 217. 29 J. Zwarts, ‘Een Taalstrijd om het Jiddisch uit de vorige eeuw’, Eigen Volk. Maandblad voor Folklore en Dialect met Heraldisch en Genealogisch Bijvoegsel, 9 ( July 1936), p. 148. 30 Shatzky even introduces ghetto’s in the Netherlands: ‫פארשוווּנדן פון אייבערפלאך‬

‫האט יידיש געלעבט אין די געטאס פון האלאנד ווי א מין איבערבלייב פון דער אמאליקער‬ ‫( שפראך‬. . .) p. 262, and in Amsterdam: ‫אויף יענעם ’פישמארק‘ האט געטליעט דער‬ ‘‫ נאך דעם ווי דער ’הויכדייטשער‘ ייד פון די ’בעסערע‬,‫לשון פון די יידישע פאלקסמאסן‬ ‫שפראך דורך דער פארמיטלונג‬-‫שיכטן האט אים בהדרגה איבערגעביטן אויף דער מלוכה‬ (‫פון דייטש )מיט העברעישע אותיות‬. See Shatzky, op. cit., p. 251.

xviii

introduction

and Emancipation’. He concurs with M. Weinreich,31 that Yiddish literature of the eighteenth century was inferior and reflected a period of transition between one era of Yiddish to another, so that the Dutch contribution was of no real significance either.32 Fuks-Mansfeld is far more specific. She maintains that although under the French occupation the battle ‘for the modernisation of Jewish life was still mainly conducted in Yiddish’, after 1814 ‘this language was prohibited and therefore not used anymore in official Jewish life’. Furthermore, she continues, the demise of Yiddish occurred within one generation.33 On the basis of the data presented in the inventory, it is impossible to concur fully with the arguments of any of these scholars. Shatzky’s résumé in his ‘Last Outcrops of Yiddish Language and Literature in the Netherlands’ and Shmeruk’s dismissive remark about Yiddish literature in nineteenth-century Netherlands seem justified. Shmeruk adopts a neutral position, since he bases his arguments mainly on secondary sources; moreover, he is only interested in literary production and not the use or survival of Yiddish as such. In Shatzky’s article, the most interesting late contributions of Yiddish literature date from the French period.34 Yiddish literature from later decades, i.e. pamphlets printed by members of the Proops family until 1849, the production of almanacs or popular literature and curiosities such as Purim newspapers and prints for special occasions hardly represent a continuous outpouring of Yiddish literature during this period. Nevertheless, the publication of this material shows that at least at a popular level a Yiddish audience existed.35 Shatzky argues that Yiddish was still a colloquial language in the second half of the nineteenth century, citing jesters (letzim and badchanim) who used Yiddish in their performances.36 The letz or badchan Itzkhak Sloog probably found a knowledgeable audience at weddings and other occasions. However, Shatzky’s example of Itzkhak Sloog is

31 M. Weinreich, History of the Yiddish Language (Chicago 1980), pp. 274–283. On p. 283, he maintains that the ‘attachment [to Yiddish] was not sufficient to make Yiddish culture an active creative force in the West’. See also his overview on the periodisation of Yiddish on the pp. 718–33. 32 K. Shmeruk, Yiddish Literature: Aspects of its History [Y] ( Jerusalem 1988), p. 135. 33 R.G. Fuks-Mansfeld, ‘Moeizame aanpassing (1814–1870)’, in: J.C.H. Blom, R.G. Fuks-Mansfeld, I. Schöffer (eds.), Geschiedenis van de Joden in Nederland (Meppel 1995), p. 210. 34 Shatzky, op. cit., pp. 252, 257–60. 35 Ibid., pp. 251–53. 36 Ibid., p. 261.

introduction

xix

based on a secondary source: an article in De Vrijdagavond from 192537 that presents the reader with a sketch of a warm, traditional atmosphere, where the knowledge of Yiddish barely surpasses the use of Yiddish idiom in Dutch. Indeed, few of his examples are based on an examination of primary sources, while the various sources he does mention are only sustained by references to others. All the same, Shatzky rightly points out the tensions in the fields of Jewish education and homily in Yiddish as indicators of the slow move from Yiddish to Dutch.38 H. Beem and J. Zwarts also emphasised Yiddish preaching in the second half of the nineteenth century as proof of Yiddish as a living language ‘among the masses’. Yet Beem’s contention that Chief Rabbi B.B. Dusnus daarschte in Yiddish well into the 1880s, is not supported by any sermon texts and is probably based on oral testimony. Not one of the rabbi’s Yiddish sermons was found during the present research. On the contrary, documents he wrote during the 1860s, currently at the National Archive in The Hague, are in Hebrew and Dutch. Again, this may indicate the bilingualism of nineteenth-century Jews in the Netherlands: Yiddish being reserved for internal communication, while correspondence with the authorities was conducted in Dutch or Hebrew. Zwarts based his claims on the Utrecht affair of the 1860s. Here, in 1867, a certain S.M.A. Dumasch decided that the practice of delivering sermons in Yiddish should come to an end. However, the synagogue council rejected his proposal.39 Can this sole example represent the history of an entire generation, in all the regions and towns of the Netherlands? Clearly this can hardly be taken to prove that in the second half of the nineteenth century Yiddish was the colloquial language of the Jewish masses. This claim of the stubborn survival of Yiddish is also part of the complex texture of an emotional desire for a lost world. Even before the Holocaust, Zwarts voiced this attitude

37 J. van Printz, ‘Hoe men in vroegere tijden in Amsterdamsch-joodsche Kringen bruiloft vierde’, De Vrijdagavond. Joodsch Weekblad, 31 (1925), pp. 78–80. Others examples that Shatzky cites as literary productions for weddings, stem from the first half of the nineteenth century. His examples for the second half of the century and later deal with writings in what he calls Dutch-Yiddish, or Yiddish idiom in Dutch. See Shatzky, op. cit., pp. 261–65. 38 Shatzky, however only substantiates his argument with examples from the first half of the nineteenth century, pointing to medals awarded to pupils for writing correct Dutch (from 1827) and the first sermon in Dutch, that he suggests was delivered in 1834. See Shatzky, op. cit., p. 245. 39 Zwarts, op. cit. (1936), pp. 152–53.

xx

introduction

towards Yiddish in moving terms. ‘It was the language of the dispersed masses of the people, in which the warmth of the Jewish national soul expressed itself ’. Furthermore, he added that the atmosphere of Yiddish ‘lingered in the intimacy of the backroom for a long period of time’.40 The inventory shows that Dutch did indeed gain ground quickly among those writing official documents, following successive government measures to impose Dutch on the Jewish population and on Jewish community organisations. In this respect, Fuks-Mansfeld’s conclusions seem justified. Nevertheless, based on the findings of this inventory, another factor should be considered. A tentative case may be made that Jewish communities founded after the launch of the new government policy wrote their official correspondence and records in Dutch. This, however, does not reveal anything about the survival of Yiddish within these communities.41 It merely shows that relatively new communities adhered to the new measures and their official documents were adjusted to the demands of the time. Indeed, in the official documents of older communities Yiddish continued to be used in quantities that belie Fuks-Mansfeld’s conclusion that ‘the language was not used any more in the official sphere’. Yiddish is found in pinkassim until the 1840s. Leeuwarden’s sefer zikhronot, for instance, has records in Yiddish until 1854. In some cases, takkanot of chevres are still written in Yiddish between the 1830s and 1850s. Ledgers of the Jewish communities of Leeuwarden and The Hague were still written in Yiddish in 1867; even later in the case of The Hague. While multilingualism was common among the elite of the Jewish communities, not least in official writings, the same phenomenon is found among rabbis. At least five rabbis produced documents in Hebrew, Yiddish, German in Hebrew letters and Dutch. Notable examples include Chief Rabbi Samuel Berisch Berenstein, his son Chief Rabbi Berisch Samuel Berenstein,42 Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans and to a lesser extent Chief Rabbi Shlomo

Idem, p. 149. This impression was confirmed by an examination of the archives of several younger communities, such as Steenwijk (1817), Goes (1837), Enschede (after 1813). 42 This information is based on an examination of documents in the archives of the Berenstein family, 1730–1902, Municipal Archive of Amsterdam, access no. 1241. See: O. Vlessing, Inventaris van het archief van de familie Berenstein (1730–1902) (Gemeentearchief Amsterdam 1982/2000). Due to the exclusion of the archives of the Jewish community of Amsterdam in this inventory these family archives are not included in the present inventory. 40

41

introduction

xxi

Zalman Rosenbach (Hebrew and Yiddish), Rabbi Aharon Frankforter (mainly Yiddish) and Chief Rabbi Dr J. Fränkel (Hebrew, German in Hebrew letters and later Dutch). Another phenomenon that deserves attention is the long survival of Yiddish in circles of the so-called secondary intelligentsia: cantors, shochtim, teachers (who in smaller communities often performed several of these functions) and scribes. As late as 1847 applicants for the post of teacher at the Jewish community of ’s Hertogenbosch wrote in lavish Yiddish, bordering on signon sofrim. This was not an isolated case. Contrary to the precepts for teachers prescribed by central government, it was apparently regarded as desirable that a teacher in a Jewish community should be proficient in Yiddish and Hebrew. In general it seems that this group of community employees was consistently conservative in attitude towards Jewish culture. The cantor, shochet and shamash tzedakah Salomon Herzog of Maastricht, who continued to write to the parnassim in Yiddish until 1860, was regarded as the most reliable person to supervise traditional tasks such as matza baking, and was invariably defended by Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans. This notion of duality of elite and secondary intelligentsia offers a valuable parameter for a future investigation. The announcements written by parnassim, which were read out and posted in synagogue, as well as the practice of delivering sermons in Yiddish are the main indication of the use of Yiddish among the masses. In two major Jewish communities, in Haarlem and Rotterdam, synagogue announcements were written exclusively in Yiddish until the 1840s (Haarlem) and 1850s (Rotterdam). Various documents in the archive of the Berenstein family of Amsterdam show that Chief Rabbi Samuel Berisch Berenstein wrote sermons in Yiddish from 1813 until 1837. Moreover, his son Chief Rabbi Berisch Samuel Berenstein still delivered sermons in Yiddish or in Hebrew and Yiddish from 1841 to 1866.43 These were delivered throughout the Netherlands. In 1856, he preached in Yiddish at the inauguration of the Talmudic school in Leiden;44 in 1859 he delivered a sermon in Yiddish in Maassluis.45 The 43 On Chief Rabbi Samuel Berisch Berenstein see inv. nos. 85, 87, 88, 95, 98, 104–107, 109–111, 115–117, 120, 123, 125–126, 130–131, 133–137, 139, 140, 143, 144, 146–147, 149; on Chief Rabbi Berisch Samuel Berenstein see inv. nos. 372–374, 383–386, 388–390, 393–394, 399–400, 478. Note that many inv. nos. include more than one sermon. 44 Inv. no. 396. 45 Inv. no. 398.

xxii

introduction

speech at the inauguration ceremony of Rabbi Dr Joseph Isaacsohn as rabbi of Rotterdam in 1850 was also held in Yiddish.46 All this evidence indicates that until 1850, Yiddish remained a living language among a wide section of the Jewish population in the western provinces of the Netherlands. Yiddish was used for sermons and as a means of communication by the communal authorities. Although Dutch was promoted and gained ground during the first half of the nineteenth century, the abolition of Yiddish in these regions was a protracted process that lasted several generations. In other parts of the Netherlands researchers face a fragmented image. Too many sources have disappeared to allow for a clear conclusion; the present research raises more questions for new study than answers. I would like to thank the many archivists who responded to my questionnaire and occasionally supplied even more information than requested. I also recall with gratitude the pleasant circumstances in which I was able to work and the practical advice I received. In particular I would like to thank Sjoerd de Haan, archivist at the Frysk Archyf in Leeuwarden, Odette Vlessing, curator of the Jewish archives at Amsterdam’s municipal archive and Dr Florence Koorn of the Kennemerland archive in Haarlem for their cooperation. I am grateful to Professor Marion Aptroot of the Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf, Professor Hawa Turniansky of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and Professor Shlomo Berger of the University of Amsterdam, who read my manuscript and made valuable remarks. I would also like to express my particular gratitude for the congenial and supportive atmosphere provided by my colleague Mirjam Gutschow, and the project supervisor, Professor Shlomo Berger. Tehilah van Luit Jerusalem 1 January 2003

46

Inv. no. 393.

PART ONE

PUBLIC RECORDS

JEWISH COMMUNITIES Appingedam Gemeentearchief Amsterdam (Amsterdam municipal archive) Depot no. 52 (no inventory) Official Institutions Financial Administration 1. ‫( הוצאה והכנסה של צדקה דק"ק אפינגאדאם יע"א‬Revenues and expenses of the tzedekah of Appingedam kehilah kedushah) Box 3A Date: ‫( ער"ה של שנת תקנ"ו לפ"ק‬Erev Rosh Hashanah 5556, i.e. 14 September 1795) to 1832 Language: Yiddish and Dutch Remarks: Until 1 Tishri 5563 (27 September 1802) the balance of revenue and expenses are drawn up every three months. From September 1803 to September 1804, these are made up every fourth month, with a slight deviation in 5565 (September 1804 to September 1805). This continues until 5568 (September 1807), after which they cover half-year periods until 5571 (September 1810). After 1810, the ledger mainly deals with annual revenues and expenses. In 1819, the balances in the ledger are first arranged according to the civil year: ‫ עד אולטימא דעצעמבר‬1819 ‫פרימא יאנוארי‬. From 1822, the ledger is in Dutch: ‘Ontvangsten der Ring Sijnagoge Appingedam en derzelver Uitgaven’ (Revenues of the satellite synagogue of Appingedam and its expenses).

4

jewish communities

2. Ledger of contributions from registered members Box 3A Date: 1820–1831 Language: Dutch and Yiddish 3. Ledger of plaatsgeld (reserved seats) and offergeld (donations) of members and guests Box 3A Date: 1825–1828 Language: Hebrew, Yiddish and Dutch Semi-Official Institutions1 4. Two shnoder books2 Box 9 Undated Language: Yiddish 5. One shnoder book Box 9 Undated Language: Yiddish and Dutch. The names of the contributors and their pledges are written in Dutch and Yiddish (e.g., 15 cent and ‫)ג' בש‬.

1 The only society mentioned in the ledgers in box 9 is ‫( רדפ' צדק‬Pursuers of Justice). See: Deut. 16:20, ‘Justice, justice shall you pursue!’ It is unclear whether all the shnoder books belong to this society. 2 Shnoder book: a register in which pledges made in return for ceremonial honours in synagogue are recorded using a method that avoids violating the prohibition against writing on Shabbat and festivals.

jewish communities

5

6. ‫( ליגבוך‬Logbook) Box 9 Undated Language: Hebrew and Yiddish, opened from the right. Some pages are in Dutch, beginning from the left, recording the years 1814, 1826 and 1860. 8. Two shnoder books Box 9 Date: One undated and one covering 1863 to 1865 Language: Yiddish, Hebrew and Dutch Culemborg Regionaal Archief Rivierenland (Rivierenland regional archive) Official Institutions Inventory no. 1413 1. Sermon offering consolation for the suffering and loss of life due to flooding in the Betuwe region Undated4 Language: Yiddish, with an introduction and epilogue in Hebrew Remarks: The sermon covers 4 pages.

3 The inventory number is according to W. Veerman, Inventaris van het Archief der Israëlitische Gemeente te Culemborg. 1790 (1714) t/m 1931. West-Betuwse Inventarissen No. 3 (Tiel 1994). 4 The sermon probably refers to the floods of 1809, which devastated the Betuwe region. If this is correct the darshan may have been Daniel Isaac van Emden who served the Jewish community of Culemborg as melamed, ba’al kore and shochet in the late 18th and early 19th century. See: I. Brasz, De Kille van Kuilenborg 1870–1914 (Culemborg 1984), 31. See also: Michman, J. Pinkas, p. 310.

6

jewish communities Deventer

Stadsarchief Deventer (Deventer municipal archive) Access no. 2.8.020 Official Institutions 1. ‫( פנקס מק"ק דעוונטר‬Pinkas of Deventer kehilah kedushah) Provisional inventory no. 93 NIG5 Date: ‫( יום ה' כ' מרחשון תקנ"ח לפ"ק‬Thursday, 20 Marcheshvan 5558, i.e. 9 November 1797) to 15 February 1853 Language: Yiddish, Hebrew and Dutch Remarks: The pinkas opens with ‫אלה דברי התקנות אשר גבלו‬

‫הראשונים בשנת חמשת אלפים וחמש מאות וחמשים ושמונה‬ ‫‘( לבריאת עולם לפ"ק‬These are the words of the takkanot which are formulated by the leaders in the year 5558 of the creation of the world’). They contain fifty statutes, each called ‫ארטיקל‬. The pinkas contains important historical and linguistic data. In addition to the usual descriptions of appointments of community officials, order of prayer for minyanim, donors of Torah scrolls and the contributors to the kupat tzedekah, it includes data about new members, some of whom came from Poland in 1798. The pinkas also mentions the decision to invite Rabbi Shoshan (or Rabbi Stibbe) to become rabbi of the Deventer community in 1799. In addition, it includes an extract of the records of Deventer city council of 1808, stating that the Jewish community is permitted to maintain a poor fund, on condition no claims are made on the algemeenen armenstaat (public poor relief ). The pinkas is written in a Yiddish that ranges from German in Hebrew letters to Kanzleistil, Hebrew and Dutch. The first Dutch is found in 1803, in a record of loans from the municipality to the Jewish community (lit. Joodsche Kerk: ‘Jewish church’). Around 1816/17, Dutch subsequently gains greater prominence. In 1820 5 The inventory is numbered according to the provisional inventory of Deventer community drafted by H. de Beer, archivist at Deventer municipal archive.

jewish communities

7

the tide turns in favour of Dutch. Yiddish continues to be used occasionally until 1841. Manhig S.J. Frankforter’s records, written around 1840, show that he had a good command of Yiddish, Dutch and Hebrew. Dordrecht 6 Stadsarchief Dordrecht (Dordrecht municipal archive) Access no. 435 Official Institutions Financial Administration 1. ‫ ק"ק‬.‫( פנקס מן חהבו"ע של סוכות תק"ל לפ"ק‬Pinkas from chol hamo’ed, be-dil ve-oferet7 of Sukkot 5530; kehilah kedushah) Inventory no. 4,7778 Date: 5530 (1769)–5531 (1770) Remarks: The list of paid-up members in this ledger shows that in 1769, Dordrecht community included 33 registered members. For Sukkot 5531 (1770), the pinkas lists 34 persons. 2. ‫( פנקס מקהל דארט שנת תקל"ו לפ"ק‬Pinkas of Dort kahal of the year 5536, i.e. 1775/76) Inventory no. 4,778

6 For an extensive study of Dordrecht Jewish community see: M. Jansen, ‘Drie eeuwen Joods leven in Dordrecht’, in: J. van Albeda (ed.), De verdwenen Mediene Dordrecht (Dordrecht 1995). 7 ‫בדיל ועופרת‬, may refer to Is. 1:25: ‘I will remove all thy lead’, which in the context of the ledger may suggest a form of tax. 8 In his study on Dordrecht Jewish community, Jansen mentions that inventory numbers 4,794 and 4,795 are missing. See: ‘Drie eeuwen Joods leven’, 109, note 28. During the present research at Dordrecht municipal archive inventory number 4,796 also appeared to be unavailable. All these missing items are ledgers.

8

jewish communities Date: 1775–1777 Remarks: This pinkas contains three separate ledgers. The first, numbered I, is dated 5536 (1775/76). It lists 30 registered members. The inside cover of the second ledger states ‫פנקס מן שנת‬ ‫( תקל"ז לפ"ק בגינט חול המועד סוכות תקל"ז לפ"ק‬Pinkas of the year 5577, i.e. 1776/77), starting on chol ha-mo’ed Sukkot 5577 (1776). This ledger lists 27 registered members. The third ledger, numbered III, lists 19 paid-up members. The volume opens with a Dutch record on 6 October 1775, and covers a period until Veberware (February) 1776. The names and contributions are written in Yiddish.

3. Five ledgers Inventory no. 4,779 3a. ‫( פנקס דקהל דארט יע"א שנת תק"מ לפ"ק‬Pinkas of Dort kahal yivne ir elohim [He will rebuild the city of God] 5580, i.e. 1779/80)9 Date: 5580 (1780) Remarks: The ledger starts in Pesach of 1780 with a list of 32 persons. 3b. ‫( פמקס דקהל דארט יע"א שנת אתפלל לפ"ק‬Pinkas of Dort kahal yivne ir elohim 5581) Date: 5581 (1780/81) Remarks: The ledger starts in Sukkot of 1780 with a list of 32 persons. 3c. ‫( פנקס קהל דארט תקל"ה לפ"ק‬Pinkas of Dort kahal 5535) Date: 5535 (1775) Remarks: The ledger starts in Pesach of 1775 with a list of 33 persons.

9

See: Is. 45:13, ‘He will rebuild my city’.

jewish communities

9

3d. ‫( ל*ב* י*ש*ר* לפ"ק‬Lev yashar 5542)10 Date: 5542 (1781/82) Remarks: The ledger lists 30 persons. 3e. ‫( זה פנקס מקהל דארט תקלט לפ"ק‬This is the pinkas of Dort kahal 5539) Date: 5539 (1778/79) Remarks: The ledger lists 33 persons. Edam Streekarchief Waterland in Purmerend (Waterland regional archive in Purmerend) No access number until further notice11 Official Institutions 1. Protokol of Gedenk-boek der Nederlandsch Israelitische (Ring) Bij-Sijnagoge te Edam (Records or sefer zikharon of the Dutch Jewish satellite synagogue in Edam) Inventory no. 1 Date: ‫( פרשת אמור שנת תקל"ט לפ"ק‬Parashat Emor 5539, i.e. 25 April–1 May 1779) to 1882 Language: Yiddish and Dutch Remarks: The pinkas has been restored more than once. The last restoration was recent. An earlier restoration, probably around

10 See: Ps. 7:11, ‘God who saves the upright in hearth’. Or, yosher lev: Deut. 9:5, ‘It is not because of your righteousness or your innocence’ and Ps. 119:7 ‘I will praise you with an upright heart’. 11 The inventory number is according to F. Schoonheim, De Joodse Gemeente van Edam 1799–1886. Inventaris van het Archief. Catalogus van Voorwerpen (Hoorn 1989).

10

jewish communities 1840, may account for the peculiar arrangement of the pinkas. The takkanot and the earliest entry, dated parashat Emor 5539, listing the founders of the kehilah, are situated in a later section of the pinkas, where Dutch is the main language, and the contents of the pinkas seem to be rearranged according to a list at the end of the pinkas, made in 1839. The entry about the foundation of Edam community gives a short description of the conditions within the community. They received a Torah scroll from Amsterdam, since they could not pay to have a new scroll made. The takkanot, dated 17) ‫ יז אלול תקמ"ו לפ"ק‬Elul 5546, i.e. 10 September 1786), consist of 24 signed clauses. The takkanot are followed by two amendments from the year 1797, and a further undated takkanah. The middle of the pinkas contains several registers written in Dutch, including a register of the Gasan Thora and Gasan Bereshit societies (1852–1871), a register of marriages (1862–1876) and a register of births (1861–1882). The end of the pinkas starts with another section written in Yiddish from 1785 to 1813, with the last page in Dutch (1813). Eijsden

Gemeentearchief Amsterdam (Amsterdam municipal archive) Access no. 1407 Official Institutions Financial Administration 1. ‫( פנקס של קהל קודש איזדן‬Pinkas of Eijsden kahal kodesh) Inventory no. 468 Date: 1787–1832 Language: Yiddish, Hebrew and Dutch Remarks: The introduction states the intention to provide halfyearly accounts of the revenues and expenses of the community. However, the ledger contains many gaps over subsequent years until 1832.

jewish communities

11

Beginning at the back of the pinkas, starting in 1793, the sale of seats and arrangement of places in the synagogue are listed in Dutch. Several of these arrangements are in Yiddish and Dutch are pasted to the inside cover of the pinkas. Gorredijk Ryksarchyf in Fryslân (State archive in Friesland) Access no. 25012 Semi-Official Institutions Financial Administration

‫( הפנקס של החברה קדישא עטרת בחורים של ק"ק גיררדיהק יע"א‬Pinkas of Ateret Bachurim chevrah kaddisha of Gorredijk kehilah kedushah yivne ir elohim)13 Inventory no. 140 Date: ‫יום א' כ"א אייר תקפ"ו לפ"ק—י"ח שבט תקצ"ט לפ"ק‬ (Sunday, 21 Iyar 5586, i.e. 28 May 1826) to 18 Shevat 5599 (2 February1839) Haarlem Streekarchief Kennemerland (Kennemerland regional archive) Official Institutions 1. Seven pages of a pinkas

12 The access and inventory numbers are according to S. de Haan, Archieven van Joodse instellingen in Friesland (Leeuwarden 1995). 13 S. de Haan’s inventory includes the Ateret Bachurim ledger in the archive of Leeuwarden community. However, the title and contents of the ledger suggest that it belonged to Gorredijk.

12

jewish communities Provisional inventory no. 43.10–14;14 Inventory no. 1 Date: c. October 1793 to ‫יום ב' ד' דחהמועד סוכות תקנחית לפ"ק‬ (Monday, 4th intermediate day of Sukkot 5558, i.e. 9 October 1797) Remarks: The first records reveal the local authority’s influence on the affairs of Haarlem community. For example, a resolution by the burgomasters on ‫( עש"ק פ' נח תקנ"ד לפ"ק‬Erev Shabbat kodesh, parashat Noach 5554, i.e. Friday, 11 October 1793), ordering the community to present five members from whom the civil authorities would appoint three new leaders.15 The fragment includes a two-page inventory of ritual objects and attributes belonging to the community, dated 5556) ‫תקנ"ו‬, i.e. 1795/96).

2. Takkanot of the Jewish community of Haarlem Provisional inventory no. 43.15–16; Inventory no. 1 Date: *‫מוצאי שבת קודש פ' יתרו כ"ב שבט מי חכם ו*י*ש*מ*ר‬ ‫( א*לה לפ"ק‬Motzei Shabbat kodesh, parashat Yitro, 22 Shevat, mi chakham va-yishmor elle16 [(5)557], i.e. 18 February 1797) Remarks: The introductory first page is dated ‫עשרה בחודש טבת‬ ‫( תקנזיין‬10 Tevet 5597, i.e. 8 January 1797), and explains why the takkanot were drafted. In phrases reminiscent of the Batavian Revolution, the text points to a resolution by Haarlem city council following the emancipation decree of 2 September 1796 and the

14 Inventory numbers 1 and 2 of this inventory are separated according to the provisional inventory numbers of the archives in Haarlem. In the new inventory compiled by Marian de Haan, Inventaris van het archief van de Nederlands Israelitische Gemeente Haarlem (1765) 1792–1980 (1983) (Haarlem 2000), they are both mentioned under inventory number one. The remaining inventory numbers are given according to the new inventory of de Haan. 15 Already in 1766, the City Council of Haarlem intervened in the leadership of the kehilah when they invited Simon Boas from The Hague to restore order within the Jewish community. He was authorized to appoint parnassim, to organize care for the poor and he could decide on the credentials of any Jew who wanted to settle in Haarlem. See: M. Wolff, De Geschiedenis der Joden in Haarlem (1600–1815) (Haarlem 1917), 19–23 and J. Michman, Pinkas. Geschiedenis van de Joodse gemeenschap in Nederland (Amsterdam, Antwerp), 404. 16 Ps. 107:43, ‘Who is wise, will heed these things’.

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decree of 5 August 1796 which separated church and state. This brought an end to Van Hunsel’s commission17 so that ‘the Jewish community now stands independent’. The parnassim resigned on 6 January: ‫ דש‬,‫אום פערנר קיין נשיאות אודר הערשאפט צו האבן‬ ‫אללי יחדים )אודר לעהדן( עגאהל זיין‬. The members appointed two of their number to manage the community’s affairs and, with the aid of three other members, to annul or amend the existing takkanot within four weeks. The full members then had eight days to comment on the new takkanot. These were approved by the community assembly on 22 Shevat 5597 (18 February 1797). The resultant takkanot comprise 21 statutes, with seven additions, of which the first is dated 13) ‫ י"ג אייר תקנ"ז לפ"ק‬Iyar 5577, i.e. 9 May 1797) and the last 5) ‫ ה' ניסן תקנ"ח לפ"ק‬Nisan 5578, i.e. 22 March 1798). 3. Revised takkanot Inventory no. 2 Date: 1798 ‫ אפריל‬23 ‫יום ב' זיין אייר איבראיינסקומנדע מיט דעם‬ (Monday, 7 Iyar corresponding to 23 April 1798) Remarks: The revised takkanot comprise 17 statutes. The first statute deals with the attendance of minyanim and Shabbat services and stipulates that fines for non-attendance will be paid to the community’s poor fund. The third statute states that ‘although there shall be no more tyranny’,18 leadership is needed and every year in the month of Nisan a ne’eman will be chosen responsible for the revenues and expenses of the kehilah, assisted by a gabbai and three members. The last statute stipulates that these takkanot will be valid and remain unchanged for the next five years. This is followed by two pages of records dealing with the policy for the poor in the city of Haarlem and the Jewish community. Following a resolution by the municipality in 2 October 1798, 17 After an extended conflict in the Jewish community of Haarlem, the City Council had appointed Herman van Hunsel in 1794 as ‘commisaris politick’, to resolve the administrative and financial problems within the community. See: M. Wolff, De Geschiedenis der Joden in Haarlem, 29, and furthermore, on van Hunsel’s involvement with the leadership of the Jewish community the pages 30–37 and also J. Michman, Pinkas 404–05. 18 See inventory number 2.

14

jewish communities announced in synagogue on 6 October, the community are to give an account of their poor fund. The ne’eman, gabbai and a committee of three members decided that henceforth they would submit the annual accounts of revenues and expenses, including the poor fund, to the municipality. In the third record the ne’eman and gabbai announce that according to a decision by the (city council) committee on 14 Elul 5558 (26 August 1798), seven diakonen (wardens or deacons) chosen by the members of the community are authorised to collect money in Haarlem.

4. Protocol book of the Jewish community of Haarlem Inventory no. 3 Date: ‫( יום ג' י"ב כסליו תקסמף לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 12 Kislev 5560, i.e. 10 December 1799) to ‫( יום א' כ"ו שבט תקס"ט לפ"ק‬Sunday, 26 Shevat 5559, i.e. 14 January 1809) Remarks: The pinkas opens with a declaration by the ne’eman Hirtz ben Eisik Segal that he will set matters straight in the community. Seven members will be appointed to oversee the administration and maintain order in the kehilah. One of the characteristic features in this pinkas is the constant effort to deal with the community’s debts. 5. Afkondigingen (Announcements) Inventory no. 381 Date: ‫( תקצ"ב לפ"ק‬5592, i.e. 1831/32) Remarks: This record of announcements and decisions by the alufim and manhigim contains 38 pages and one undated loose sheet. 6. Afkondigingen (Announcements) Inventory no. 382 Date: ‫( תקצ"ח לפ"ק‬5598, i.e. 1838 to 1840) Remarks: The book of proclamations contains 39 pages. Dates are recorded from page 24 on: 1838, on page 24 and 30 May 1840 on page 35.

jewish communities

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Financial Administration 7. Ledger Inventory no. 305G Date: ‫( תקזיין לפ"ק‬5557, i.e. 1796/97) to ‫( תקס"א לפ"ק‬5561, i.e. 1800/01) The Hague19 Gemeentearchief Den Haag (The Hague municipal archive) Official Institutions 1. Pinkas Inventory no. 120 Date: 1723–1785 Language: Hebrew and Yiddish Remarks: This pinkas contains a copy of the takkanot drawn up in 1701 in Yiddish21 and a copy of the takkanot of 172322 in Yiddish, decisions and announcements23 by the parnassim, accounts submitted by the treasurer, lists of members who bought themselves into the community and lists of seats rented in synagogue.24

The Hague’s Ashkenazi (High-German) community was called Adath Jessurun. The inventory numbers are according to F.R. Biesta and J. Cahen, Inventaris van de archieven van de Nederlandsch—Israëlitische gemeente, het Synagogaal ressort en Joodse instellingen en personen te Den Haag , (1684) 1694–1944 (The Hague, 1991). BNR. 131. 21 Folio 1–5, another copy of the takkanot from 1701, with amplifications from 1716 and signatures from 1716 to 1723, can be found in inventory number 625 (Pinkas), folio 40–41. The takkanot from 1701 were drafted by the Portuguese parnassim Manuel Levy Duarte and Mozes de Pinto by order of The Hague city council. They were approved by the civil authorities on 24 January 1701. See also: J. Michman, Pinkas, 366. 22 The copy of the takkanot from 1723, with signatures from 1723 to 1785, is stitched into the pinkas under folio number 6–16. 23 See also: inventory number 790, ‘Pinkas containing announcements in the synagogue, 1709–1710, 1784–1787, with records of outgoing correspondence, 1781–1788’. 24 For a detailed analysis of the pinkas see: J. Cahen, Analyse van de oudste pinkas van de Nederlandsch-Israëlietische gemeente te ’s Gravenhage (1723–1785) (The Hague 1982). 19 20

16

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2. Pinkas Inventory no. 2 Date: 1785–1809 Language: Hebrew and Yiddish Remarks: This pinkas contains decisions by the parnassim, incoming correspondence, records of outgoing correspondence and notes about community events from 1797 to 1809. Records dating from before 1800 have been crossed out. 3. Pinkas Inventory no. 625 Date: (1710)–1799 Language: Hebrew, Yiddish and Dutch Remarks: This pinkas contains a copy of the takkanot of 1701,25 a note about the lease of synagogue seats at the home of Abraham Boas on St Jacobstraat (1710–1723), a regulation regarding the lease of synagogue seats by the parnassim (1710), copies of resolutions by the schouten (bailiffs) and burgomasters of The Hague granting permission for the building of a synagogue on Voldersgracht (1720) and testimony by the gabbai regarding the virginity of young girls (1747–1799). 4. Pinkas Inventory no. 790 Date: 1709–1710, 1784–1788 Language: Hebrew and Yiddish Remarks: This pinkas contains announcements by the parnassim in synagogue from 1709 to 1710 and 1784 to 1787, as well as records of outgoing correspondence from 1781 to 1788.

25

See above.

jewish communities

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5. Pinkas Inventory no. 791 Date: 1809 (1816) Remarks: This pinkas contains announcements by the parnassim in synagogue in 1809. An announcement made in 1816 regarding the chatan Torah is pasted into the volume. 6. Register containing takkanot of the Jewish community of The Hague Inventory no. 503 Date: 1723 to 1761 Language: Hebrew and Yiddish 7. Register containing prayers for special occasions in synagogue Inventory no. 792 Date: 1848 Remarks: The prayers were collected by the sofer Feiboesch, son of Nathan Bromet. 8. Proclamation by the parnassim that on account of the harsh winter an extra collection will be made on behalf of the poor Inventory no. 901 Date: 1821 9. Registers of the Poor Fund Inventory nos (1,505–1,509) 1,505, 1,506 and 1,507 Date: (1830–1855) 1830, 1834 and 1841 Language: Hebrew and Yiddish 10. Register of graves

18

jewish communities Inventory no. 881 Date: c. 1724 to 1851 Language: Yiddish and Hebrew

Community Officials 11. Letter from Emanuel Weil, chazzan of the main synagogue in Maastricht, to the parnassim applying for the position of chazzan in The Hague Inventory no. 527 Date: 1819 12. Letter from Josef Rosenberg, chazzan in Strasbourg, to the parnassim applying for the vacant position of chazzan in The Hague Inventory no. 528 Date: 1821 13. Letter from the former chazzan of The Hague, Meijer Levie, from Koblenz appealing for sympathy for having left his position before his contract had ended. He agrees to return as long as he is treated decently. Inventory no. 530 Date: 1821 14. Letters from chazzan Meijer Levie to the community board and to his brother-in-law about his delay in returning to The Hague Inventory no. 531 Date: 1821 Language: Hebrew and Yiddish 15. Letter from A.D. van der Veen, chazzan in Hoorn, to the parnassim applying for the position of chazzan in The Hague

jewish communities

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Inventory no. 534 Date: 1821 Kashrut 16. Documents concerning the applying of lead seals to kosher meat Inventory no. 805 Date: 1754, 1799, 1877 and 1879 Language: Yiddish and Dutch Financial Administration 17. Appendices to the annual accounts Inventory no. 649 Date: 1717, 1722–1724 Language: Yiddish and Dutch 18. Annual accounts with appendices Inventory no. 650 Date: 1734/35–1766/67, 1769/70–1772/73, 1777/78; the appendices cover the years 1732–1757, 1769, 1771–1781 Language: Yiddish Remarks: The accounts and appendices range from 30 Tishri to 1 Marcheshvan (September/October to September/October). 19. Copy of a statement of accounts concerning the credit balance for 1833 Inventory no. 656 Date: 1833

20

jewish communities

20. Pinkas. Register of debts of members and guests to the treasurer as well as register of outstanding debts of deceased members Inventory no. 706 Date: 1742–1765, register of outstanding debts of the deceased 1723–1741 21. Pinkas. Register of debts of members to the treasurer; with index of names Inventory no. 707 Date: 1765–1796 Language: Hebrew and Yiddish 22. Generaal Rest Boek no. 3: Register of debts of members at the end of the financial year with index of names Inventory no. 708 Date: 1796–1827 Language: Hebrew, Yiddish and Dutch 23. Documents concerning the debts of Zalman, the community chazzan Inventory no. 709 Date: 1800–1818, 1820–1823 24. Register of donations and rent for seats, as well as a record of revenues and expenses Inventory no. 710 Date: 1804–1805 25. Memorandum with notes of payments from members Inventory no. 712 Date: 1820 Language: Yiddish and Dutch

jewish communities

21

26. Register of donations, rent from seats and membership fees, with records of revenues and expenses and annual accounts Inventory no. 723–746 Date: 1860–1887; with gaps in 1861, 1864, 1869, 1878, 1883 Language: Yiddish and Dutch 27. Private contract of the parnassim leasing the revenues of the meat market to Gedalje Mozeszoon, Simon Mozeszoon, Eliazar Eldeersheim, H. Wolff, Gedalje Roos, J.M. Cahen and B. Wolff Inventory no. 819 Date: 1800–1824 Language: Yiddish and Dutch Semi-Official Institutions 28. Printed takkanot of Gemilut Chasadim burial and religious society26 Inventory no. 886 Date: 1761 Language: Yiddish and Hebrew ’s Hertogenbosch Stadsarchief ’s Hertogenbosch (’s Hertogenbosch municipal archive) Access no. 1327

26 See also: inventory number 999, Protocol Book (1770–1829) containing takkanot with signatures of the members (1770–1825), notes concerning the properties of the society (in 1789 and 1790) with some additions until 1879. 27 The archives of ’s Hertogenbosch Jewish community are only partially inventoried. The inventory numbers are given according to the box numbers in the Voorlopige inventaris van het archief van de Joodse Gemeente te ’s Hertogenbosch (1790–1973), compiled by J.N.T. van Albada, J.A.M. Hoekx and A. Vos in 1984.

22

jewish communities

Official Institutions 1. ‫( פנקס הקהל קדישא הדין הערציגן בוש‬Pinkas of the kahal kaddisha called Hertsigenbush) Box 1 Date: ‫( ראה א*נ*כי נ*ת*ן* לפניכם היו*ם ב*רכה" לפ"ק‬Re’e anokhi natan lifneikhem ha-yom brakha,28 5559, i.e. August 1799) Language: Yiddish, Hebrew and Dutch Remarks: The pinkas of the ’s Hertogenbosch community contains only takkanot. The members of the community approved its 29 statutes, on the second day of rosh chodesh Elul 5559 (1 September 1799). The takkanot reflect the dominance of parnas Hartog Simon, known after 1811 as Simon Hartogensis. The first statute stipulates that each year on Sukkot one parnas shall be chosen for two years. On 11 Nisan 5560 two more statutes were added. In statute number 30 the kahal consents that Hartog Simon may be sole parnas, manhig and gabbai of the community and that all the earlier clauses be reinterpreted accordingly. Statute 31 stipulates that Hartog Simon may appoint an assistant of his own choice. On ‫( יום א' ט' מרחשון תקע"ה לפ"ק‬Sunday, 9 Marcheshvan 5575, i.e. 6 November 1814), an epilogue to the takkanot states that in response to a decree by the Prince of Orange, issued 11 July 1814, and by the minister of the interior, the parnas shall choose two more parnassim called opzigters. With the consent of community members two new parnassim were then appointed for life. Nevertheless, Simon Hartogensis remained the community’s most prominent leader until the late 1830s.29 The title page of the pinkas is written in Hebrew, followed by a declaration in Dutch stating the community’s intention to adhere to the takkanot. The takkanot and the epilogue are in Yiddish.30

Deut. 12:26: ‘See today I will set a blessing before you’. See also: Bader, J. ‘Uit stof en as’. Joden in Noord-Brabant in vroeger eeuwen. De Nederlands Israëlitische Hoofdsynagoge ’s Hertogenbosch (1799–1843) (Breda 1998), 35. 30 Box no. 1 contains a Dutch translation of the takkanot by K. Azijnman and a translation of the title page by H. Beem (1977). 28 29

jewish communities

23

Incoming and Outgoing Correspondence Box 5 2. Letter from the shochet and melamed D. Grunwald in Amsterdam to the parnassim, requesting financial assistance for him and his family Date: ‫( יום ו"ו עש"ק פ' ראה תר"ד לפ"ק‬Friday, erev Shabbat kodesh, parashat Re’e 5604, i.e. 9 August 1844) Language: Yiddish and Hebrew Document no. 1531 3. Letter from Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans of Nijmegen to parnas Jerucham ben Jakob (Hartogensis) in response to a she’elah about whether a mourner may cut his hair and be a sandak Date: ‫( אור ליום ה' ד' אדר שני תר"ה לפ"ק‬Or le-yom heh,32 4 Adar II 5605, i.e. 11 March 1845) Document no. 12 4. Letter with receipt from J.L. Joachimsthal of Amsterdam to Jacob Yitzhak Italie, secretary of the school committee, regarding the supply of books Date: 5 August 1845 Document no. 49 5. Postscript in Yiddish with a New Year’s wish under a letter in German from Mayer Kaufmann to the parnassim Date: 13 August 1847 Unnumbered

The numbers, here given as document numbers, are only referring to numbers that were once written in pencil on the documents. They are provisional and merely intended as a means of identification for future researchers. 32 The night of yom chamishi, i.e. Wednesday evening. 31

24

jewish communities

6. Letter of condolence from Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans to parnas Jerucham Hartogensis Date: ‫( אור ליום ד' חנוכה ראש חודש תר"ח לפ"ק‬Or le-yom dalet, rosh chodesh Chanukah 5608, i.e. 8 December 1847) Document no. 103 Box 6 7. Letter from Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans to the parnassim about the death sentence passed on a member of ’s Hertogenbosch community, in which he expresses his hope that the king will spare his life, have mercy on the condemned, as well as the Jews in general and the community of ’s Hertogenbosch in particular Date: ‫( עש"ק פ' בהר ל"ו למב"י תר"ד לפ"ק‬Erev Shabbat kodesh, parashat Behar, 36th le-mispar benei Yisrael 33 5604, i.e. Friday, 10 May 1844) Document no. 67 8. Letter of application from the chazzan, shochet, bodek and Hebrew teacher Tzvi Hirsch Bleekrode of Harlingen, who read in the Handelsblad newspaper that ’s Hertogenbosch community requires a cantor and ritual slaughterer Date: ‫( יום ראשון ל"ח לספירה דר"ת למב"י לפ"ק‬Sunday, 38th of the Sefira 5604 le-mispar benei Yisrael, i.e. 12 May 1844) Document no. 27 9. Letter from the second chazzan and assistant shochet Menachem Mendele Shwartz (?) of Middelburg, applying for the position of cantor and ritual slaughterer in ’s Hertogenbosch

33 See: Num. 32:8, ‘He set up boundaries for the people according to number of the sons of Israel’. In general le-mispar benei Yisrael refers to the date since the Creation, in this case the phrase is used for the counting of the Omer.

jewish communities

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Date: ‫( יום א' כ"ג א"ר תר"ד לפ"ק‬Sunday, 23 Iyar 5604, i.e. 12 May 1844) Document no. 56 10. Letter from Tzvi Hirsch Bleekrode of Harlingen to the parnassim, replying to a question from the parnassim, informing them about the size of his family and their ages Date: ‫( יום א' ר"ח סיון מ"ה לספירה תר"ד למב"י לפ"ק‬Sunday, rosh chodesh Sivan, the 45th of the Sefira 5604 le-mispar benei Yisrael, i.e. 19 May 1844) Document no. 39 11. Letter from B.S. Kosman of Rotterdam applying for the position of chazzan and shochet in ’s Hertogenbosch, in which he asks to be considered as a candidate and to be invited to sing in synagogue Date: ‫( יום ה' ערב שבועות תר"ד לפ"ק‬Thursday, erev Shavuot 5604, i.e. 23 May 1844) Document no. 45 12. Letter from melamed and shochet Abraham Müller of Naarden, who admits that while he may not be a great singer, he is a proficient ba’al kore, and is therefore applying for the position of cantor and ritual slaughterer in ’s Hertogenbosch. Date: ‫( יום ד' י"א סיון תר"ד לפ"ק‬Wednesday, 11 Sivan 5604, i.e. 29 May 1844) Document no. 50 13. Letter from J. Van Leers, ba’al kore in Coevorden, applying for the position of chazzan and shochet in ’s Hertogenbosch Date: 29 May 5604 (1844) Document no. 48

26

jewish communities

14. Letter from Jakob Yitzkhak Italie, melammed and chazzan in Ootmarsum, applying for the position of chazzan and shochet in ’s Hertogenbosch34 Date: ‫( יום ד' י"א סיון שנת תר"ד לפ"ק‬Wednesday, 11 Sivan 5604, i.e. 29 May 1844) Language: Hebrew and Yiddish Document no. 60 15. Letter from B. van de Waal of ’s Hertogenbosch to J. Kann requesting permission to ask Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans in Nijmegen for consent to a marriage Date: 29 May 1844 No document number 16. Letter of recommendation from Moshe Leib Schönberg, merchant in Franeker on behalf of chazzan Tzvi Hirsch Bleekrode Date: ‫( יום ה' ג' תמוז שנת תר"ד לפ"ק‬Thursday, 3 Tammuz 5604, i.e. 20 June 1844) Language: Hebrew and Yiddish 17. Note from Meir Broekhuijzen of Heusden to parnas Jerucham (Hartogensis) regarding the transport, under escort, of a corpse Undated Document no. 52 18. She’elah u-teshuvah about purification of corpses of cholera victims. The teshuvah is by Chief Rabbi Jakob Lehmans Date: ‫( יום ג' כ"ד כסליו תר"ט לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 24 Kislev 5604, i.e. 19 December 1848); the she’elah is undated

34

Jakob Yitzkhak Italie was appointed chazzan.

jewish communities

27

Language: The she’elah is written in Yiddish, the teshuvah in Hebrew. No document number 19. Three lists of names of registered members of ’s Hertogenbosch community Undated No document number Box 56: Internal correspondence in the region 20. Letter from Avraham ben Aharon Oppenheimer to the parnassim requesting that the annual accounts be drawn up clearly and correctly, and discussing the secession of the communities of Schijndel and St Oedenrode, problems relating to minyanim and services caused by a troublemaker and invalid Torah scrolls Date: 22 February 1846 Language: Yiddish and Dutch Document no. 20 Box 63 21. Postscript in Yiddish from Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans about care of orphans, in a letter in Dutch in which he gives his haskamah for S. Sijffers to bake matzot Date: 27 January 5607 (1847) Document no. 11 22. Letter from Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans to parnas Zanwill Hartogensis with an answer to a she’elah from S. Sijffers regarding the preparation of matza flour and how to keep it kosher for Pesach Date: ‫( יום ג' ד' אדר תר"ז לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 4 Adar 5607, i.e. 14 February 1847) Document no. 17

28

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23. Postscript in Yiddish from Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans in a letter in Dutch, in which he refers again to the she’elah from the baker S. Sijffers Date: 24 February 5607 (1847) Document no. 19 24. Letter of condolence from Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans to parnas Jerucham Hartogensis Date: 18 June 5607 (1847) Document no. 48 25. Letter from Aharon David Stein to parnas Hartogensis requesting a personal loan, having already been forced to pawn all his belongings to provide for his sick children Undated Document no. 1 Unnumbered box35 26. Letter of recommendation from the merchant Jakob ben Yitzhak Segal of Meppel for the young man who delivered the letter, requesting protection Date: ‫( יום ד' כ"ח אייר תקצ"א לפ"ק‬Wednesday, 28 Iyar 5591, i.e. 11 March 1831) No document number36

This box is one of the 10 uninventoried boxes in the archive of ’s Hertogenbosch community, found under ‘Depotplaats 338 D1–F1, Aanvullingen 1998’. 36 The reverse of the letter features a Hebrew prayer for the wellbeing of Princess Marianne, ‘daughter of the King of Holland and wife of Prince Albert of Prussia’. 35

jewish communities

29

Financial Administration Box 47 27. Ledger of the district administration of ’s Hertogenbosh main synagogue Date: 1835 Language: Dutch and Yiddish Remarks: The ledger gives an overview of the contributions from the bijkerken (lit. ‘satellite churches’, i.e., surrounding smaller Jewish communities) under the authority of the main synagogue of ’s Hertogenbosch. 28. Ledger of the Jewish community of ’s Hertogenbosch Date: 1840 Language: Yiddish and Dutch Semi-Official Institutions Box 49 29. ‫( פנקס של הח"ק הנקראת אשרי משכיל אל דל‬Pinkas of the chevrah kaddisha Ashrei Maskil el Dal [He who has understanding and is humble])37 Date: ‫( ס*ומ*ך* נ*ופ*ל*י*ם* ור*ופא* חולים* לפ"ק‬Somekh noflim ve-rofe cholim38 [5571], i.e. January 1811) Language: Yiddish, Dutch and Hebrew Remarks: The takkanot were drafted by katzin Hirsch ben Shimon, katzin Shmuel ben Menachem, who was at that moment gabbai of the society and katzin Wolf ben Tevele.39 The takkanot comprise 41

Probably referring to Ps. 41 ‘Blessed is He who has regard for the weak’. From the second blessing of the Amidah prayer: ‘He lifts up those who fall and heals the sick’. 39 J. Bader mentions the civil names: Hartog Simon, Salomon de Jong and Benjamin David Koetscher. See: Bader, J. ‘Uit stof en as’, 54. 37 38

30

jewish communities statutes. In 1816, nine statutes were added. In the introductory sentences the society is called Gemilut Chasadim.40 The pinkas also contains a separate sheet of declarations of adherence to the takkanot dating from 1811 to 1829.41 The last record in the pinkas, regarding ownership of a Torah scroll, dates from 1844.

30. ‫( רעגיסטר מקברות מן בית החיים דק"ק הערצאגענבוש‬Register of graves at the cemetery of the kehilah kedushah ’s Hertogenbosch) Date: ‫תקפ"ה לפ"ק‬: 1824/25 (to 1857) Language: Hebrew and Dutch (names) with remarks scribbled in Yiddish and Dutch. 31. Notes by Herodus Hartogensis42 about the acquisition of land for the cemetery of ’s Hertogenbosch community in Vught Date: 1833 Remarks: The notes are written on a piece of paper, folded like an envelope. Herodus Hartogensis writes that the cemetery was already well known: ‫היא ביי דראנספארט איבר נייס ביווייל דיא פון‬ ‫פריער יאהרע פערלאהרע זיינה גיווארטע‬. He refers to the Spanish period and mentions the year 1370.43 Box 6

40 In the introductory sentences of the takkanot, the parnas Hartog Simon is mentioned as gabbai, whereas statute 28 of the takkanot of 1811 states that a parnas may not be appointed gabbai or mashgiach. 41 See also: J. Bader, who maintains that the charity Ashrei Maskil el Dal was renamed after 1812 to Gemilut Chasadim burial society. See: Bader, J., ‘Uit stof en as’, p. 52. The declaration by Ashrei Maskil el Dal written in Dutch in 1811, suggests that it was a burial society: ‘Wij Onder Geteekende (sic) van het Collegie ter Uitoefening van Menschelijke Weldaad en der Zelve laatste eer te doen’ (We the undersigned of the committee for the pursuit of human wellbeing and for the rendering of final honours to the same). 42 Jakob Yitzhak Italie mentions his name in a translation of the notes in the new register of the cemetery started in 1857. 43 He seems to imply that the graveyard was a Jewish cemetery in the Middle Ages and that the year 1370 is no random choice. This was the year of the expulsion of the Jews from Brabant and of pogroms in Brussels.

jewish communities

31

32. 52 Fragments of announcements of meetings of Gemilut Chasadim burial society Undated Unnumbered 33. Debenture from Wolf ben Tevele, Juda bar Eliezer, Meir bar David and S. Groenenedaal (also on behalf of his mother) to Gemilut Chasadim Date: ‫( יום א' ג' ניסן תקע"ד לפ"ק‬Sunday, 3 Nisan 5574, i.e. 3 April 1814) Unnumbered 34. Announcement of a meeting of Gemilut Chasadim and a decision to provide annual support for two members, including a widow, 25 guilders Date: ‫( יום א' ד' חשון תקפ"ו לפ"ק‬Sunday, 4 Cheshvan 5586, i.e. 16 October 1825) Unnumbered Leeuwarden Ryksarchyf in Fryslân (State archive in Friesland) Access no. 25044 Official Institutions 1. ‫( ספר זכרונות דק"ק לעוורדן תקי"ד לפ"ק‬Sefer zikhronot of the kehilah kedushah Leeuwarden 5514, i.e. 1754) Inventory no. 1

44 The access number and all following inventory numbers are according to S. de Haan, Archieven van Joodse instellingen in Friesland (Leeuwarden 1995).

32

jewish communities Date: ‫( יום ו' עש"ק ז' אדר תקי"ד לפ"ק‬Friday, erev Shabbat kodesh, 7 Adar 5514, i.e. 1 March 1754) to 1880, and 1880–192445 Remarks: The sefer zikhronoth can be read as a chronicle of the life of the Jewish community of Leeuwarden from 1754 to 1880. Since the pinkas covering 1754 to 1854 is mostly written in Yiddish, it reflects the development of Yiddish in the 18th and 19th centuries. The introduction, appointments of officials and copies of takkanot contain a great deal of Kanzleistil. In the 19th century, the influence of Dutch, Frisian and German on Yiddish increased. Copies of documents dealing with the local authorities are written in Dutch. After 1855, the sefer zikhronot is entirely in Dutch. Besides its rich supply of historical data reflecting aspects of community life, the sefer zikhronot also contains copies of the takkanot of two societies, which required confirmation by the parnassim. 1) ‫( קאפיא תקנונות להחברה תלמוד תורה‬Copy of the takkanot of Talmud Torah society) Date: 28) ‫ כ"ח שבט תקי"ט לפ"ק‬Shevat 5519, i.e. 20 February 1759) The takkanot comprise 27 statutes 2) ‫( קאפיא תקנות להחברה משיבת נפש‬Copy of the takkanot of Meshivat Nefesh society) Date: 11) ‫ י"א חשון תקל"ה לפ"ק‬Cheshvan 5535, i.e. 6 November 1774) The takkanot comprise 41 statutes

2. Notulen en Registers van Deliberaten van de Hoofdsynagoge der Nederlandsche Israëliten te Leeuwarden (Records and registers of discussions of the main synagogue of the Dutch Jewish community in Leeuwarden) Inventory no. 6 Date: 1815–1843

After 1880 the character of the sefer zikhronot changes. The later records comprise extracts of Leeuwarden city council records and occasional records of the synagogue’s district administration. For a more extensive discussion of the sefer zikhronot see: H. Beem, De Joden van Leeuwarden. Geschiedenis van een Joods Cultuurcentrum (Assen 1974). 45

jewish communities

33

Remarks: The register is entirely in Dutch except for a list of ‘workers in the bakery, who will bake the matzot’, dated 25 February 1838, written in German in Hebrew letters. 3. Copijboek van de Groote Kerkeraad en de parnassim (Letter-book of the synagogue board and the parnassim) Inventory no. 23 Date: ‫( י"ב מרחשון תקע"ו לפ"ק‬12 Marcheshvan 5576, i.e. 15 November 1815) to 1821 Remarks: The register is entirely in Dutch with the exception of the first three entries, which are in Yiddish. Financial Administration 4. Ledger Inventory no. 31 Date: 1865–1871 Remarks: The ledger is in Yiddish, influenced by Dutch and German: ‫עקסטרא ווירקליכע שולד הכנסה‬. This is probably one of the last official documents written in Yiddish in the Netherlands.46 Contacts of Leeuwarden Community with Jewish Communities and Institutions in Palestine Inventory no. 60 5. Letter from Rabbi Moses Segal, Beit-Israel, Jerusalem, to H. van Gelder in Leeuwarden requesting tzedakah Date: ‫( אדר תרפ"ד‬Adar 5684, i.e. February/March 1924)

46 The use of Yiddish in the ledger is even more remarkable in light of the last use of Yiddish in the remaining documents of Leeuwarden community, such as the sefer zikhronot (1854) and pinkas of Ohavei Torah society (1855).

34

jewish communities

6. ‫ מחזיקי תורה דק"ק דעעש‬.‫איינלאדונג צור גענעראל פערזאמלונג‬ (Invitation to a general meeting of Machzikei Torah [Upholders of Torah] of the kehilah kedushah Dés) Six written and printed documents relating to Machzikei Torah in Transylvania (Romania), from 1921 to 1940 Inventory no. 61 Date: ‫( תרפ"ב לפ"ק‬5682, i.e. 1921/22) Remarks: The invitation to the meeting of Machzikei Torah in Dés, is a printed document written in German in Hebrew letters. The pamphlet is included in a dossier with three other Hebrew documents produced by the society dated between 1921 and 1940. Machzikei Torah provided religious education for poor children. 7. Request for financial support from ‫( גמילות חסד עזרת ירושלים‬Gemilut Chesed Ezrat Yerushalayim) Inventory no. 61 Undated (c. Mandate Period) Remarks: The documents comprise two pamphlets printed in colour and a circular. The latter is translated in English. Gemilut Chesed Ezrat Yerushalayim provided support for new immigrants and fugitives from the Diaspora, gave interest-free loans to small tradesmen, supported poor artisans to buy tools and materials and enabled poor Torah scholars and yeshivah students to study. Semi-Official Institutions 8. ‫( נאטולען בוך מח"ק אוהבי תורה‬Book of records of chevrah kaddisha Ohavei Torah) Inventory no. 94 Date: 1829–1860 Remarks: Until 1855, the pinkas of Ohavei Torah is mainly in Yiddish. After 1855, the register continues in Dutch.

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35

Ohavei Torah was founded by Chief Rabbi Chaim Löwenstam on 27 October 1829, continuing the former ‫תלמוד תורה וגמרא‬ (Talmud Torah u-Gemara). 9. ‫( סדר אמירת קדישים בח"ק אוהבי תורה‬The order of reciting kaddish in Ohavei Torah)47 Inventory no. 136 Date: ‫( יום א' ט"ו טבת תק"פ לפ"ק‬Sunday, 15 Tevet 5580, i.e. 2 January 1820) Remarks: The order of reciting kaddish consists of six articles written on cardboard. Financial Administration 10. Ledger of the women’s burial society Achuzat Olam Inventory no. 141 Date: 1828–1843 Remarks: The women’s burial society Achuzat Olam was founded in 1828 as a counterpart of Chesed ve-Emet. The members are listed on the first pages of the ledger. The volume has a leather binding and is modestly decorated. It is mainly in German in Hebrew characters and includes a letter, dated 27 May 1824, written by Sender ben Leib Kanter of Leeuwarden to his son Ber L. Kanter in Aalsmeer.48

In the inventory of de S. de Haan, this item is mistakenly attributed to Achuzat Olam, the women’s burial society. 48 Although these archives are generally described in their entirety, private records are treated separately from communal and supra-communal institutions. Thus the records of shochet Nathan Bonnet which are kept in the archive of Leeuwarden’s Jewish community, are listed in the private records section below. 47

36

jewish communities Leiden

Gemeentearchief Leiden (Leiden municipal archive) Access: Small archive inventories. Inventory no. 2149 Official Institutions 1. ‫( תקנות הקהלה‬Takkanot of the kehilah)50 Inventory no. 1 Date: ‫( א*מ*ת* ו*י*צ*י*ב* לפ"ק‬Emet veyatziv51 [5559], i.e. 1798/99) Remarks: The takkanot comprise 56 statutes, written on 17 pages. On the two introductory pages the statutes are divided into 9 chapters (‫)הויבט שטוק‬. The three leaders of the kehilah are named: Nathan, son of Kosman Levi, manhig; Meir, son of Aharon Levi, gabbai tzedakah; Koppel, son of Zelig of The Hague, ne’eman. The statutes are followed by a list of new paid-up members from 1799 to ‫( יום א' כ"ד תמוז תקס"ב לפ"ק‬Motzei Shabbat, 24 Tammuz 5562, i.e. 24 July 1802). The last two pages contain instructions for the chazzan and the shamash. 2. ‫( פראטיקאל דק"ק ליידן שנת תקנ"ו‬Protocol of the kehilah kedushah Leiden from the year 1796) Inventory no. 28 Date: ‫( יום ג' א' דר"ח מרחשון שנת תקנ"ו לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 1st day of rosh chodesh Marcheshvan 5566, i.e. 13 October 1795), to '‫יום א' ב‬ ‫( שבט תקצ"א לפ"ק‬Sunday, 2 Shevat 5591, i.e. 16 January 1831)

49 The inventory numbers are according to P.J.M. de Baar, Archief der Nederlands Israëlitische Gemeente te Leiden (Leiden 1987). The archives of Leiden’s Jewish community were deposited at Leiden’s municipal archive in 1916. 50 J. Michman Pinkas, 456–57 mentions that the statutes of the community were approved by the city council in 1723. Most of the community’s archive, including the circumcision registers, was lost when a powder ship exploded in 1807. Michman does not refer to the later takkanot of 1799. 51 ‘True and irrefutable’. A prayer recited following the Shema.

jewish communities

37

Language: Yiddish, Hebrew, and Dutch Remarks: This pinkas refers to an earlier, now lost, volume of takkanot of Leiden’s community. It contains half-yearly accounts of the kehilah, drawn up at Pesach and Sukkot, precise documentation of social welfare provided by the community and a detailed description of a conflict between two chazzanim, with rulings in Hebrew. In 1830, the decision regarding the newly appointed chazzan Wolf Blok is written in Yiddish. An example of social welfare in the community in the pinkas, is the meticulous documentation of the adoption of the half-orphan Lipman, in which his adoptive parents promise to educate and clothe the child and his widowed mother cedes her child. Dutch is occasionally used. The first instance is in 1809, in letters to the wardens of Leiden community’s poor fund, Abraham Machiels and S.A. van Praag. Financial Administration 3. ‫( פנקס מן צדקה בשנת תקמ"ד לפ"ק‬Pinkas of tzedakah from the year 5544, i.e. 1784) Inventory no. 49 Date: ‫( פסח תקל"ז לפ"ק—חול המועד פסח שנת תקמ"ב לפ"ק‬Pesach 5537 to chol ha-mo’ed Pesach 5542, i.e. April 1777 to March 1782)52 Remarks: The pinkas contains lists of members of the kehilah and their donations and pledges of tzedakah together with an account of the expenses. The lists are in half-yearly periods: from Pesach to Rosh Hashanah, and from Rosh Hashanah to Pesach. 4. ‫פנקס מהמנהיג ה"ה האלוף והקצין כ' משה אברהם בן פו"מ כ' יחיאל‬ ‫( מהוצה שלו מחצ שנה זהיין מן חה"ס תק"ס עד חה"פ תק"ס לפק‬Pinkas of the manhig, aluf and katzin Moshe Avraham, son of the parnas and manhig Yehiel of his half-yearly expenses from chag ha-Sukkot to chag ha-Pesach 5560, i.e. 1800)

52

The cover of the tzedakah pinkas was probably added later.

38

jewish communities Inventory no. 29 Date: ‫( חה"פ תק"ס לפ"ק—חה"ס תקס"א לפ"ק‬chag ha-Pesach 5560 to chag ha-Sukkot 5561, i.e. April 1800 to October 1801) Language: Yiddish and Hebrew Remarks: Moshe Avraham’s accounts are mainly written in Hebrew, the explanations are in Yiddish. Both half-yearly accounts cover 25 pages.

5. Two ledgers of payments and debts of registered members of Leiden community. The title on the cover of the second ledger is ‫רעשט בוף‬. Inventory no. 46 Date: The first ledger covers the years ‫ תקמ"ה‬to ‫( תקנ"ה‬5545– 5555, i.e. 1785–1795); the second ledger or ‫רעשט בוך‬, covers the years ‫ תקנ"א‬to ‫( תקס"ג‬5551–5603, i.e. 1791–1803) Language: Yiddish. In the ‫רעשט בוך‬, the headings debit and credit are written in Dutch. Remarks: The first register gives an account of the debts of 41 registered members and bills of the parnassim.53 The last page contains a takkanah with regulations for baking for Pesach, dated ‫( תקנ"ג לפ"ק‬5553, i.e. 1793). The ‫ רעשט בוך‬contains a list of 75 registered members of the community. The ledger continues with debit and credit lists. 6. ‫( פנקסי הפו"מ‬Pinkassim of the parnassim and manhigim) 57 sections Inventory no. 50 Date: 1790–1828 Language: Hebrew and Yiddish Remarks: These pinkassim list the half-yearly income from donations and offerings. They contain mainly names with a few remarks in Yiddish.

53

The ledger contains a front cover of the takkanot of 1781.

jewish communities

39

Semi-Official Institutions 7. Pinkas of the Gemilut Chasadim u-Bikkur Cholim burial society54 Inventory no. 106 Date: 1798 (?)55 to 1832 Remarks: The pinkas lists the ritual objects of the burial society and includes eight scraps of paper of which two are written in Yiddish and six in Dutch. Financial Administration 8. ‫( פנקסי החברה ביקור חולים‬Pinkassim of the Bikkur Cholim society) 5 sections Inventory no. 114 Date: ‫תקנ"ד לפ"ק‬-‫ תקנ"א‬,‫( תקמ"ז‬5547, i.e. 1787, and 5551–5554, i.e. 1791–1794) Remarks: These pinkassim are account books kept by the gabbaim of Bikkur Cholim. The pinkas of 1787 includes two pieces of paper with receipts. Other 9. Eleven notes in Yiddish on the reverse of extracts of civil marriage certificates issued by the registry office Inventory no. 26 Years: 1831–1841

54 The pinkas of the Gemilut Chasadim u-Bikkur Cholim burial society contains a cover from a ‫ פראטיקל‬book of the year 1785. The society’s name is first mentioned on page 5 of the pinkas: ‫( הגבאים דח"ק ג"ח וב"ח‬the gabbaim of the chevrah kaddisha Gemilut Chasadim and Bikkur Cholim). 55 The pinkas opens with a list of members of the society from 1783 to 1827. These were probably added later, hence the different handwritings. The pinkas starts with a remark on page 4 regarding the confirmation of the new takkanot (which are not included in the pinkas): ‫תקנות חדשות זיינין גוהט גאפרעבעהרט גווארדן בחדר הקהל‬ ‫( ביום א' א"י שבט תקנ"ח‬Sunday, 11 Shevat 5558, i.e. 28 January 1798).

40

jewish communities Remarks: The certificates originate from Leiden, with one from Maassluis (1837). The Yiddish notes are sentences such as ‘seen by the rabbi of the Jewish community’ or the ‘church master’ (i.e. synagogue president). The certificates are included in a dossier of ketubot. Maarssen

Het Utrechts Archief (Utrecht archive) Access no. 361 Official Institutions 1. Pinkas of the Jewish community of Maarssen56 Inventory no. 10 Date: 1793–1864 Remarks: The pinkas contains records of the parnassim written in Yiddish and Dutch. The few Yiddish records cover the years ‫( תקנ"ג‬5553, i.e. 1793) to ‫( תקע"ב לפ"ק‬5572, i.e. 1812). The first (1793), deals with a problem relating to kashrut, namely the supervision by Jews of cattle and milk production. The second (1794), refers to an earlier takkanah which states that unregistered members and their children should attend their own synagogue. Those who contravened the regulation would be fined. The third is undated and lists the non-voting members. The last five notes in Yiddish, dating from 1807 to 1812, deal with the drawing of lottery numbers.

56 The Dutch takkanot of the community of Maarssen from the year 1759, can be found under inventory number 13. This Dutch version of the takkanot was probably drafted for the regional authorities. They contain an approbation from the staten (provincial assembly) of Utrecht dated 1763. However, also an internal agreement between the parnassim and Leman Marcus regarding the delivery of milk from 1791 and other internal agreements made in the last quarter of the 18th century are written in Dutch. Similarly, the records of correspondence between the parnassim and the community’s poor fund from 1752 to 1811 are, except for a few sentences or words in Yiddish, entirely in Dutch.

jewish communities

41

The Dutch records were written between 1844 and 1855. They are followed by a copij-boek (letter-book) from 1862 to 1864. 2. Incoming and outgoing correspondence Inventory no. 457 Date: 1790–1863 Remarks: The box contains at least 49 letters written in Yiddish, probably part of the correspondence of the parnassim from 1791 to 1863. Four loose sheets are written in Yiddish: a page of a record book from 1790, a page from a record book from 1811, an undated paper with takkanot and two bills from 1806 and 1807. Financial Administration 3. Registers of contributions by registered members of Maarssen community—19 sections Inventory no. 27 Date: 5553) ‫תקנ"ג‬, i.e. 1793; to 1803) Language: Hebrew, Yiddish and Dutch Remarks: The registers record contributions, listed on Pesach and Sukkot and payments made by guests. The lists of names, numbers and sums of money are accompanied by occasional remarks in Yiddish. Contacts with Other Communities 4. Appeal for assistance from the Jewish community in Hebron Inventory no. 4 Date: ‫( ב' אייר תקע"ה לפ"ק‬2 Iyar 5575, i.e. 12 May 1815)

57 Inventory number 4 is an unsorted box of remainders. It contains ketubot, letters and the takkanot of the Misadat Bachurim society, pamphlets from the École Israélite in Haifa and other minor items.

42

jewish communities Language: Yiddish and Hebrew Remarks: The appeal is presented in a pamphlet, printed by David Proops. It is a written recommendation in Hebrew from ha-tza’ir Chaim Baruch of Istro (Triest). In 1803, when the Hebron community failed to pay its debts, the rabbis and elders were imprisoned. The community leaders managed to reach a settlement with the sultan in Constantinople. However, they were unable to pay the agreed sum. This appeal was supported by Aharon Prints of Alkmaar Avraham Moshe Lehren and his son Tzvi Hirsch Lehren in Amsterdam.58

Semi-Official Institutions 5. Takkanot of the ‫( ח"ק מסעדת בחורים‬Takkanot of the chevrah kaddisha Misadat Bachurim) Inventory no. 4 Date: ‫( ר"ח אדר שנת תקנ"ב לפ"ק‬Rosh chodesh Adar 5552, i.e. 24 February 1792) Language: Yiddish, Kanzleistil in the introduction and final remarks Remarks: The introduction to the takkanot states that Misadat Bachurim was founded on ‫( ר"ח ניסן תקמ"ו לפ"ק‬Rosh chodesh Nisan 5546, i.e. 30 March 1786). The takkanot contain 44 statutes, with the signatures and approval by the parnassim at the end of the document. They are written on three folios, folded and stitched together in half-folio format. Financial Administration 6. Ledger of the society Colegie Machzikei Hatobh (sic) Inventory no. 126 Date: 1832–1838

58

See note to inventory number 15 of Middelburg Jewish community.

jewish communities

43

Remarks: Except for an indication of the date written in Dutch at the end of the ledger on the inside cover, no dates are mentioned in the book. 7. Fragments of a ‫בוהך‬-‫רעשט‬, of the religious society ‫מחזיקי תורה‬ (Machzikei Torah) Inventory no. 4 Date: 5566–5565) ‫תקס"ו לפ"ק‬-‫תקס"ה‬, i.e. 1804/05–1806) Remarks: The fragments, on half-folio size, were found together with fragments of a Wochenbuch kept by the same society. 8. Fragments of a ‫וואכען בוהך‬, of the religious society ‫מחזיקי תורה‬ (Machzikei Torah) Inventory no. 4 Date: 5569) ‫תקס"ט לפ"ק‬, i.e. 1808/09) Remarks: These fragments of the Wochenbuch, originally on halffolio size, are poorly conserved. Maastricht Gemeente Archief Maastricht (Maastricht municipal archive) No access number59 Official Institutions Announcements by the Parnassim Inventory no. 195

59 The inventory numbers are according to C.P.F. Andreas, Inventaris van de Archieven van de Nederlands Israëlitische Gemeente te Maastricht 1788–1960 (Maastricht 1983).

44

jewish communities

1.195a. Standing orders for meetings drafted by president parnas P. Silberberg60 Date: ‫( יום א' ז"י מנחם תקע"ז לפ"ק‬Sunday, 17 Menachem [Av] 5577, i.e. 30 July 1817) Inventory no. 193 2.193a. Announcement regarding the need for more decorum in synagogue services; the parnassim suggest establishing a choir and propose a subscription to finance this;61 an appeal to members of the community to donate for the choir Undated62 Document no. 106 3.193b. Announcement, signed by parnassim S. Blumenthal, M. Max and I. Koopman, regarding monetary pledges made when called up to the Torah63 Date: ‫( יום ב' דחה"מ פסח ת"ר לפ"ק‬2nd intermediate day of Pesach 5600, i.e. 20 April 1840) Document no. 10 4.193c. Announcement by the parnassim regarding measures to be taken against members of the kehilah who fail to pay their contributions64 Date: ‫( יום ג' י"ג ניסן תק"פ לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 13 Nisan 5580, i.e. 28 March 1820)

60 Dr J. Michman and Dr W. Bunte worked on 81 Yiddish and Hebrew manuscripts for Maastricht municipal archive. Dr Michman compiled a concordance and Dr Bunte transcribed the manuscripts into printed Hebrew letters, adding transliterations and translations into German. Their work is listed under inventory numbers 344 (Bunte 1–39) and 345 (Bunte 40–81). References to Bunte’s work are given in notes for Yiddish documents in the present inventory. For inventory number 195, see Bunte, 17. 61 Bunte, 18. 62 J. Michman’s estimates c. 1840. J. Michman, Regestenlijst, no. 18. Bunte, 18 and 20. 63 Bunte, 19. 64 Bunte, 27.

jewish communities

45

5.193d. Announcements by the parnassim to be made in synagogue (lit. kirche: ‘church’), regarding maintenance of order during the coming High Holiday services65 Date: ‫( יום ב' י"ט אלול תקע"ז לפ"ק‬Monday, 19 Elul 5577, i.e. 31 August 1817)66 6.193e. References by the parnassim to the aforementioned measures for maintaining order during High Holiday services, especially regarding the sale of ceremonial honours67 Date: ‫( יום א' דסליחות תקע"ז לפ"ק‬1st day of slichot 5577, i.e. 24 September 1816) 7.193f. Announcements by the av beit din and parnassim regarding unlicensed shechita by Shimon bar Moshe and measures to be taken against him68 Date: ‫( יום ו' עש"ק ו' טבת תק"פ לפ"ק‬Friday, erev Shabbath kodesh, 6 Tevet 5580, i.e. 24 December 1820) 8.193g. Decisions by the district synagogue council (lit. ‘great church council’) concerning the maintenance of order during the reading of the Torah and the attendance of ma’ariv evening services69 Date: 6 August 1843 9.193h. Announcement by synagogue’s board (lit. xxx: ‘central committee of the church’) regarding the exact time the service will start when the chief rabbi ( Jacob Lehmans) visits Maastricht70 Date: 31 December 1846

65 66 67 68 69 70

Bunte, 28. According to Michman 1820. J. Michman, Regestenlijst, 28. Bunte, 29. Bunte, 30. Bunte, 31. Bunte, 32.

46

jewish communities

10.193i. Announcement by the av beit din regarding the correct way to prepare matza flour and to bake matzot71 Undated; announced on 20 February 1827 11.193j. Announcement by the parnassim regarding the conduct of ba’alei batim and guests during High Holiday services72 Date: 23 September 1826 12.193k. Announcement by the parnassim that the members who gave donations will receive clarification about how the money is spent73 Undated 13.193l. Announcement by the district synagogue council ( groote kerkeraad) on behalf of av beit din Chief Rabbi Jakob Lehmans, that the only kosher meat is that with the lead seal of the shochet and bodek74 Date: 11 June 1843 14.193m. Announcement by the district synagogue council ( groote kerkeraad ) on behalf of av beit din Chief Rabbi Jakob Lehmans that N. Koopman has not received permission to work as a shochet and therefore the meat he slaughters may not be eaten75 Date: 27 August 1843 15.193n. Announcement by the ‘Commissie belast met het toezicht over alle Israel. Godsdienstige Scholen binnen het ressort van Limburg’ (committee supervising Jewish religious schools in the province of Limburg) informing parents of a meeting of the school committee

71 72 73 74 75

Bunte, Bunte, Bunte, Bunte, Bunte,

33. 34. 35. 39a. 39b.

jewish communities

47

and the decision that children may start attending school either after Pesach or after Sukkot76 Undated 16.193o. Announcement by the district synagogue council (groote kerkeraad) warning members that outstanding debts to the community must be paid77 Date: 17 July 1842 17.193p. Final appeal from the district synagogue council (groote kerkeraad) to pay outstanding debts to the community78 Date: 24 July 1842 18.193k. Announcement by the parnassim, warning that meat may only be slaughtered by an officially appointed shochet and that measures will be taken against members and shochtim who do not comply79 Date: 20 December 1840 19.193r. Announcement by the parnassim setting a maximum of three names for a mishebarakh prayer80 Date: 18 June 1835 20.193s. Announcement by the parnassim regarding tzedakah payments assessed according to income81 Date: ‫( יום ו' עש"ק כ"ב כסלו תק"פ לפ"ק‬Friday, erev Shabbat kodesh, 22 Kislev 5580, i.e. 10 December 1819)

76 77 78 79 80 81

Bunte, Bunte, Bunte, Bunte, Bunte, Bunte,

40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 57.

48

jewish communities

21.193t. Announcement by the parnassim regarding the purchase of a new Torah scroll and the plan to draw up an inventory82 Date: ‫( יום ו' עש"ק ה' שבט תק"פ לפ"ק‬Friday, erev Shabbat kodesh 5 Shevat 5580, i.e. 21 January 1820) 22.193u. Announcement by the parnassim regarding the procedure for baking matzot and their price83 Date: 6 March 1858 23.193v. Announcement by the parnassim regarding the clearing of old debts to the community and opportunities for appeal84 Date: 16 August 1819 24.193w. Provisional statutes drawn up by the parnassim and elders to maintain order and decorum in synagogue (lit. ‘church’) Date: 17 January 1832 Language: The statutes are drafted both in Dutch and Yiddish (German in Hebrew letters). Incoming and Outgoing Correspondence of the Parnassim Inventory no. 19 25.19a. Letter from Jossele Langwei of Geilig to the teacher Juda Daniel Juden in Maastricht about a problematic chuppah85 Date: ‫( יום ו' עש"ק ארבעים למב"י תקנייח לפ"ק‬Friday, erev Shabbat kodesh, 40th le-mispar benei Yisrael 5558, i.e. 11 May 1798) Language: Hebrew and Yiddish Inventory no. 20

82 83 84 85

Bunte, Bunte, Bunte, Bunte,

61. 63. 78. 74.

jewish communities

49

26.20a. Letter from the board of the Jewish community of Kreveld (‘Les Consistoires Départemental des Israélites in Créveld’) to Isaac Silverberg, Jewish notary (‘Not. Israélite) of Maastricht regarding the problem of correctly assessing contributions to the consistory86 Date: 10 July 1810 27.20b. Letter from the parnassim of Emden community informing the parnassim of Aurich that Rabbi Barukh has died87 Date: ‫( יום ו' י"ב אדר ראשון תק"ע לפ"ק‬Friday, 12 Adar I 5570, i.e. 16 February 1810) Inventory no. 24 28.24a. Letter from the secretary of the board of parnassim, I. Guttentag, to chazzan L.J. Cohen informing him that Maastricht community is unable to pay him a fixed salary, but that it would be appreciated if he would offer his services to the community for the High Holidays88 Date: 7 September 1817 29.24b. Letter from J. Wijngaard to the parnassim complaining that they did not respond to his request to pay a bill he sent them in July89 Date: 16 November 1817 30.24c. Letter from Moyse Straus of Arlons to the ‘Herren des Israelitischen Consitorial von Kreis Mastrich und Luxembourg in Mastrich’ (sic) requesting that the consistories of Maastricht and Luxembourg help him appeal the annulment by the minister of religious affairs of his marriage, which was not performed according to law or reported to the consistories90 Date: 24 October 1817

86 87 88 89 90

Bunte, Bunte, Bunte, Bunte, Bunte,

73. 48. 10. 11. 12.

50

jewish communities

31.24d. Letter from J. Lazard of Luxemburg to the parnassim of Maastricht consistory complaining that the consistorial treasurer, Sindice Goudchaux, refuses to submit his account book91 Date: ‫( יום ד' ט"ז מרחשוון תקע"ח לפ"ק‬Wednesday, 16 Marcheshvan 5578, i.e. 26 October 1817) Language: Hebrew and Yiddish 32.24e. Letter from J. Wijngaard, père of president parnas Philip Silverberg of Maastricht requesting permission to hear the opinion of the committee in The Hague about a financial matter92 Date: 21 December 1817 33.24f. Letter from secretary I. Guttentag to Jb. Abr. Coopmans in Eijsden about his future appointment as manhig of Eijsden community93 Date: 21 December 1817 Inventory no. 25 34.25a. Letter to president parnas Philip Silverberg from chazzan Leib ben Cohen Eizik, lodging with ‘the widow Eliazer Levie de Jong tot Bolsward bij Sneek in Westvriesland’ and sent from Zwolle, applying for the post of chazzan in Maastricht94 Date: 13 March 1818 35.25b. Letter from secretary I. Guttentag to president parnas Philip Silverberg about a request from Reb Kalman which requires the attention of the parnassim95 Date: 30 January 1818

91 92 93 94 95

Bunte, Bunte, Bunte, Bunte, Bunte,

13. 14. 15. 8. 9.

jewish communities

51

36.25c. Farewell letter from an anonymous writer to his brother, explaining that he has been sentenced to death for striking an officer96 Date: ‫( יום א' כ"ז ניסן תקע"ח לפ"ק‬Sunday, 27 Nisan 5578, i.e. 3 May 1818) 37.25d. Letter from Bezalel HaLevi in Zwolle to president parnas Philip Silberberg applying for the position of rav and moreh tzedek97 Date: ‫( יום ה' כ"ג אלול תקע"ח לפ"ק‬Thursday, 23 Elul 5578, i.e. 24 September 1818) Inventory no. 26 38.26a. Letter from Chaim Schwartz of Limmen to secretary I. Guttenberg, explaining that physical weakness has prevented him from leaving the house since his arrival on April 2198 Date: 2 May 1819 Language: Hebrew and Yiddish 39.26b. Letter from Bezalel Ha-Levi of Zwolle to secretary I. Guttenberg describing injuries to his reputation and requesting the chief rabbi of Amsterdam to absolve him of all blame99 Date: ‫( יום א' ה' דחנוכה תקע"ט לפ"ק‬Sunday, 5th day of Chanukah 5579, i.e. 27 December 1818) Language: Hebrew, last paragraph in Yiddish Inventory no. 27 40.27a. Copy of an unsigned letter to the parnassim and to Jakob Pinchas Selig Goldstikker explaining that he cannot approve the community accounts due to certain facts known to him at that moment100

96 97 98 99 100

Bunte, Bunte, Bunte, Bunte, Bunte,

21. 79. The letter is written in a verbose Kanzleistil. 49. 62. 16.

52

jewish communities Date: ‫( שבעה עשר בתמוז תק"פ לפ"ק‬17 Tammuz 5580, i.e. 29 June 1820) Inventory no. 28

41.28a. Letter from L. Mayer and A. Gottschalk of Düsseldorf to the parnassim in Maastricht regarding the notification of the death of secretary I. Guttentag, advising that Maastricht community should care for his widow and children and not send them back to Düsseldorf, since the authorities in Düsseldorf do not tolerate paupers Date: ‫( יום ב' ט"ז תמוז תקפ"א לפ"ק‬Monday, 16 Tammuz 5581, i.e. 16 July 1821) 42.28b. Letter from Feis ben Joshua of Eindhoven to parnas Nathan (Fortune) regarding a young Jewish man from a ‘distant country’ imprisoned in Eindhoven, who requires kosher food during Pesach101 Date: 5581) ‫תקפ"א לפ"ק‬, i.e. 1821) Inventory no. 29 43.29a. Letter from Eizig, son of Moshe Yekhiel Cohen, to Shlomo Soesman, president (lit. kerkmeester: ‘church master’) of Meerssen community, explaining why he is unable to attend a meeting of the synagogue board102 Date: ‫( יום ב' א' דח"ה פסח תקפ"ב לפ"ק‬Monday, 1st intermediate day of Pesach 5582, i.e. 8 April 1822) 44.29b. Letter from Leib bar Moshe of Gulpen to parnas Neta confirming that he has received his letter103 Date: ‫( יום ג'כ"ו קיסלו תקפ"ג לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 26 Kislev 5583, i.e. 10 December 1822)

101 102 103

Bunte, 65. Bunte, 47. Bunte, 56.

jewish communities

53

45.29c. Letter from Aharon Joel Rennendorf of The Hague to the parnassim in Maastricht applying for the position of melamed, shochet and chazzan104 Date: ‫( יום שנכפל בו כי טוב מ"ה למב"י תקפ"ב לפ"ק‬Yom shenikhpal bo ki-tov,105 45th le-mispar benei Yisrael 5582, i.e. Tuesday, 21 May 1822) 46.29d. Letter from J. Wijngaard père in Liège to president parnas Nathan Fortune regarding outstanding debts106 Date: ‫( דלת שבט תקפ"ג לפ"ק‬4 Shevat 5583, i.e. 16 January 1823) 47.29e. Anonymous letter sent from Bonn to ‘Monsieur Jitzkhak Kauffmann’ in Maastricht about a book written by a man who poses as the former rabbi of Maastricht that has caused commotion in Cologne and Bonn107 Date: 7 August 1822 Inventory no. 30 48.30a. Letter from Salomon Franck, ‘Vorsänger der Israeliten in Linnich’ to parnas Lazer Marx, applying for the position of chazzan108 Date: 27 July 1823 49.30b. Letter from J. Wyngaard, père in Liège, to parnas N. Fortune about outstanding debts109 Date: 16 December 1822 Inventory no. 31 104

Bunte, 60. Regarding his application as melamed he makes the following remark:

‫צור נאהכריכט דיהנט איהנען דש איך אין הערצוגען בוש בשנת תק"פ בין עקסאמיניהרט‬ ‫ווארדן אין תנ"ך וראשי דקדוק לשון הקדש קונצעפט אין אונזערן טאגליכע שרייבאהרט‬ ‫וגם בלשון המדינה נעהמליך דיא האללענדישי שפראך‬. 105 106 107 108 109

Third day of the week. See: Gen. 1:10–13, in which ‘it was good’ is repeated. Bunte, 66. Bunte, 70. Bunte, 6. Bunte, 67.

54

jewish communities

50.31a. Letter from shochet Zangwill bar Mordechai Segal in Liège to ‘N. Fortun, Parnas President Der Jsrelitische Hof Sijnagoge in de Marie Straat to Maastricht’ (Nathan Fortune, president parnas of the main synagogue on Maria Straat in Maastricht), requesting a recommendation from the parnassim in Maastricht for his new position as ritual slaughterer in Liège and referring to the matter of shochet Goldstikker in Eijsden, who, he assumes, may not be recognized as supervisor over the shochtim110 Date: ‫( יום ב' ב' דסליחות תקפ"ד לפ"ק‬Monday, 2nd day of slichot 5584, i.e. 8 September 1823) 51.31b. Letter from ‘Moses Abraham Landen 2’ in Rees to the parnassim applying for the position of chazzan and shochet in Maastricht111 Date: 12 December 1824 52.31c. Letter from J. Wyngaard, père in Liège, to president parnas Nathan Fortune requesting matzot, ‘so that he will not be forced to eat ‫[ ערט אפפעלה‬potatoes] during Pesach’112 Date: ‫( חיט אדר ב' תקפ"ד לפ"ק‬8 Adar II 5584, i.e. 8 March 1824) Inventory no. 32 53.32a. Letter from ritual slaughterer Salomon Franck of Linnich to ‘de Heeren Voorstaahers de Jooden tot Maastricht’ (the leaders of the Jews of Maastricht), applying for the position of chazzan and shochet in Maastricht113 Date: 24 December 1825

110 Bunte, 80. On the position of Goldstikker in Eijsden, see the documents in the state archive in The Hague listed here as inv. nos 31 and 32, describing the protracted conflict concerning shechitah and shochtim in Maastricht and Eijsden. 111 Bunte, 4. 112 Bunte, 5. 113 Bunte, 2.

jewish communities

55

54.32b. Letter to president parnas Nathan Fortune from J. Saphir Stein ‘op het zand’, sent from Antwerp, applying for the position of chazzan and shochet in Maastricht114 Date: 6 June 1825 55.32c. Letter from qualified third-grade schoolteacher Louis Englander (‘school meester a Eindhoven’) to Abraham Elzas, ‘Parnosij a Mastricht’ ( parnas in Maastricht), applying for the position of chazzan and melamed in Maastricht115 Date: 25 July 1825 Inventory no. 33 56.33a. Letter from Wolff Preuss of ‘der Israelitten Strass No 221 in Antwerpen’ to ‘die Herrn Vorsteher der Israelitten Gemeinde Mastreig’ (Israelitten Strass no. 221 in Antwerp to the chairmen of Jewish community Maastricht) applying for the position of chazzan and shochet in Maastricht116 Date: ‫( יום ה' ג' תשרי תקפ"ו לפ"ק‬Thursday, 3 Tishri 5586, i.e. 15 September 1825) Inventory no. 34 57.34a. Letter from R. Zelig Goldshtikker of Eijsden to the katzin Asser Anshel Marx in Maastricht, warning the parnassim that a shochet from Gulpen, who is about to become the ritual slaughterer in Maastricht, does not have a valid approbation117 Date: ‫( יום א' כ"ו אלול תקפ"ד לפ"ק‬Sunday, 26 Elul 5584, i.e. 19 September 1824) Inventory no. 35

114 115 116 117

Bunte, Bunte, Bunte, Bunte,

3. 51. 46. Wolff Preuss gives Jacob Meir Lehren in Amsterdam as a reference. 58.

56

jewish communities

58.35a. Letter from Nathan Fortune to the parnassim, complaining that the police issued charges against him on account of his debts to Maastricht community118 Date: 30 November 1828 59.35b. Letter from the president (lit. kerkmeester: ‘church master’) of Gulpen community, L. Coupenicus, to the parnassim of the province of Limburg in Maastricht, regarding the refusal of Jacob Weinhausen of Gulpen to pay his donations to the kehilah119 Date: 13 December 1828 Inventory no. 36 60.36a. Letter from Nathan Fortune to parnas treasurer ‘Koffman’,120 concerning his debts to Maastricht community Date: 30 March 1829 61.36b. Letter from M.L. Zangers of Breda, sent from Rotterdam to E. Souvaine, recommending his brother-in-law as a teacher Date: 3 April 1829 66.36c. Letter from the Central Committee in The Hague to the parnassim of Maastricht dealing with appropriate dress for those officiating in synagogue services Date: 16 June 1829

Bunte, 1. With a Dutch translation for the local court at Gulpen. 120 Parnas treasurer J. Kaufmann. R.C. Hekker cites this letter as an example of ‘adjusted idiom’ and of the influence of Dutch, especially the Limburg dialect on the Yiddish used by prominent members of the Jewish community of Maastricht in the first quarter of the 19th century. He also mentions the letter sent by cantor Salomon Franck (Maastricht, inv. no. 53) to the ‘Heeren Voorstaahers’. See: R.C. Hekkers, ‘Zeven eeuwen joods leven in Limburg’, Cramignon. Bijdragen tot de Limburgse volkskunde. Speciale uitgave van Nederlands Volksleven XX no. 1 (1970), 76. 118 119

jewish communities

57

67.36d. Letter from N. Lobensohn to C. Compris, president parnas of Maastricht community, requesting money owed to him by the community Date: 1 July 1829 68.36e. Letter from Josef ha-Cohen, ne’eman of Deutz community, to the parnassim of Maastricht, informing the parnassim that he has given up his tasks as ne’eman and is applying for the position of chazzan in Maastricht Date: ‫( יום ב' ד"י סיון תקפ"ט לפ"ק‬Monday, 14 Sivan 5589, i.e. 15 June 1829) 69.36f. Letter from ha-Katan Lezer ben Asher of Gulpen to parnas S. Blumenthal in Maastricht, about serving as chazzan during the High Holidays Date: 23 August 1829 Inventory no. 37 70.37a. Letter from A. Goldstein to president parnas Gomprig, complaining about an unpaid bill Date: (‫( חול דמועד יום ג' )תקפ"ט לפ"ק‬3rd intermediate day [Pesach] 5589, i.e. 21 April 1829) Inventory no. 38 71.38a. Letter from David Englender, shochet of Maastricht community, to president parnas Gomprig, asking to be paid for his services to the community Date: ‫( יום ג' כ"ז למבי תקצ"א לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 27th le-mispar benei Israel 5591, i.e. 26 April 1831) 72.38b. Letter from shochet David Englender to the parnassim of Maastricht community firmly requesting to be paid for his services as agreed and demanding that his arrears be paid

58

jewish communities Date: ‫( יום א' ער"ח אב תקצ"א לפ"ק‬Sunday, erev rosh chodesh Av 5591, i.e. 10 July 1831)

73.38c. Letter from Salomon Hertog of Heinsberg to the parnassim of Maastricht community applying for the position of chazzan Date: 18 November 1831 Inventory no. 39 74.39a. Letter of recommendation from the chief rabbi (Bezalel Levi Glogauer) on behalf of the family of secretary Jitschak Eisik Gutentag, son in law of Nethanael Bakhar of Düsseldorf 121 Undated 75.39b. Letter from ha-Katan Neta about the proper procedures for an appointment122 Undated 76.39c. Unsigned letter from a teacher in Amsterdam who recently graduated123 Undated 77.39d. Letter from Jossele Langwei to his brother-in-law informing him that he arrived home safely124 Undated Inventory no. 40 78.40a. Letter from chazzan and shochet Salomon Hertog of Heinsberg to president parnas B. Weslij of Maastricht community stating that he

121 122 123 124

Bunte, Bunte, Bunte, Bunte,

24. 64. 36. 75.

jewish communities

59

accepts the post of chazzan and shochet in Maastricht and requesting consideration for his local (Dutch or ‘Inlandsch’) qualification Date: 17 January 1832 Document no. 3 79.40b. Letter from Chaim bar Hirshl of Delfzijl to the parnassim of Maastricht community announcing the death of the father of infantryman J.H. van Zanten, at Delfzijl garrison Date: 5 February 1832 Document no. 6 80.40c. Letter from Salomon Hertog of Heinsberg to president parnas B. Weslij in Maastricht Date: 12 February 1832 Document no. 7 81.40d. Letter from S. Lion, ‘Instituteur a Namur’ (presumably instructeur), to B.Weslij, ‘Parnas President de culte Israélite a Mastricht’ (parnas president of the Jewish community of Maastricht), applying for the position of teacher in Maastricht Date: 14 May 1832 Document no. 23 82.40e. Letter from chazzan and shochet Salomon Hertog to the parnassim in Maastricht, informing them that he has been offered a position as chazzan in a larger community with a generous salary, but is willing to stay in Maastricht if the parnassim offer him a permanent appointment with a better salary Date: 29 May 1832 Document no. 26

60

jewish communities

83.40f. Letter from S. Lion of Namen to president parnas Benedict Weslij regarding his appointment as teacher in Maastricht and stating that he will arrive within eight or ten days Date: 7 June 1832 Document no. 29 84.40g. Letter from S. Lion of Liège to B. Weslij in Maastricht, informing him that he will not receive a pass Date: 19 June 1832 Document no. 30 85.40h. Letter from S. Lion of Namen to B. Weslij in Maastricht stating that he has returned to Namen to deal with business obligations Date: 26 June 1832 Document no. 34 Inventory no. 41 86.41a. Letter from P.W. Rothschild of Senderhorst to the parnassim of Maastricht requesting information about the teacher Kinsberg Date: 26 February 1833 Document no. 72 87.41b. Letter from Moses Markens to B. Weslij ‘Parnas Presedent der esralitihe gemeende’ ( parnas president of the Jewish community), requesting, as slagter (slaughterer) and chazzan of Maastricht community, to be excused from donating to the community Date: 10 December 1833 Document no. 96 Inventory no. 42

jewish communities

61

88.42a. Letter from Israel Katz Presburg, ne’eman in Oss, to the parnassim in Maastricht, reporting that the Jewish soldiers at the garrison in Oss have behaved like pious Jews Date: ‫( ז' טבת תקצ"ד לפ"ק‬7 Tevet 5594, i.e. 19 December 1833) Document no. 98 89.42b. Letter from M. de Groot, parnas of the community of Brielle, to the parnassim of Maastricht, requesting information about E.S. Roosendaal Date: ‫( ד' אדר תקצ"ד לפ"ק‬4 Adar 5594, i.e. 13 February 1834) Document no. 108 Inventory no. 44 90.44a. Letter from a women’s religious society informing the parnassim of Maastricht community that Marianne Wijngaard, Sara Fortune and Sibilla Weslij have been appointed as president, secretary and committee member respectively and asking for approval of the takkanot Date: 7 January 1836 Document no. 150 91.44b. Letter from S. Hertog to the parnassim in Maastricht, asking to be reappointed as shochet and chazzan Date: 16 September 1836 Document no. 185 92.44c. Letter with appendix, signed by the secretary M. Levij of liturgical committee (lit. ‘committee for ceremonial order in church’), informing the parnassim that the committee has been installed and has chosen a chairman Date: 30 August 1834 Document no. 184

62

jewish communities

93.44d. Letter from shamash A. Michiel to the parnassim about his fine of five guilders Date: 4 November 1836 Document no. 189 94.44e. Letter from A.J. Coon to the parnassim requesting information about the behaviour of a certain Van Emde Date: ‫( יום ה' ז' טבת תקצ"ז לפ"ק‬Thursday, 7 Tevet 5597, i.e. 15 December 1837) Document no. 193 Inventory no. 45 95.45a. Letter from liturgical committee to the parnassim, regarding an unused Torah scroll Date: 15 January 1837 Document no. 201 96.45b. Covering letter from M. Wijngaard and S. Fortune to the parnassim, attached to the annual accounts of 1836 of the women’s religious society Date: 22 January 1837 Document no. 200 97.45c. Letter from the ‘Commissie belast met het ontwerpen van een Reglement van Godsdienstige en Ceremonieele Orde’ (Committee for drafting regulations for maintaining religious and ceremonial order) signed by its president J. Levij and secretary M. Levij, informing the parnassim of their discussions with the manhigim of Amsterdam and The Hague regarding procedures for mourning Date: 12 February 1837 Document no. 207

jewish communities

63

98.45d. Letter from M. Levij to the parnassim about religious questions to be presented to the children in synagogue on the following Shabbat Date: 9 March 1837 Document no. 205 Inventory no. 46 99.46a. Two letters from sofer Nahum Stern to the parnassim of Maastricht community, informing the parnassim in the first that he intends to deliver the old Torah scrolls, which he is repairing, after the festivals (i.e. after Sukkot) and asking in both to be excused for the delay in delivering the scrolls Date: The first letter is dated ‫( יום א' י"ט אלול תקצ"ח לפ"ק‬Sunday, 19 Elul 5598, i.e. 9 September 1838); the second letter is dated '‫א‬ ‫( שבט תקצ"ח לפ"ק‬1 Shevat 5598, i.e. 27 January 1838) Document no. 261 Inventory no. 47 100.47a. Four letters from three sofrim offering to write a new Torah scroll for Maastricht125 Two letters to parnas B. Weslij in Maastricht from ha-Katan Shmuel Benedict, shochet, bodek and sofer of Bonn Date: The first letter is dated 12 January 1839; the second is dated 5 February 1839. Letter to parnas S. Hartog in Maastricht from sofer Levij Stern of Anrat, near Krefeld Date: ‫( יום א' ט"ז שבט תקצ"ט לפ"ק‬Sunday, 16 Shevat 5599, i.e. 31 January 1839)

The growth of Maastricht community (by now c. 330 members) made a new and larger synagogue necessary. This was the context for the writing of a new Torah scroll. The sofer Stern was commissioned to perform the task. Each the letter from these applicants contains a sample of their Hebrew calligraphy on parchment. 125

64

jewish communities Letter from sofer Jitzhak Tiringer of Frechen, Germany, to the parnassim B. Weslij and J. Coopman Date: 20 January 1839 Document nos. Benedict 243/245 and Stein 244

101.47b. Letter from sofer Levij Stern of Anrat, who is commissioned to write a new Torah scroll Date: ‫( יום ב' כ"ה אדר תקצ"ט לפ"ק‬Monday, 25 Adar 5599, i.e. 11 March 1839) Document no. 302 102.47c. Letter from Chief Rabbi Joseph Asser Lehmans in Hebrew to the parnassim in Maastricht forbidding Christians slaughtering meat for Jews, with an announcement in Yiddish by the parnassim to the same effect Date: The letter from the chief rabbi is dated ‫י"ג ניסן תקצ"ט‬ ‫( לפ"ק‬13 Nisan 5599, i.e. 28 March 1839); the announcement of the parnassim is undated. Document no. 303 103.47d. Three letters: two from Jakob Weinhoizen (sic) to the parnassim of Maastricht requesting the loan of a Torah scroll for the Jews of Gulpen for the High Holidays and one from the parnassim, replying positively to the request Date: The first letter from Jakob Weinhoizen is dated ‫ג' דסליחות‬ ‫( תקצ"ט לפ"ק‬3rd day of slichot 5599, i.e. 23 September 1839), the second is from ‫( יום ה' דסליחות תקצ"ט לפ"ק‬5th day of slichot 5599, i.e. 25 September 1839); the reply from the parnassim is undated. Document no. 332 104.47e. Letter from shochet S. Hertog to the parnassim, about the slaughtering of poultry and a request for a raise

jewish communities

65

Date: 7 October 1839 Document no. 338 105.47f. Letter in Hebrew from Rabbi Jacob Lehmans, av beit din in Nijmegen, containing directions for building a ritual bath, with a Yiddish translation Date: ‫( יום ה' א' ד"ג ימי הגבלה תקצ"ט לפ"ק‬Thursday, 1st of three days of hagbalah [ preceding Shavuot] 5599, i.e. 16 May 1839) Document no. 339 Inventory no. 48 106.48a. Letter from sofer Levij Stern in Krefeld to the parnassim of Maastricht community stating that the delivery of the Torah scroll will be delayed Date: ‫( יום ב' ד' אדר שני ת"ר לפ"ק‬Monday, 4 Adar II 5600, i.e. 9 March 1840) Document no. 352 107.48b. Letter from teacher M. Levy to the parnassim, requesting to be made a member of the Dutch Jewish school committee in Maastricht Date: 20 April 1840 Document no. 361 108.48c. Letter from A. Wijngaard to the parnassim applying for the position of shamash Date: 24 May 1840 Document no. 372 109.48d. Letter from chazzan and shochet S. Hertog to the parnassim, requesting to be made a registered member of Maastricht community

66

jewish communities Date: 21 June 1840 Document no. 387

110.48e. Letter from H. Coopman to the parnassim informing them that he intends to donate a Torah scroll to the community Date: ‫( יום א' א' תמוז ת"ר לפ"ק‬Sunday, 1 Tammuz 5600, i.e. 12 July 1840) Document no. 392 Inventory no. 49 111.49a. Two bills and one note from sofer Levij Stern for a Torah scroll for the women’s religious society126 Date: 1841 Document no. 416 112.49b. Letter from shamash A. Miechels to the parnassim regarding his task of polishing copper and his training as a shochet Date: 17 January 1841 Document no. 417 113.49c. Letter, signed by the committee of the society of Jewish women in Maastricht (Godsdienstig Gesticht der Israelitische Vrouwen te Maastricht) to the parnassim, responding to the rejection of their annual accounts Date: 21 January 1841 Document no. 418 114.49d. Letter from J. Wiener of Brussels to the parnassim regarding a proposed medallion for the king, with a postscript in Yiddish

126 The bills and the note are included in the annual accounts of 1840 of the ‘Godsdienstig Gesticht der Israelitische Vrouwen te Maastricht’ (Religious society of the Jewish women in Maastricht).

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Undated (c. the first half of March 1841) Language: Dutch and Yiddish Document no. 427/8 115.49e. Letter from J. Wiener of Brussels to the parnassim, submitting a quotation for his designs Undated (c. mid-April 1841) Document no. 437 116.49f. Letter from shamash A. Michiels to the parnassim complaining about being fined for not attending the funeral of Eizik Biener Date: 13 May 1841 Document no. 439 117.49g. Letter from shochet S. Hertog to the parnassim, complaining about community member Spiegel, who refuses to pay a surcharge for shechitah Date: 19 July 1841 Document no. 450 118.49h. Letter from shochet S. Hertog to the parnassim, requesting a raise Date: 25 July 1841 Document no. 451 119.49i. Letter from shochet S. Hertog to the parnassim requesting a gratuity Date: ‫( יום א' י"ב אלול שנת תר"א לפ"ק‬Monday, 12 Elul 5601, i.e. 29 August 1841) Document no. 452 120.49j. Letter from Gulpen community asking the parnassim in Maastricht to help them dismiss their chazzan Ringsteth, since he is unqualified, and to appoint Abraham Cohen instead

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jewish communities Date: December 1841 Document no. 473 Inventory no. 50

121.50a. Note, signed by president parnas S. Bloemendaal, recommending Chief Rabbi H.J. Hertzveld of Zwolle’s circular letter about Veenhuizen labour colony for the poor127 Undated. The recommendation was announced in synagogue on 21 October 1842 Document no. 475 122.50b. Letter from the synagogue board in Grevenbichst to the district synagogue council ( groote kerkeraad ) in Maastricht about the examination of ritual slaughterers128 Date: 16 March 1842 Document no. 488 123.50c. Letter from Ch. Michel of Liège to the parnassim of Maastricht about the acquisition of the old furniture from the synagogue of Maastricht Date: 24 April 1842 Document no. 508 124.50d. Letter from Ch. Michel of Liège to the wife of the parnas Bloemendal, announcing his intention to come to Maastricht to buy the old synagogue furniture

127 The recommendation by Chief Rabbi H.J. Hertzveld of Overijssel and Drente is printed in Hebrew and translated into Dutch by S.I. Mulder, ‘tijd. Inspecteur der Godsdienstige Israelitische Scholen’ (temporary inspector of Jewish schools). 128 This letter is from a portfolio of ten letters from minor Jewish communities in Limburg dealing with Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans’s decision to personally examine ritual slaughterers in Nijmegen.

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Date: 1 May 1842 Document no. 512 125.50e. Letter from Ch. Michel of Liège to the parnassim about the payment for the synagogue furniture Date: 5 July 1842 Document no. 532 126.50f. Letter from the chazzan S. Hertog to the parnassim applying for the position of shamash and requesting a raise Date: 31 July 1842 Document no. 542 127.50g. Report by the district synagogue council ( groote kerkeraad ) in Maastricht regarding complaints by Jacob Wijnhausen and Alexander Marks, members of Gulpen community, against their community leaders Date: 7 July 1842 Document no. 545 128.50h. Letter from Nathan Fortune to the parnassim of Maastricht community about payment of his contributions Date: 1 September 1842 Document no. 55 Inventory no. 51 129.51a. Letter from Chief Rabbi Jakob Lehmans in Nijmegen with instructions for the Jewish communities of Limburg, concerning the preparation of matza flour and the baking of matzot129

129

Bunte, 38.

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jewish communities Date: ‫( יום ד' תענית אסתר תר"ג לפ"ק‬Wednesday, Ta’anit Esther 5603, i.e. 15 March 1843)

130.51b. Announcement by the synagogue council that meat provided by shochet N. Koopman has been declared kosher following his approval by the av beit din of Brussels130 Date: 19 March 1843 Document no. 184 131.51c. Announcement by Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans in Nijmegen, forbidding Jews to buy meat from Christian slaughterers and again instructing members of the community about the sale of kosher meat Date: ‫( עש"ק פ' יתרו תר"ג לפ"ק‬Erev Shabbat kodesh, parashat Yitro 5603, i.e. 20 January 1843) Document no. 2 132.51d. Announcement by Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans to the district synagogue council ( groote kerkeraad ) in Maastricht, about the baking of matzot and the appointment of supervisors for the baking of matzot Date: ‫( יום ב' אדר ראשון כ"ז תר"ג לפ"ק‬Monday, 27 Adar I 5603, i.e. 26 February 1843) Document no. 12 133.51e. Letter from Moshe Goldsmit to the parnassim objecting his assessed contribution Undated (c. March 1843) Document no. 15 134.51f. Letter from Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans in Nijmegen to the parnassim, reiterating matters relating to ritual slaughtering, disapproving of the appointment of Reb Shlomo (Hertog) to supervise the baking of matzot and recommending M. Levij instead as an expert in halakhah 130

Bunte, 37.

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Date: ‫( עש"ק פ' צו פורים שושן תר"ג לפ"ק‬Erev Shabbat kodesh, parashat Tzav, Purim Shoshan 5603, i.e. 17 March 1843) Unnumbered 135.51g. Report on the visit of Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans to Limburg and two announcements by the chief rabbi recommending a kosher bakery and regarding order during synagogue services Date: ‫( עש"ק פ' קרח תר"ג לפ"ק‬Erev Shabbath kodesh, parashat Korach 5603, i.e. 30 June 1843) Document no. 33 136.51h. Letter from chazzan S. Hertog to the parnassim announcing that he will not be able to blow the shofar on Rosh Hashanah on account of chest trouble Date: 20 August 1843 Document no. 41 137.51i. Letter from Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans to the parnassim ruling on the purchase of a part of the cemetery Date: 31 August 5603 (1843) Document no. 45 138.51j. Letter from Rabbi Hirsch Lezer of Brussels to the parnassim confirming that he granted an unwritten one-year approval to shochet N. Koopman of Lanaken Date: ‫( י"ח אלול תר"ג לפ"ק‬18 Elul 5603, i.e. 13 September 1843) Document no. 47 139.51k. Letter from Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans of Nijmegen to the parnassim ruling on the purchase of a plot of land for use as a cemetery

72

jewish communities Date: 28 November 5604 (1843) Document no. 66

140.51l. Letter from Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans of Nijmegen to the parnassim about honouring J. Hellenwald with the title chaver Date: ‫( יום ד' ב' טבת תר"ד לפ"ק‬Wednesday, 2 Tevet 5604, i.e. 27 December 1843) Document no. 72 Inventory no. 52 141.52a. Two letters from Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans to the parnassim recommending M. Levy or teacher Josef Neuenkerk to supervise the baking of matzot Date: ‫( עש"ק פ' יתרו תר"ד לפ"ק‬Erev Shabbath kodesh, parashat Yitro 5604, i.e. 9 February 1844) Document no. 86 142.52b. Letter from Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans to the parnassim, authorising M. Levy to perform a wedding in Valkenburg Date: 30 April 5604 (1844) Document no. 108 143.52c. Letter from Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans to the parnassim, authorising A. Laan of Gulpen to perform a wedding between Wijnhuizen and Compris Date: 7 June 5604 (1844) Document no. 116 144.52d. Letter from Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans to the parnassim reconsidering his decision and authorising chazzan S. Hertog to perform a wedding Date: 12 June 5604 (1844) Document no. 117

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145.52e. Letter from chazzan S. Hertog to the parnassim, referring to a complaint that he does not comply with the choir rules Date: 24 June 1844 Document no. 124 146.52f. Letter from chazzan S. Hertog to the parnassim justifying himself against complaints by members of the choir Date: 8 July 1844 Document no. 137 147.52g. Letter from Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans to the parnassim about conditions for Leonard Hertog’s wedding Date: 17 July 5604 (1844) Document no. 139 148.52h. Request on behalf of J. Soesman of Scharn to the parnassim, to be allowed to take an examination as ritual slaughterer when he has recovered from his illness Undated Document no. 151 149.52i. List of registered members to be called up to the Torah on Rosh Hashanah, Shabbat Shuvah and Yom Kippur Date: September 1844 Document no. 153 150.52j. Letter from chazzan S. Hertog to the parnassim requesting a three-month advance on his salary131 Date: ‫( כ"ה טבת שנת תר"ה לפ"ק‬25 Tevet 5605, i.e. 4 January 1845)

131

Due to his needy circumstances. The request was approved.

74

jewish communities Document no. 166 Inventory no. 53 (1845)

151.53a. Letter from chazzan S. Hertog to the parnassim requesting a raise Date: ‫( יום ג' י"א אדר ראשון שנת תר"ה לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 11 Adar I 5605, i.e. 18 February 1845) Document no. 181 152.53b. Two letters from Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans relating to the baking of matzot and the appointment of shamash tzedakah S. Hertog and J. Nijkerk as supervisors, with Salomon Hertog as chief supervisor Date: ‫( יום א' דאדר שני תר"ה לפ"ק‬1 Adar II 5605, i.e. 10 March 1845) and 16 March 5605 (1845) Document no. 184 153.53c. Letter from chazzan S. Hertog requesting a three-month advance on his salary Date: 23 March 1845 Document no. 185 154.53d. Letter from Chief Rabbi Jakob Lehmans authorising chazzan S. Hertog to perform the wedding of J. Michel Date: ‫( יום ב' חוה"מ של פסח תר"ה לפ"ק‬2nd intermediate day of Pesach 5605, i.e. 24 April 1845) Document no. 190 155.53e. Letter from chazzan S. Hertog requesting a three-month advance on his salary Date: ‫( יום ג' כ"ו סיון שנת תר"ה לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 26 Sivan 5605, i.e. 1 July 1845) Document no. 208

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75

156.53f. Letter from chazzan S. Hertog to the parnassim responding to a complaint against him by the choirmaster Date: ‫( יום ג' בית אב שנת תר"ה לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 2 Av 5605, i.e. 5 August 1845) Document no. 212 157.53g. Letter from chazzan S. Hertog to the parnassim about the disagreement regarding the choir Date: ‫( יום ה' דלת אב תר"ה לפ"ק‬Thursday, 4 Av 5605, i.e. 7 August 1845) Document no. 214 158.53h. Letter from S. Hertog, asking to the parnassim to reconsider his suspension as chazzan Date: ‫( י"א מנחם שנת תר"ה לפ"ק‬11 Menachem [Av] 5605, i.e. 14 August 1845) Document no. 216 159.53i. Letter from Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans to the parnassim, authorising chazzan S. Hertog to perform the wedding of I. Samuel Date: ‫( י"א מנחם אב תר"ה לפ"ק‬11 Menachem Av 5605, i.e. 14 August 1845) Document no. 217 160.53j. Letter from chazzan S. Hertog about his difference of opinion with the choir Date: ‫( טית אלול שנת תר"ה לפ"ק‬9 Elul 5605, i.e. 11 September 1845) Document no. 220. 161.53k. Letter to the parnassim from Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans announcing his plan to visit Maastricht

76

jewish communities Date: 21 September 5605 (1845) Document no. 225

162.53l. Letter from chazzan S. Hertog to the parnassim requesting a three-month advance on his salary Date: ‫( ה' תשרי תר"ו לפ"ק‬5 Tishri 5606, i.e. 6 October 1845) Document no. 229 163.53m. Letter from Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans to the parnassim, cancelling his visit to Maastricht Date: 7 October 5606 (1845) Document no. 230 164.53n. Letter from Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans to the parnassim authorising chazzan S. Hertog to perform the wedding of Michael Goudstein Date: 2 November 5606 (1845) Document no. 235 165.53o. Letter from Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans to the parnassim authorising chazzan S. Hertog to perform the wedding of M. Levisohn Date: 7 December 5606 (1845) Document no. 245 Inventory no. 54 166.54a. Letter from Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans dealing with the sale of non-kosher meat by Ephraim Compris and asking the parnassim to formulate a she’elah regarding the case Date: 23 January 5606 (1846) Document no. 254

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77

167.54b. Letter from Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans giving his opinion on the relocation of the bimah to provide room for the choir Date: 26 January 5606 (1846) Document no. 257 168.54c. Letter from Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans containing his teshuvah to the she’elah of the parnassim regarding the meat sold by Ephraim Compris Date: 16 February 5606 (1846) Document no. 265 Inventory no. 55 (1847) 169.55a. Letter from Nathan Fortune to the parnassim regarding his assessment form from Maastricht synagogue, requesting not to be placed in a higher income bracket Date: 7 February 1847 Unnumbered 170.55b. Letter from chazzan S. Hertog to the parnassim requesting that his salary be paid monthly, with a bonus for reading the megilah on Purim Date: ‫( יום אלף כ"ו אדר שנת תר"ז לפ"ק‬Sunday, 26 Adar 5607, i.e. 14 March 1847) Document no. 330 171.55c. Letter from N. Fortune to the parnassim objecting to their assessment of his income Date: 11 April 1847 Document no. 343 172.55d. Letter from chazzan S. Hertog to the parnassim requesting a bonus for the High Holiday services

78

jewish communities Date: 17 October 1847 Document no. 369 Inventory no. 56

173.56a. Letter from chazzan S. Hertog to the parnassim requesting a bonus for the Pesach services Date: ‫( ט"ז אדר תר"ח לפ"ק‬16 Adar 5608, i.e. 20 February 1848) Document no. 395 Inventory no. 57 174.57a. Letter from chazzan S. Hertog to the parnassim requesting a bonus for Pesach services and complaining about his salary for his community tasks as shamash and shochet Date: 25 February 1849 Document no. 464 175.57b. Letter from chazzan S. Hertog to the parnassim requesting a bonus Date: 20 July 1849 Document no. 488 Inventory no. 58 176.58a. Letter from S. Hertog to the parnassim requesting compensation for travel expenses incurred when he had to be re-examined as ritual slaughterer by Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans in Nijmegen Date: ‫( יום אלף בית אייר תר"י לפ"ק‬Sunday, 2 Iyar 5610, i.e. 14 April 1850) Document no. 532 Inventory no. 59 (1851)

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79

177.59a. Letter from Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans to the parnassim reiterating his rulings of 1845 and 1846 regarding the use of the ritual bath Date: 25 March 5611 (1851) Document no. 577 178.59b. Letter from M. Wiener of Venlo to B. Arens of Maastricht regarding the award of a medal to S. Bloemendaal, corresponding member of the committee, for his services Date: 17 August 1851 Unnumbered Inventory no. 60 (1852) 179.60a. Letter from Rabbi Chaim Shwartz of Herben to the parnassim regarding his son who was travelling to Maastricht Date: ‫( ח"י שבט תרי"ב לפ"ק‬18 Shevat 5612, i.e. 31 January 1852) Document no. 656 Inventory no. 61 (1853) 180.61a. Four letters from the Jewish communities of Heerlen, Venlo, Meerssen and Gennip, appealing for support for an underage ‘abandoned’ Jewish girl, now living in a convent in Vaals, signed by J. Koopman, president (lit. kerkmeester: ‘church master’) of Gennip community, accompanied by a list of names and donations from members of the community Date: Heerlen, 20 February; Venlo and Meerssen, 21 February and Gennip, 27 February 1853 Document no. 737132

132 These documents show that the fear that the girl might be converted to Catholicism was a major reason for appealing for support.

80

jewish communities

181.61b. Letter from M. Wiener of Venlo regarding an invitation to the installation of Rabbi Salomon Cohn as chief rabbi of Limburg province Date: 27 April 1853 Document no. 769 Inventory no. 62 (1854) 182.62a. Letter from chazzan S. Hertog to parnas treasurer L. Koopman requesting a bonus for reading the megilah on Purim Date: 19 March 1854 Document no. 836 183.62b. Note in Yiddish regarding bakeries on the envelope of a letter from L.S. Engers of Groningen to the parnassim in Maastricht133 Date: 28 April 1854 Document no. 852 184.62c. Letter from the H.S. van Maagdenburg Israel ‘Wetschrijver in de Volkingestraat (sic) in Groningen’ (‘Sofer on Folkingestraat in Groningen’) to the parnassim of Maastricht offering to repair Torah scrolls Date: ‫( יום ג' שלשה ימי הגבלה תר"ד לפ"ק‬3rd of 3 days of hagbalah [preceding Shavuot] 5614, i.e. 1 June 1854) Document no. 862 185.62d. Letter from chazzan and shochet S. Hertog to the parnassim asking for a raise after his many years of community service Date: 7 December 1854 Document no. 879 Inventory no. 63 (1855)

133

The letter itself is written in Dutch.

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81

186.63a. Letter from chazzan S. Hertog of Beek to the parnassim in Maastricht regarding the election of two parnassim Date: 25 July 1855 Document no. 160134 Inventory no. 64 (1856) 187.64a. Letter from S. Hertog to the parnassim, emphasising his 24 years of service and asking for a bonus since he cannot support his family Date: 18 December 1856 Document no. 988 Inventory no. 65 (1857) 188.65a. Letter from S. Hertog to the parnassim, requesting a bonus Undated (c. May 1857) Document no. 1,017 189.65b. Letter from B. Arenz to the synagogue board (central committee) apologising that he cannot attend their meeting Date: 25 October 1857 Document no. 1,029135 190.65c. Letter from Abraham Bloch, on behalf of Beek synagogue board (central committee), to the board of Maastricht community appealing against the payment of the quota for the chief rabbi Date: 11 November 1857

These documents relate to the election of community officials in communities surrounding Maastricht. 135 The letter is one of several letters from J. Koopman to president parnas M. Levij, who requested that in case of absence his vote for a chazzan be cast on his behalf. 134

82

jewish communities Document no. 1,031 Inventory no. 66 (1858)

191.66a. Letter from sofer Levij Stern of Krefeld to president parnas M. Levij announcing his plan to come to Maastricht to repair a Torah scroll Date: ‫( יום ה' חול המועד של סוכות תרי"ט לפ"ק‬5th intermediate day of Sukkot 5619, i.e. 28 September 1858) Document no. 1,089 192.66b. Letter from S. Hertog to the parnassim, informing them that he was not aware that, as shamash tzedakah and ba’al kore, he may not teach his son for his barmitzvah, ‘unlike in the whole of Ashkenaz and Poland’. Date: 9 November 1858 Document no. 1,092 Inventory no. 67 (1859) 193.67a. Note from B. Ahrenz of Maastricht asking to serve as chazzan for Rosh Hashanah Date: 26 September 1859 Document no. 1,178 Inventory no. 68 (1860) 194.68a. Letter from S. Hertog to the parnassim requesting that due to his bad health, the teacher be allowed to lead the Shavuot service Date: ‫( יום ג' ראש חודש סיון תר"ך לפ"ק‬Tuesday, rosh chodesh Sivan 5620, i.e. 22 May 1860) Document no. 1,239 Inventory no. 69 (1861)

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83

195.69a. Letter from D. Heimann of Grünstadt to parnas Bloemendal of Maastricht about the writing of a Torah scroll Date: ‫( יום א' פ' ויצא תרכ"ב לפ"ק‬Sunday, parashat Vayetze 5622, i.e. 3 November 1861) Document no. 1,384 Applications for the Position of Chief Rabbi of Limburg Inventory no. 207 196.207a. Letter of recommendation from the chief rabbi of Worms, Jacob Koppel, for Rabbi Chaim Schwartz Date: ‫( כ"ט מרחשון תרי"ב לפ"ק‬29 Marcheshvan 5612, i.e. 24 November 1851) Document no. 614 Inventory no. 208 197.208a. Letter from Leib Levij of Kreveld informing the parnassim that he cannot provide information about D. Miller’s credentials Date: ‫( אב תריט לפ"ק‬Av 5619, i.e. August 1859) Document no. 1,174 Instructions for Shechitah Inventory no. 203 198.203a. Notes written in pencil on how to determine whether meat is kosher Undated (c. 1860) Language: Dutch Yiddish136 136 Bunte, 81. The notes are written in Latin characters. The language is Dutch interspersed with Yiddish expressions and terms.

84

jewish communities Middelburg

Zeeuws Archief (Zeeland archive) Access no. 55137 Official Institutions 1. Pinkas of the Jewish community of Middelburg138 Inventory no. 1 Date: 1725–1816, and after gaps in the middle of the pinkas a second part covering the period from '‫ר"ח כסליו תקנ"ח לפ"ק—ה‬ ‫( תשרי תר"א לפ"ק‬Rosh chodesh Kislev 5558 to 5 Tishri 5601, i.e. 19 November 1797 to 2 October 1840) Language: Yiddish, Hebrew and Dutch Remarks: The pinkas includes Middelburg community’s new takkanot, dated ‫( יום א' ר"ח אלול תק"ה לפ"ק‬Sunday, rosh chodesh Elul 5505, i.e. 29 August 1745). The takkanot comprise 51 statutes. The pinkas provides information about the community of Middelburg from 1725 on. However, besides details about donations, social welfare and fines for misconduct in synagogue, the pinkas mainly deals with the appointments of parnassim and other community officials, and the annual cheshbon tzedek of the parnassim. From 1791 to 1816, the character of the pinkas switches to that of a ledger. In c. 1810, some names appear in Dutch and in 1815 and 1816 the parnas treasurer writes a few sentences in Dutch. The second part of the pinkas, in which the records restart on ‫ר"ח‬ ‫( כסליו תקנ"ח לפ"ק‬Rosh chodesh Kislev 5558, i.e. 19 November 1797), generally deals with appointments of parnassim and the other community officials, with information about new members of community who declare their adherence to the takkanot.

137 The inventory numbers are according to D.A. Felix, De Archieven, berustend onder het bestuur der Nederlandsch—Israëlitische Hoofdsynagoge te Middelburg, 1704–1906 (The Hague 1923). 138 The pinkas requires urgent restoration. The pages containing the takkanot are on the verge of disintegration and many pages show ink corrosion.

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85

2. ‫( פנקס של פראטיקאל מן ק"ק מיטלבורג‬Pinkas of the Protocol of the kehilah kedushah Middelburg) Inventory no. 2 Date: ‫יום א' ד' מרחשון שנת תקנ"ט לפ"ק—יום ב' פ' וירא תקפ"א‬ ‫( לפ"ק‬Sunday, 4 Marcheshvan 5599, i.e. 14 October 1798, to Monday, parashat Vayera 5581, i.e. 23 October 1820) Language: Yiddish and Dutch Remarks: The pinkas opens with a decision by the ‫ראשי עדת ישורון‬ (leaders of the Jewish community)139 that two registers be kept for the tzedakah and the kehilah. The revenues and expenses are to be recorded daily and annually. Daily events are also to be recorded. Each year the parnassim recorded long lists of events in the Jewish community. Announcements by the local and national authorities and the way in which they affected life in the community are also recorded. This pinkas, which starts to refer to the civil calendar in 1806, is a key source for the involvement of the authorities in Jewish community life under the French occupation,140 as well as in the years after the restoration of the Dutch regime. In 1816, two pages of budgeted income and expenditure appear in Dutch (‘begroting van Uitgaven en Ontvangsten’), although the pinkas is mainly written in Yiddish. 3. Three fragments with decisions by the parnassim Inventory no. 229 229a. Confirmation by the parnassim for the transfer of a seat in synagogue to Chaim ben Mordekhai Heiman

139 Yeshurun is a poetic expression for the Jewish people. See: Is. 44:2, ‘Do not be afraid, Yakob my servant, Yeshurun, whom I have chosen’. 140 For instance in 1806, the following announcement is recorded: ‫ביום ויו דען‬ ‫ האבין פרנסים הנ"ל בעקאמין מן האפט קומיס יאנסין פאן‬1806 ‫ דיצעמבר תקס"ז‬31

‫בינילאנדישע זאכען איין מסיפע דהיינו דאס בעטרעפט דיא יודישע גימיינטע אום איין‬ ‫אויף גאב צו טאהן פאן דיא אוממשטענדן פאן אונזערע געלערטע וויא פיל לעררארס‬ ‫דאס וויר האבען גם אלס נאך פרנסים מעהר ישובים אין איהר אומליגענדע געגענד האבען‬ .‫ דיזעס אן הקאמיס הנ"ל האבען מישב כנהוג‬14 ‫וואו רויף פרנסים הנ"ל דען‬

86

jewish communities Date: ‫( יום א' ז' טבת תקס"ה לפ"ק‬Sunday, 7 Tevet 5565, i.e. 9 December 1804) Language: Yiddish and Dutch

229b. Scribbled note about rulings to be made for kohanim and levites Undated 229c. Start of an announcement by the parnassim about a decree received from the government’s director general of public worship Undated 4. Announcement by the parnassim and gabbai of the annual accounts from Shemini Atzeret 5568 to Shemini Atzeret 5569 (24 October 1807 to 13 October 1808) Inventory no. 5 Date: ‫( שבת פ' ויחי תקס"ט לפ"ק‬Shabbat, parashat Vayechi 5569, i.e. 1 January 1809) 5. List of people for the distribution of matzot Inventory no. 320 Date: 1824 Instructions for Community Officials 6a. Instructions for the newly appointed chazzan Meir Kalman Inventory no. 308a Date: ‫( יום א' ר"ח אלול תקע"ו לפ"ק‬Sunday, rosh chodesh Elul 5576, i.e. 25 August 1816) 6b. Instructions for the newly appointed chazzan Shmuel, son of the shaliach tzibur Chaim of Dordt kehilah Inventory no. 308b

jewish communities

87

Date: ‫( י"ז אייר תק"צ לפ"ק‬Sunday, 17 Iyar 5590, i.e. 10 May 1830) Remarks: The signature of chazzan Shmuel shows that he was also ne’eman. 7. Instructions for the newly appointed shamash and ne’eman Lezer ben Michel Inventory no. 309 Date: ‫( יום ג' ט' כסליו תקע"ו לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 9 Kislev 5576, i.e. 11 December 1815) Incoming and Outgoing Correspondence Inventory no. 23 8.23a. Letter from Yitzhak Meizenstet, ne’eman of Middelburg, to the parnassim, about his fee as chazzan Date: ‫יום ד' ו"ו אב תקס"ט לפ"ק‬: Wednesday, 6 Av 5569 9.23b. Letter from Jacob Reinach, ‘Commissair surveillance de la Sijnagou d’israelite’ ( parnas of the Jewish synagogue) in Oberluststatt to the parnassim regarding the death of Jakob bar Yitzhak Silber, son of a widow Date: ‫( יום ב' ט"ז מרחשון תקע"ב לפ"ק‬Monday, 16 Marcheshvan 5572, i.e. 3 November 1811) 10.23c. Letter from ne’eman and shamash Yitzhak Meizenstet to the parnassim requesting that they reconsider their decision to dismiss him as a chazzan Date: ‫( ה' תשרי תקע"ד לפ"ק‬5 Tishri 5574, i.e. 29 September 1813) 11.23d. Letter to parnas Simon Hendriks signed by Moshe ben Jakob Leib Schuster, Mattitya bar David Swiz, Shabbatai ben Jakob Lipman

88

jewish communities

and Michel ben Shimshon Katz requesting the temporary loan of a Torah scroll Date: 21 May 1814 12.23e. ‫( כרוז אשר נכרז בבה"כ ביום ש"ק‬Proclamation to be announced in synagogue on Shabbat kodesh) Date: ‫( פ' חקת תקע"ה לפ"ק‬Parashat Chukat 5575, i.e. 8 July 1815) Remarks: This pamphlet warns that meat not bought at the community’s meat market is not kosher and that buying meat elsewhere undermines the community’s revenue and tzedakah. The pamphlet states that following government decisions, Middelburg will have a new central meat market for Ashkenazim and Sefardim.141 Inventory no. 48 13.48a. Letter from the secretary of ’s Hertogenbosch community, E. Hartogensis, informing the parnassim of the death of the rabbi142 Date: ‫( ה' טבת תקע"ז לפ"ק‬5 Tevet 5577, i.e. 24 December 1816) 14.48b. Letter from Rabbi Jacob Fränkel announcing a wedding Date: ‫( יומ א' ל"ו למב"י ע*ל* מק*מ"ו בא בש*ל*ו*ם* לפ"ק‬Sunday, 36th le-mispar benei Yisrael, al mekomo ba be-shalom143 5576, i.e. 19 May 1816) 15.48c. Pamphlet appealing for support for the Jewish community of Safed suffering under the rule of the despotic pasha144 141 The pamphlet is grouped with instructions from central government, the ‘Reglement op het Kerkbestuur der Israelitische Gemeenten in de Vereenigde Nederlanden’ (Regulations for the administration of the Jewish communities in the Netherlands), dated 25 June 1814. The proclamation of a central meat market for Ashkenazim and Sefardim seems to follow article 24/5 which stipulates this measure for Amsterdam and Rotterdam. 142 The rabbi’s name is not mentioned in the letter. The rabbi in question is probably Rabbi Jakob Fränkel, chief rabbi of Zeeland and Brabant until 1816. The date in the letter is incorrect. The letter was written on Tuesday and announces that the funeral will be on Wednesday. However, 5 Tevet fell on a Friday. 143 Ex. 18:23, ‘And also this whole nation will arrive at its place’. 144 The pamphlet is printed by David Proops of Amsterdam and contains a printed

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Date: ‫( כ"ד אלול תקע"ה לפ"ק‬24 Elul 5575, i.e. 29 September 1815) Language: Hebrew and Yiddish 16.48d. Letter from Kalman ben David of Zeeland to parnas Philip Isaacsen Date: 14 December 1816 Inventory no. 49 17.49a. Letter from David Löw, vorsinger (chazzan or cantor) in Bokholt, to the parnassim applying for the position of chazzan, shochet and mohel in Middelburg Date: ‫( יום ד' ד"י טבת תקע"ז לפ"ק‬Wednesday, 14 Tevet 5577, i.e. 1 January 1817)

covering letter in Hebrew with a recommendation form the appeal signed by Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Lehren, Rabbi Abraham Aharon Prints (Alkmaar) and Isaac Nathan Goedeinde (Rabbi Yitshak Neta Breetbaard) in Amsterdam. Lehren, Prints and Goedeinde were the first three gabbaim of Pekidim ve-Armacalim in Amsterdam. They were appointed by the rabbis of the council of Sefardim and Ashkenazim in Jerusalem to build up a network among the Jewish communities to support the Jewish yishuv in the four holy cities of Jerusalem, Hebron, Safed and Tiberias in Erets Yisrael. The organisation was founded in Amsterdam in Kislev 5570 (November/December 1809). See: J.J. Rivlin, ‘Introduction’, Letters of the Pekidim and Amarcalim of Amsterdam 5586/5587 [H] ( Jerusalem 1965) 10–13 and I. Bartal, ‘Introduction’, Letters of the Pekidim and Amarcalim 5589 [H] ( Jerusalem 1979) 11–18. Lehren was the dominant personality in Pekidim ve-Amarcalim. He set up a sophisticated and efficient system of money collection throughout Western Europe. In fact Lehren, who was deeply involved in the kabbalah of Rabbi Isaac Luria, may have been motivated by messianic expectations derived from texts in the Zohar that the exile would end in the year 5600 (1840. For an analyses of his motivations and a description of his activities see: A. Morgenstern The Pekidim and Amarcalim of Amsterdam and the Jewish Community in Palestine—1810–1840 [H] Doctoral thesis, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 1981, 3–11. See also: signature HS ROS 328 ‫עש"ו )עושה שמים‬/(‫עמ"י )עזרי מעם יי‬/(‫בינ"ו )בעזרת יי נעשה ונצליח‬ ‫לעזרת עיר‬/‫הנדבה החדשה‬/‫נדבותם לשם‬/‫שמות המתנדבים וכמות‬/‫ספר זכרון‬/(‫וארץ‬ /‫הנשארים אחר הרעש שהי‬/(‫צפת וטבריא תוב"ב )תבנה ותכונן במהרה בימינו‬/‫הקדש‬ ‫עה"ק )עיר הקדושה( תוב"ב‬/(‫שם כמפורש בקונטרס פקוא"מ )פקידים וארמכילים‬ *‫א*ק*ב*ץ* ע*ל*י*ו‬/‫יום א' י"א ניסן שנת‬/‫יושבי ע"ת )עיר תפארתנו( אמשטרדם מן‬ ‫ל*נ*ק*ב*צ*י*ו* לפ"ק‬, (Sunday, 11 Nisan of the year akabets alav le-nikbetzav [Is. 56:8: ‘I will gather more of him [Israel], besides those that are already gathered’], 5597, i.e. 16 April 1837). This manuscript lists the names of the benefactors from several Dutch and German Jewish communities for Safed and Tiberias. See: L. Fuks and R.G. Fuks-Mansfeld, Hebrew and Judaic Manuscripts in Amsterdam Public Collections, vol. I, (Leiden 1973), 244, no. 544.

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18.49b. Letter from Zalman Sudetto to parnas Philip Isaacsen Date: 24 February 1817 19.49c. Letter from Asher bar Meir Katz of Rotterdam to the parnassim and rabbinical assessors regarding financial obligations for a burial Date: 6 March 1817 20.49d. Letter from Eliezer Lezer Hirsch Barends of Middelburg to the parnassim, complaining that while he has been invited to come to Middelburg to assist in rabbinical matters and to teach, he cannot support his family from his salary Date: ‫( יום א' כ"ו אלול תקע"ז לפ"ק‬Sunday, 26 Elul 5577, i.e. 7 September 1817) Inventory no. 51 21.51a. Letter from Joseph Hirsch, oberrabiner (chief rabbi) of Creuznach bei Bingen am Rhein, to the parnassim regarding Leib Eizik who lived in Middelburg during the French occupation Date: 6) ‫ ו"ו כסליו תקע"ז לפ"ק‬Kislev 5577, i.e. 26 November 1816) 22.51b. Letter from Levie Mozes de Haan of Leeuwarden asking for information about Shmuel Sofer Katz, who disappeared after being in Middelburg for Purim Date: 25 March 1819 23.51c. Letter from Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Rosenbach of Groningen to the parnassim of Middelburg, applying for the post of chief rabbi of Middelburg and Den Bosch145 Date: ‫( ב' דר"ח אייר תקע"ט לפ"ק‬2nd day of rosh chodesh Iyar 5579, i.e. 2 April 1819)

145

He was chief rabbi of Groningen from 1824 to 1848.

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24.51d. Letter from Rotterdam on behalf of the widow and orphans of the late Rabbi Mordekhai de Lisa, av beit din in Middelburg Date: ‫( יום ד' ח"י אלול תקע"ט לפ"ק‬Wednesday, 18 Elul 5579, i.e. 8 September 1819) Inventory no. 52 25.52a. Letter from S.A. Samson of Amsterdam to parnas A. Hendrikse of Middelburg, on behalf of the bride Yerish bat Eizik who requires certain documents from Middelburg to marry Date: ‫( כ"ו ניסן תק"פ לפ"ק‬26 Nisan 5580, i.e. 10 April 1820) 26.52b. Three letters from Den Bosch, advising and encouraging the parnassim and synagogue council in a conflict with the committee in The Hague146 Date: While the first letter does not mention a month, it dates from c. October 1820; the other two are dated ‫טיית מרחשון לפ"ק‬ and ‫( כ"ב מרחשון תקפ"א לפ"ק‬9 and 22 Marcheshvan 5581, i.e. 17 and 30 October 1820) Inventory no. 53 27.53a. Letter from Leib bar Eliezer of Scherpenisse to the parnassim in Middelburg, complaining that Scherpenisse community has to contribute 50 guilders annually to the school in Zierikzee while they have no interest in this school Date: 30 September 1822 Inventory no. 54 28.54a. Letter from Chief Rabbi Bezalel Levi Glogauer of Den Bosch summoning the shochtim under his jurisdiction to meet at Altebusch (Oudebosch)

146 The signature is illegible. The letter is probably from Chief Rabbi B. L. Glogauer. The author appears to have close ties with the parnassim of Middelburg. Part of the conflict dealt with the school in Middelburg and the judgment of the school inspector.

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jewish communities Date: ‫( יום ב' ב' אלול תקפ"ב לפ"ק‬Monday, 2 Elul 5582, i.e. 19 August 1822)

29.54b. Announcement by the parnassim, written in pencil, proclaiming by order of the burgomasters of Middelburg that a collection will be made for the poor Undated Inventory no. 55 30.55a. Letter from Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Rosenbach, chief dayan in Groningen, urging the parnassim of Middelburg to look after the widow of their former rabbi Date: ‫( א' דר"ח תמוז תקפ"ג לפ"ק‬1st day of rosh chodesh Tammuz 5583, i.e. 10 June 1823) 31.55b. Letter from Chief Rabbi Hartog Joshua Hertzveld of Zwolle to the parnassim in Middelburg recommending Rabbi Dov Ber, originally Dutch and presently living in Warsaw Date: ‫( מוצאי ש"ק פ' במדבר תקפ"ג לפ"ק‬Motzei Shabbat kodesh, parashat Bamidbar 5583, i.e. 4 May 1823) Inventory no. 56 32.56a. Letter from Leib Mendels, sofer of the Ashkenazi and Sefardi communities in Amsterdam, who is waiting for the parnassim of Middelburg community to decide whether to restore certain Torah scrolls Undated Inventory no. 57 33.57a. Letter to the parnassim of Middelburg community from shochet Meir ben Shimon, written during a visit to the av beit din in Rotterdam,147

147

This dossier contains at least 12 Hebrew letters from the Rotterdam rabbi.

jewish communities

93

stating that he requires the ritual bath in Middelburg to be emptied and dried after Shabbat Date: 11 March 1825 Inventory no. 58 34.58a. Letter, on behalf of the head of appointments at the Department of Jewish Affairs in The Hague requesting that the parnassim in Middelburg submit the credentials of the recently appointed rabbi held by the av beit din of the region, stipulating that his name be spelled in Hebrew letters and in Dutch; the secretary points out that a rabbi can only be appointed after passing certain examinations and requires an answer from the parnassim to be formulated in Dutch Date: 27 July 1826 35.58b. Extracts from records of Middelburg city council in Dutch with scribbled notes in Yiddish by the parnassim Date: 26 October 1826 36.58c. Two letters from Shimon ben Kalman, sofer in Amsterdam, about the restoration of a Torah scroll Date: The first letter is dated ‫יום ו"ו עש"ק ל"ד למב"י תקפ"ו לפ"ק‬ (Friday, erev Shabbat kodesh, 34th le-mispar benei Yisrael 5586, i.e. 26 May 1826); the second letter is dated ‫יום ה' טו"ב סיון תקפ"ו לפ"ק‬ (Thursday, 17 Sivan 5586, i.e. 22 June 1826) 37.58d. Letter from Moshe Levison of Middelburg to the parnassim requesting that the community’s invalid Torah scroll be restored Date: ‫( יום א' כ"ד אדר שני תקפ"ו לפ"ק‬Sunday, 24 Adar II 5586, i.e. 2 April 1826) 38.58e. Letter from A.B. Cohen of Brussels to the translator Wolff van Praag in Middelburg emphasising that he was born in Middelburg and can rely on support for himself and his family

94

jewish communities Date: 6 May (1826) Inventory no. 59

39.59a. Letter from J. Rosenberg, chief cantor in The Hague, to the parnassim, about serving the Middelburg community during the yamim noraim Date: ‫( יום ב' ד' אלול תקז"ן לפ"ק‬Monday, 4 Elul 5587, i.e. 27 August 1827) 40.59b. Letter from E. Hijmans of The Hague to parnas Anshel Hendriks, applying to serve as chazzan in Middelburg during the yamim noraim Date: ‫( יום ה' ד"י אלול תקפ"ז לפ"ק‬Thursday, 14 Elul 5587, i.e. 6 September 1827) 41.59c. Letter from Meir ben Avraham Snoek of Amsterdam to the parnassim, applying for the position of chazzan in Middelburg; Snoek also wants to serve as cantor during the coming yamim noraim Date: ‫( כ"א לחדש מנחם תקפ"ז לפ"ק‬21 Menachem [Av] 5587, i.e. 14 August 1827) 42.59d. Letter from parnas Lezer Rubens of Amsterdam to parnas B. Boasson of Middelburg, advising him to delay appointing a chazzan in Middelburg and hoping it will be possible to send a ba’al tefilah from Amsterdam to Middelburg for the coming yamim noraim Date: 22 July 1827 43.59e. Letter from Eizik ben Barukh van Stuveren of Heerenveen to parnas B. Boasson, applying for the position of chazzan, ba’al koreh and shochet in Middelburg Date: 29 July 1827 44.59f. Letter from Avraham ben Peretz Zekel of Amsterdam to parnas B. Boasson applying to serve as ba’al tefilah in Middelburg during the yamim noraim

jewish communities

95

Date: ‫( יום א' כ"ו מנחם תקפ"ז לפ"ק‬Sunday, 26 Menachem [Av] 5587, i.e. 19 August 1827) 45.59g. Letter from parnas Akiva ben Yehiel to parnas B. Boasson advising against engaging a certain chazzan in Middelburg Date: ‫( יום ד' כ"ט מנחם תקפ"ז לפ"ק‬Thursday, 29 Menachem [Av] 5587, i.e. 23 August 1827) 46.59h. Letter from Avraham ben Peretz Zekel of Amsterdam to B. Boasson agreeing to serve as ba’al tefilah and ba’al toke’a during the High Holidays and desiring confirmation of his salary, additional expenses and asking for a timetable of the steamboat from Rotterdam to Middelburg Date: ‫( יום ב' ד' אלול תקפ"ז לפ"ק‬Monday, 4 Elul 5587, i.e. 27 August 1827) Remarks: The first part of the letter is in Hebrew, the second part in Yiddish. 47.59i. Letter from parnas Akiva ben Yehiel of The Hague to parnas B. Boasson of Middelburg, announcing that he has found a suitable ba’al tefilah and ba’al toke’a Date: ‫( יום ג' כ"א מנחם תקפ"ז לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 21 Menachem [Av] 5587, i.e. 14 August 1827) 48.59j. Anonymous letter from Vlissingen to a parnas in Middelburg, expressing the writer’s distress Date: 7 September 1827 49.59k. Letter from Jacob ben Segal of The Hague, who has been invited to come to Middelburg to serve as chazzan during the High Holidays Date: ‫( יום ו"ו ח' אלול תקפזיין לפ"ק‬Friday, 8 Elul 5587, i.e. 31 August 1827)

96

jewish communities

50.59l. Letter from parnas Akiva ben Yehiel of The Hague to the parnassim in Middelburg, stating that they will be satisfied with the man he has chosen Date: ‫( ה' אלול תקפ"ז לפ"ק‬5 Elul 5587, i.e. 28 August 1827) 51.59m. Letter to the parnassim from Avigdor ben Moshe, voorzanger (chazzan or cantor) in Amsterdam, applying to serve as chazzan in Middelburg during the High Holidays Date: ‫( יום ו"ו עש"ק פ' ראה תקפ"ז לפ"ק‬Friday, erev Shabbat kodesh, parashat Re’e 5587, i.e. 17 August 1827) 52.59n. Letter from sofer Shimon Kalman of Amsterdam to parnas Boasson, informing him that Moshe Chazzan had stated that he has made mistakes when restoring a Torah scroll from Middelburg Date: ‫( השורה הזאת תהיה לי לעד שכתבתי ברהּ תקפ"ז לפ"ק‬hashurah ha-zot tehiye li le’ed she-katavti barah [sic]: ‘May this line be my witness that I wrote pure’, i.e. 5587 [1826/27]). 53.59o. Letter from parnas Zalman Ber Rubens, also signed by Jakob ben Avraham Moshe Lehren, on behalf of Pekidim ve-Armacalim148 to the parnassim of Middelburg requesting they resume paying their contribution Date: ‫( יום ב' ו' טבת תקפ"ח לפ"ק‬Monday, 6 Tevet 5588, i.e. 24 December 1827) 54.59p. Letter from cantor J. Gottschalk of Harlingen to the parnassim, applying for the position of chazzan in Middelburg Date: ‫( יום ה' ח' שבט תקפ"ח לפ"ק‬Thursday, 8 Shevat 5588, i.e. 24 January 1828)

148 This letter is included in J.J. Rivlin and B. Rivlin (eds) Letters of the Pekidim and Armacalim of Amsterdam 5588 [H] ( Jerusalem), 45, doc. no 162. Rivlin and Rivlin also include other letters sent to Middelburg community: doc. no. 238, page 199 (found in the present inventory under no. 59), and in Part III (5589), document number 335, p. 144–146, which is not in the Middelburg archive.

jewish communities

97

55.59k. Fragment of the slichot for the musaf of Yom Kippur, according to the Ashkenazi nusach Undated 56.59r. Notice by Proops publishing house for subscriptions to a reprint of machzorim in octavo in 9 volumes and a publication of ‫תקון שלמה‬

‫עם פיוטים ויוצרות‬ Date: ‫( סיון התקפ"ז ליצירה‬Sivan 5587 of the yetzirah [Creation], i.e. May/June 1827) 57.59s. Letter on behalf of parnas Yitzhak ben Mordekhai requesting support to rebuild a shul Date: ‫( יום שני ט"ו אלול תקפ"ח לפ"ק‬Monday, 15 Elul 5588, i.e. 25 August 1828) Inventory no. 60 58.60a. Letter from Lezer Rubens and Tzvi Hirsch Lehren on behalf of Pekidim ve-Armacalim announcing that money collected from kehilot and individuals will henceforth be sent directly to Eretz Yisrael and that no more messengers will travel around; the parnassim of Middelburg are again urged to pay their contribution149 Date: ‫( יום ד' ז"ן שבט תקפ"ח לפ"ק‬Wednesday, 7 Shevat 5588, i.e. 23 January 1828) 59.60b. Letter from Zalman Ber Rubens and Avraham Aharon Prints, on behalf of the Pekidim ve-Armacalim politely thanking the parnassim for their contribution of 25 guilders, reminding them that this is less then they contributed five years earlier Date: ‫( יום ג' ה' תמוז תקפ"ח לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 5 Tammuz 5588, i.e. 17 June 1828)

149

This letter is not included in J.J. Rivlin and B. Rivlin, op. cit..

98

jewish communities

60.60c. Letter from the chazzan J. Gottschalk of Harlingen to the parnassim announcing that although he is on the list of candidates for the position of chazzan in Middelburg, his present position in Harlingen means that he cannot afford to wait for Middelburg to complete the procedure Date: ‫( עש"ק כ"ו לספירה תקפ"ח ליצירה‬Erev Shabbat kodesh, 26th of the Sefira 5588 le-yetzirah, i.e. 25 April 1828) 61.60d. Letter to the parnassim from Wolf Bloch, temporarily in Leiden, who has heard that Middelburg community wants a chazzan with meshorrerim Date: 21 July 1828 62.60e. Letter from Yom Tov Lipman of The Hague to the parnassim announcing that he intends to be in Middelburg next Shabbat Date: ‫( יום ו"ו עש"ק ה' אלול תקפ"ח לפ"ק‬Friday, erev Shabbat kodesh 5 Elul 5588, i.e. 15 August 1828) 63.60f. Letter from Izaak E. Cohen of ’s Gravendeel, who has heard from Yom Tov Lipman that Middelburg community needs a second chazzan and shochet Date: ‫( יום ב' א' אלול תקפ"ח לפ"ק‬Monday, 1 Elul 5588, i.e. 11 August 1828) Inventory no. 61 64.61a. Letter from Avigdor Moshe Voorzanger of Amsterdam to the parnassim applying for the post of chazzan during the coming High Holidays Date: ‫יום ב' ל"ד למב"י שנת מ*א*ש*ר* שמנה לח*מ*ו לפ"ק‬ (Monday, 34th le-mispar benei Yisrael of the year me-asher shmenah lachmo,150 5589, i.e. 25 May 1829)

150

Gen. 39:20, ‘Asher’s bread will be fat’.

jewish communities

99

65.61b. Letter from chazzan Avigdor Moshe Voorzanger of Amsterdam responding to the question of the parnassim regarding the fee for his services Date: ‫( יום ד' דתמוז תקפ"ט לפ"ק‬4 Tammuz 5589, i.e. 5 July 1829) 66.61c. Letter from chazzan Avigdor Moshe Voorzanger of Amsterdam, who is glad that he and his meshorrerim will serve the community of Middelburg during the High Holidays and wishes to specify the tefilot Date: ‫( יום ב' י"ט תמוז שנת ח*"י* ל*י*ש*ר*א*"ל* לפ"ק‬Monday, 19 Tammuz of the year chai le-Yisrael 5589, i.e. 20 July 1829) 67.61d. Letter from chazzan Avigdor Moshe Voorzanger of Amsterdam announcing that he and his meshorrerim will arrive a few days earlier and that they are already practising for the High Holiday services Date: ‫( עש"ק שבת חזון שנת תקפ"ט לפ"ק‬Erev Shabbat kodesh of Shabbat Chazon 5589, i.e. 8 August 1829) 68.61e. Letter from the parnassim of Amsterdam to the parnassim of Middelburg Date: 14 August 1829 Inventory no. 62 69.62a. Letter from Shmuel Chaim, presently in Dordrecht, who has been selected as ne’eman and shaliach tzibur by Middelburg community Date: ‫( יום א' פ' פרה תק"צ לפ"ק‬Sunday, parashat Parah 5590, i.e. 7 March 1830) Inventory no. 63 70.63a. Letter from the baker Mendel ben Moshe of Werkendam to the parnassim requesting to announce that matzot can be ordered Date: 11 February 1832 71.63b. Letter from Hirsh ben Moshe Shmuel of Amsterdam to parnas D.L. Louisson of Middelburg announcing that the av beit din of

100

jewish communities

Amsterdam151 has decided that the work of sofer Shmuel ben Ezriel Katz has no flaws and that not a ‘grain of slander’ shall be heard about him Date: 4 October 1831 Inventory no. 64 72.64a. Notes in Yiddish from the parnassim of the Jewish community of Middelburg on a government circular containing a rabbinical ruling regarding fasting, services and community gatherings during the cholera epidemic152 Date: den 24 Tamoez 5592, den 22 Julij 1832 (24 Tammuz 5592, i.e. 22 July 1832) 73.64b. Letter from David Parrera to the parnassim demanding settlement of a sum of 200 guilders Inventory no. 65 74.65a. Letter from Shlomo Zalman ben Tzvi Hirsch, ne’eman of the Jewish community of Bergen op Zoom on behalf of the gabbai of Gemilut Chasadim, regarding the burial of Jacob Sander Kroon, member of Middelburg community, in Bergen op Zoom Date: ‫( יום ב' ר"ח שבט שנת תקפ"ג לפ"ק‬Monday, rosh chodesh Shevat 5593, i.e. 21 January 1833) Inventory no. 66 75.66a. Letter from the baker Moshe bar Yitzhak Tzvi of Werkendam to the parnassim requesting that an announcement be made that he will be available for Middelburg community Date: 12 September 1834

Chief Rabbi Samuel Berisch Berenstein. The government-appointed rabbinical board comprised Chief Rabbi Samuel Berisch Berenstein, Rabbi Josef Asher Lehmans and the Sefardi Rabbi Jacob Ferares. 151

152

jewish communities

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76.66b. Announcement by the parnassim that matzot can be ordered from Moshe bar Yitzhak of Werkendam Undated Inventory no. 67 77.67a. Letter from the baker Moshe bar Ytzkhak Tzvi of Werkendam to the parnassim requesting that an announcement be made on Shabbat of parashat Bo that he will again be available for Middelburg community Date: ‫( יום א' ב' שבט תקצ"ה לפ"ק‬Sunday, 2 Shevat 5595, i.e. 1 February 1835) 78.67b. Letter from Shmuel bar Zev of Zierikzee to the parnassim in Middelburg about ordering matzot Date: ‫( יוד שבט תקפ"ה לפ"ק‬4 Shevat 5595, i.e. 3 February 1835) 79.67c. Letter from Rabbi Joseph Asher Lehmans of The Hague to the parnassim in Middelburg, concerning the recognition of a boy’s Jewish origins and his acceptance by Middelburg community Date: ‫( יום ה' ו"ו מרחשון תקצ"ו‬Thursday, 7 Marcheshvan 5596, i.e. 29 October 1835) 80.67d. Unsigned letter about a settlement of a debt Undated Inventory no. 68 81.68a. Letter to the parnassim from Chief Rabbi Emanuel Joachim ben Chaim Löwenstam of Rotterdam recommending the maggid Zalman Wolff who preaches in Taytsh, Dutch and has good command of loshen koudesh (sic) Date: ‫( יום ד' ט"ו מרחשון תקפזיין לפ"ק‬Wednesday, 15 Marcheshvan 5597, i.e. 26 October 1836) Inventory no. 69

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82.69a. Letter from Zalman Hirsch Kupfer, ba’al kore in Bergen op Zoom, applying for the position of chazzan, shochet and bodek in Middelburg Date: 4 October 5598 (1837) Inventory no. 70 83.70a. Letter from the baker Moshe bar Yitzhak Tzvi of Werkendam to the parnassim requesting that an announcement be made that he will be available for Middelburg community Date: ‫( יום א' ד' אדר ראשון תקצ"ז לפ"ק‬Sunday, 4 Adar I 5597, i.e. 9 February 1837) 84.70b. Announcement by the parnassim that matzot can be ordered from Moshe bar Yitzhak Tzvi of Werkendam before Purim Undated Inventory no. 96153 85.96a. Decision by the parnassim to reappoint shamash Lezer ben Michel from January 1816 to December 1818, on a fixation salary and with specific duties Date: c. December 1815 86.96b. Letter from Moshe ben Jakob Leib Schuster wishing to start a kosher bakery in Middelburg Date: ‫( ער"ח טבת תקעט"ת לפ"ק‬Erev rosh chodesh Tevet 5579, i.e. 28 December 1818) 87.96c. Unsigned letter from a father to his son, sent from The Hague, about business and family matters

153 This inventory number refers to another dossier of correspondence to and from the parnassim and the synagogue council.

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Date: ‫( עש"ק ר"ח אב תקנ"ט לפ"ק‬Erev Shabbat kodesh, rosh chodesh Av 5559, i.e. 2 August 1799) 88.96d. Undertaking by the members of Middelburg community to contribute annually to Pekidim ve-Armacalim for the next five years, from Rosh Hashanah 5589 (1828) to the end of Elul 5593 (1833) Undated; c. August 1828 89.96e. Letter from sofer Yitzhak of Rotterdam to parnas Jacobson of Middelburg Date: ‫( יום ה' י"א אב תקנ"ז לפ"ק‬Thursday, 11 Av 5557, i.e. 3 August 1797) 90.96f. Notes in Hebrew and Yiddish concerning the transfer of a hereditary seat in synagogue, written on a printed Hebrew certificate of ownership of the seat bearing the name Chaim bar Gad Date: the printed document is dated 1743 and the last note is dated: ‫( י"ג כסליו תרכ"ה לפ"ק‬13 Kislev 5615, i.e. 12 December 1864) 91.96g. Five letters from Rotterdam to the parnassim of Middelburg Date: c. 1850 Inventory no. 104 92.104a. Announcement by the parnassim regarding the accounts for 1822 Date: ‫( פ' במדבר תקפ"ד לפ"ק‬Parashat Bamidbar 5584, i.e. 29 May 1824) 93.104b. Note in Yiddish about proof of family ties for a chalitzah ceremony, under a record in Dutch about the rabbinical supervisors who are to oversee this Date: 6 July 1817

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94.104c. Note in Yiddish regarding sofer Aharon Kalman, under a record in Dutch about a Torah scroll which was correctly delivered Undated 95.104d. Letter from the secretary, on behalf of the parnassim, to Pekidim ve-Amarcalim about this year’s contribution of 25 guilders Date: 17 July 1830 96.104e. Announcement by the parnassim following rabbinical and government instructions regarding fasting, services and community meetings during the cholera epidemic Date: November 1832 Correspondence of Parnas Avraham Boasson Inventory no. 311 97.311a. Letter of application from sofer, chazzan and ne’eman Shlomo Frank of Oud Beijerland offering to write a new Torah scroll for Middelburg community, emphasising his skill as a sofer and restorer Date: ‫( אור ליום ויו לסדר ויחי כת"ר לפ"ק‬or le-yom vav le-sidra Vayechi 5620, i.e. 6 January 1860) 98.311b. Letter from sofer, chazzan and ne’eman Shlomo Frank of Oud Beijerland responding with bewilderment that after examining his work, the committee has reservations and that he has not been commissioned to write a new Torah scroll Date: 1 February 1860 99.311c. Letter from sofer Yitzhak Redlich (?) of Rotterdam explaining to the parnassim that he is unable to deliver a Torah scroll in the short period they desire, since he has other commitments to communities that only have one Torah scroll and asking for terms of payment

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Date: ‫( יום ב' מסדר נציבים וילך תשכ"א לפ"ק‬2nd day of the sidra Netzivim Vayelekh 5621, i.e. Monday, 26 August 1860) 100.311d. Letter from sofer Yitzhak Redlich of Rotterdam to the parnassim, informing them that he has not yet been able to complete his commission Date: ‫( יום ג' לסדר צו את אהרן תרכ"א לפ"ק‬3rd day of the Sidra Tzav et Aharon 5621, i.e. Tuesday, 19 March 1861) 101.311e. Letter from sofer Yitzhak Redlich of Rotterdam to the parnassim apologising for not completing his work for Middelburg due to previous commitments Date: ‫( יום ד' כ"ז סיון תרכ"א לפ"ק‬Wednesday, 27 Sivan 5621, i.e. 5 June 1861) 102.311f. Letter from sofer Yitzkhak Redlich of Rotterdam who has a conflict with the parnassim of Middelburg about the terms of payment for his work Date: ‫( יום ג' לסדר עקב תרכ"ב לפ"ק‬3rd day of the sidra Ekev 5622, i.e. Tuesday, 12 August 1862) 103.311g. Letter from sofer, chazzan and ne’eman Shlomo Frank of Oud Beijerland to the parnassim negotiating a commission to write a Torah scroll Date: ‫( אור ליום ראשון לסדר וירא תרכ"ה לפ"ק‬or le-yom rishon le-sidra Vayera 5625, i.e. Sunday, 13 November 1864) Educational Committee of Middelburg Jewish Community Inventory no. 324 104.324a. Letter from Chief Rabbi Bezalel Levi Glogauer to the members of the committee supervising Jewish religious schools in the Middelburg region wishing them wisdom in their task Undated; c. 1818

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105.324b. Record of the unanimous approval of the appointment of katzin Chaim Hendriks as school inspector Undated; c. 1820 106.324c. Letter from teacher Menachem Mendels Shoshan of Roozendaal to the parnassim stating that he accepts the appointment as teacher in Middelburg and requests housing and financial support for his move to Middelburg Date: ‫( יום ו"ו עש"ק ה' מנחם תקפ"א לפ"ק‬Friday, erev Shabbat kodesh, 5 Menachem [Av] 5581, i.e. 3 August 1821) 107.324d. Letter from Chief Rabbi Bezalel Levi Glogauer of Den Bosch to school inspector Chaim Hendriks of Middelburg discussing a suitable teacher Date: ‫( יום ד' י"א תמוז תקפ"א לפ"ק‬Wednesday, 11 Tammuz 5581, i.e. 11 July 1821) 108.324e. Letter from Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Rosenbach of Groningen recommending his 18–year-old son as a teacher to the school committee Date: ‫( יום ה' ח' תמוז תקפ"ב לפ"ק‬Thursday, 8 Tammuz 5582, i.e. 27 June 1822) 109.324f. Unsigned note from a man apologising for addressing the parnassim and the school committee in Dutch Undated 110.324g. Letter from parnas Shmuel bar Zev and gabbai Leib bar Mordekhai Frenk of Zierikzee to the school committee, brought by messenger Moshe Katz who is to be melamed in Zierikzee Date: 3 November 1833 111.324h. Letter from parnas Shmuel bar Zev in Zierikzee to Chaim Hendriks about melamed Moshe Katz who is required by the school

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committee to take an examination before becoming a teacher in Zierikzee Date: ‫( יום א' כ"ח מרחשון תקצ"ד‬Sunday, 28 Marcheshvan 5594, i.e. 21 November 1833) Semi-Official Institutions 112. Pinkas of Ahavat Shalom society Inventory no. 347 Date: c. 1788154 to 1882 113. ‫( הנהגת דח"ק אהבת שלום‬Takkanot of chevrah kaddisha Ahavat Shalom) Inventory no. 351 Undated; c. 1810 114. ‫( תקנות מן העדה קדושה תועלת כללי‬Takkanot of ha-edah kedushah To’elet Kelalli) Inventory no. 125 Date: ‫( ר"ח מרחשון תק"פ לפ"ק‬Rosh chodesh Marcheshvan 5590, i.e. 28 October 1829) Oisterwijk Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana, Amsterdam Official Institutions

‫( פנקס של הקהל אשטרוויק‬Pinkas of the Kahal Oisterwijk) 3 volumes

154 The dated records begin in 1788. The first records honour Jakob ben Nathan, who founded Ahavat Shalom in 1781. The pinkas restarts in 1810.

108

jewish communities Signature: HS ROS 282 A-C155 Date: 1764–1992 Language: Yiddish and Dutch Remarks: The first volume starts with a short history of the settlement of the Jews in Oisterwijk. It also contains two records of accounts, one to 1793 and the second to 1825, copies of letters from the year 1825, some loose letters from 1868 and records of a meeting of the community. The second volume contains the takkanot of Oisterwijk community. They comprise 27 statutes with the signatures of the members. This volume contains notes about events in the community from 1793 to 1813.156 The third volume is a register from 1885 to 1992. Oldenzaal

Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana, Amsterdam157 Semi-Official Institutions 1. ‫( תקנות של החברה קדישא עטרת בחורים‬Takkanot of the chevrah kaddisha Ateret Bachurim) Signature: HS ROS no. 514 Date: ‫( יום א' כ"ו טבת שנת ב*ר*י*ת* לפ"ק‬Sunday, 26 Tevet of the year Berit [5612], i.e. 18 January 1852) Remarks: The pinkas of Ateret Bachurim charity and burial society includes the takkanot of 1815. These are at the back of the book and are dated ‫( א' דר"ח טבת תקע"ו לפ"ק‬1st day of rosh chodesh

155 See: L. Fuks and R.G. Fuks-Mansfeld, Hebrew and Judaic Manuscripts, vol. I, 228–29, no. 510. 156 See also: ‫תיקונים ומנהגים בקילת אושטרוויק נכתבו בידי יקותיאל בן זיסקינד‬ ‫אופא‬, 1770, signature: HS ROS. 283, (Hebrew and Yiddish) discussing the regulations and contains copies of parts of the pinkas of Oisterwijk community. L. Fuks and R.G. Mansfeld, Hebrew and Judaic Manuscripts, vol. I, 229, no. 511. 157 The inventory numbers are according to L. Giebels, Inventaris van de archieven van Jacob Fraenkel, opperrabbijn van Zwolle en de Joodse gemeenschap van Oldenzaal (Amsterdam 1986).

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Tevet 5516, i.e. 2 January 1816). They comprise 31 statutes and are followed by the signatures of the manhigim. The takkanot were revised in 1852: ‫כל אלו התקנות זינד געגרונד אויף דיא פאן שנת‬

‫תקעו אונד זינד נון עפי' רוב הדעיות מאנשי החברה בקרב כלם‬ ‫ובמעמד כלם פעראנדערט אונד פערמערט וויא עד דע יעציגע צייט‬ ‫פערהייסט‬. These comprise 50 statutes, followed by the signatures of the members. The list of members continues to the year ‫תרצ"ח‬ ‫( לפ"ק‬5698 [1937/38]).158 2. ‫( ספר הזכרונות מח"ק אור תורה דק"ק אלדענזאהל יע"א‬Sefer ha-zikhronot of Or Torah chevrah kadisha of the kehilah kedushah of Oldenzaal) Inventory no. 138 Date: ‫( בטו"ב מרחשון שנת א*כ*ר*ת* ברית לפ"ק‬19 Marcheshvan of the year ekhrat berit159 [5621], i.e. 4 November 1860) Language: Yiddish, Hebrew and Dutch Remarks: Or Torah’s Hebrew statement of intent is signed by the ten founding members. The takkanot of 1860 comprise 5 statutes, with another 5 statutes added in Marcheshvan 5622 (October 1861). Further statutes were added until after 1877, when the 24th statute was recorded. In 1872 a remarkable decision was taken that Yizkhak ben Zelig Schwartz would serve as parnas until 1897. The remaining notes and records are in Hebrew and Dutch. The final note in Yiddish about the appointment of Shmuel Frankfort as parnas dates from 1 Marcheshvan 5658 (27 October 1897). Rotterdam Gemeentearchief Rotterdam (Rotterdam municipal archive) Access no. 0029160 158 Giebels only mentions the takkanot of 1852 in her inventory, ‘with changes, undated, and a list of members from 1815–1852’. 159 Sam. I 11:2, ‘I will make a treaty (with you)’. 160 The inventory numbers are according to A.W. van der Woel, Inventaris van de archieven van de Nederlands Israëlitische Gemeente te Rotterdam. 1737–1971 (Rotterdam 1976). The inventory also mentions the archives of the population registers of the Jewish com-

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Official Institutions 1. Announcements by the parnassim Inventory no. 469 Date: ‫( י"ב אלול שנת תקס"ב לפ"ק‬12 Elul 5562, i.e. 9 September 1802) to 22 March 1826 Remarks: Announcements by the parnassim were read out in synagogue on Shabbat. Until ‫( פ' בשלח תקסייטית לפ"ק‬Parashat Beshalach 5569, i.e. 29 January 1809), the announcements are called kruz. A note accompanying each announcement indicates where it was read: in the two synagogues, or only in the Great Synagogue. The volume is bound in leather and contains 62 pages. 2. Announcements by the parnassim Inventory no. 470 Date: 1826–1835 Remarks: The announcements are written on separate pages. Of the 46 documents, 44 are in Yiddish and two in Dutch.161 3. Announcements by the parnassim Inventory no. 471 Date: 1840–1855 Remarks: These announcements are bound in one volume of 64 pages. The dossier includes four loose documents, of which two are undated and two are from 1852 and 1855. One of the undated documents contains notes in Dutch scribbled on the back.162

munities of Gorinchem, Gouda, Hoeksche Waard, Maassluis, Schiedam, Vlaardingen and Voorne-Putten. They are part of the Blitz collection. 161 This dossier is accompanied by a brief summary of each document by Dr J.A. Stellwag, 1973. 162 This dossier contains a summary of the first four announcements and of three of the loose documents by Dr J.A. Stellwag, 1973.

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111

4. Incoming correspondence to the parnassim and the executive committee of the community of Rotterdam, 1814–1840 Inventory no. 95 One letter in Yiddish signed by ha-Katan Moshe Appel about an examination which he failed to pass Date: August 1826 Financial Administration 5. ‫( פנקס של הוצאה והכנסה‬Pinkas of revenues and expenses) Inventory no. 544 Date: ‫( תקי"א לפ"ק—תקמ"חיט לפ"ק‬5511–5549, i.e. 1750–1789) 6. Ledger of the Jewish community Inventory no. 545 Date: 1802–1803 Remark: The subsequent ledgers are ordered according to parashah. 7. Ledger of the Jewish community Inventory no. 546 Date: 1803–1804 8. Ledger of the Jewish community Inventory no. 547 Date: 1805–1806 9. Ledger of the Jewish community Inventory no. 548 Date: 1806–1810

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10. Ledger of the Jewish community Inventory no. 549 Date: 1811–1812 Remarks: In this ledger most of the Hebrew dates according to the parashah are accompanied by civil dates. 11. Ledger of the Jewish community Inventory no. 550 Date: September 1813 to April 1814 12. ‫( גרויט בוך‬Ledger of Rotterdam community) Inventory no. 539 Date: 1789–1815 Remarks: The ledger is written in Yiddish and Dutch. The names of the contributors are in Dutch. The section from 1811 to 1815 starts at the back of the book and is entirely in Dutch. 13. Register of the parnas treasurer Inventory no. 540 Date: 1801–1802 Semi-Official Institutions 14. ‫( תקנות דחברה קדישא מנחם אבלים פא ק"ק ראטרדם‬Takkanot of chevrah kaddisha Menachem Avelim here in the kehilah kedushah Rotterdam) Inventory no. 794 Date: ‫( בשנת ואש*לם* נ*חומ*י*ם* לו ול*אב*ל*י*ו לפ"ק‬in the year ve-ashalem nichumim lo u-la’avelav163 [5552], i.e. 1792)

163

See: Isaiah 57: 18: ‘I will comfort their mourning’.

jewish communities

113

Remarks: The layout of the takkanot is exemplary. They are written by Shmuel ben Moshe in a calligraphic hand. The introductory page and the last page after the original 24 takkanot with the names of the signatories are in Hebrew. From 1832 to 1842, new takkanot were added. The pinkas of Menachem Avelim burial society is mainly in Yiddish until 1845. The last two pages, dealing with the dissolution of the society in 1891, are in Dutch. The pinkas is in an elegant leather binding, decorated on the cover with floral motifs in gold print. The title page is illuminated with a bright watercolour showing a visitor sitting shiva with a mourner. On the table in the middle of the room lies a copy of Sefer Chaim. 15. ‫פנקס החשבנות מהאלופים הגבאים דחברה קדישא מנחם אבלים‬ (Pinkas of the accounts of the alufim the gabbaim of the chevrah kaddisha Menachem Avelim [Comforter of mourners]) Inventory no. 795 Date: ‫( ר"ח אייר תקס"ב‬Rosh chodesh Iyar 5562, i.e. 3 May 1802) to ‫( ר"ח אייר תקע"ו לפ"ק‬Rosh chodesh Iyar 5586, i.e. 8 May 1826) Uithoorn Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana, Amsterdam Official Institutions

‫פראטאקאל מן כפר אויטהרן שנת תקס"ה לפ"ק\פארט כל ענין קנין‬ ‫ נכתבי על ידי‬. . . ‫ובנין מקדש מעט בית\הכנסה החדשה בכפר אויטהרן‬ .‫( שמאול בן אברהם כוהן סופר‬Protocol of the village of Uithoorn from the year 5565, and further kol inyan kinyan u-vinyan mikdash me’at bait/hakhnasah ha-chadashah, be-kfar Uithoorn . . . nikhtav al-yedei Shmuel ben Avraham Cohen sofer; i.e. ‘Everything concerning the property and the building of the house of learning/the new revenues/in the village of Uithoorn . . . written by the sofer Shmuel ben Avraham Cohen’)

114

jewish communities Signature: HS ROS 59164 Date: ‫( תקס"ה לפ"ק‬5565, i.e. 1805) Language: Hebrew, Yiddish and Dutch Remarks: The pinkas starts in 1805 and ends in 1847. It contains 40 takkanot, with the signatures of the 26 members of Uithoorn community. This small Jewish community was established under the patronage of the Amsterdam community. The pinkas contains a contract between five benefactors from Amsterdam, referred to as the directors of the synagogue, and the community of Uithoorn. That relations between the communities went beyond financial ties is apparent from the signing of the takkanot by the Amsterdam benefactors. The first pages of the pinkas are written in a neat calligraphic hand and decorated by the scribe Shmuel ben Avraham Cohen. Wanneperveen

Gemeentearchief Zwolle (Zwolle municipal archive) Inventory no. KAO63 Official Institutions Inventory no. KAO63 1. ‫( תקנום של ק"ק וואנפרפעין‬sic) (Takkanot of the kehilah kedushah Wanneperveen) Date: ‫תקנ"א לפ"ק‬, 1790/91 Remarks: The takkanot comprise 17 statutes, called tikkanim, written in an inconsistent orthographic style. The small and poor165 164 L. Fuks and R.G. Fuks-Mansfeld, Hebrew and Judaic Manuscripts, vol. I, 230–31, no. 516. See also: O. Vlessing, ‘The Protocol of the Jewish Community of Uithoorn’, Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana. Treasures of Jewish Booklore (Amsterdam 1994), 91. 165 In 1801 a major collection was organised for the acquisition of a Torah scroll. It was recommended by David ben Nisan Cohen, shamash and ne’eman of Zwolle community and by Rabbi Moshe Nash of Nijkerk, who became chief rabbi of Zwolle in

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115

community of Wanneperveen could hardly muster a minyan and existed for a mere 23 years. In 1813 the remaining two Jewish families Cohen and Blok were absorbed into the community of Steenwijk.166 Zierikzee Zeeuws Archief (Zeeland archive) Access no. 54167 Official Institutions Inventory no. 35 1. Letter of application from cantor A. Levkowitz of Antwerp emphasising his qualities as a chazzan, ba’al kore and ba’al toke’a and especially his knowledge of languages Undated; c. late 19th century Zutphen Stadsarchief Zutphen (Zutphen municipal archive) Official Institutions 1. ‫( פנקס‬Pinkas of the Jewish community of Zutphen)

1802. The collection succeeded in obtaining donations from Utrecht, Naarden and Hilversum. See: KAO63. 166 H. Beem, ‘Het Reglement van de Joodse Gemeente van Wanneperveen’, Bijdragen uit het land van IJssel en Vecht. Tweede Bundel IJsselakademie (Zwolle 1978), 57–76. A preparatory study for this article, in which Beem gives a transcription and Dutch translation of the tikkanim is available in Zwolle municipal archive. Beem indicates the date in his article as 1801, in his preparatory study as 1790/91. 167 The inventory number is according to M.D. Lammerts, Archieven van de NederlandschIsraëlitische gemeenten te Goes en te Zierikzee (The Hague 1923).

116

jewish communities No inventory number168 Date: ‫( י"א מנחם תקפ"ב לפ"ק‬11 Menachem [Av] 5582, i.e. 6 November 1821) to 30 January 1861 Language: Yiddish, Hebrew and Dutch Remarks: The pinkas starts with a revised set of takkanot. The introduction to the takkanot states that following a resolution by the Central Committee for the Jewish Affairs169 in The Hague a new leadership was appointed. The reason for the Central Committee’s intervention and the revision of the takkanot was an extended conflict in the Zutphen community. This is described here in terms of a lack of leadership: ‘since it was founded, the community has been like a flock without a shepherd’, members show no consideration for one another while the financial administration and the tzedakah do not function. The takkanot are in Yiddish and Hebrew. They comprise 51 statutes, called ‫ארטיקעל‬. The takkanot are followed by five entries in Yiddish. The last record, in Yiddish, dated ‫יום ה' ד' אדר ראשון תר"א לפ"ק‬ (Thursday, 4 Adar I 5611, i.e. 6 February 1851), deals with an announcement by Chief Rabbi Jacob Lehmans of Nijmegen about the sale of non-kosher meat and its implications. Zwolle170

Gemeentearchief Amsterdam (Amsterdam municipal archive) Depot no. 32 (not inventoried) 168 S. Laansma maintains in De Joodse gemeente te Zutphen (Zutphen 1977), 38, that the takkanot have disappeared. J. Michman, does not refer to the Zutphen pinkas in Pinkas either. However, the takkanot are mentioned in a catalogue of a Judaica exhibition held in Deventer’s Munttoren in 1954: Catalogus tevens Programma ter gelegenheid van de Tentoonstelling Joodse Gebruiksvoorwerpen en Symbolen door de Eeuwen heen (Deventer 1954), catalogue no. 175. J.W. Bloemink’s inventory, Inventaris van de archieven van de Nederlands Israëlitische Gemeente te Zutphen 1864–1966 (1981) (Zutphen 1990) does not mention the takkanot either. 169 The resolution was taken on ‫( יום ג' כ"א אלול תקפ"א לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 21 Elul 5581, i.e. 18 September 1821). 170 Part of the archive of Zwolle’s Jewish community is lost; the remainder is kept in Amsterdam’s municipal archive. Archivist W.A. Huijsmans of Zwolle municipal archive maintains the archive was hidden during the Second World War by a member of the community who went into hiding but was discovered and did not return.

jewish communities

117

Official Institutions 1. List of properties in a booklet otherwise written in Dutch, forming an inventory of properties of Zwolle community Dossier no. 19 Undated. c. 2nd half 19th century

INDEPENDENT INSTITUTIONS Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana, Amsterdam Rayze Chevre Semi-Official Institutions 1. Takkanot of the Sa’adat Zekenim rayze chevre Signature: ROS. 19 E 32 Date: ‫( שבתי ל*יר*ושלים בר*ח*מ*י*ם* לפ"ק‬Shavti li-yerushalyim be-rachamim,1 i.e. 5528 [1768]) Remarks: The rayze chevre organised religious facilities for Jewish merchants who visited annual fairs. The society also cared for its members after their retirement. The introduction states that the first 50 members who reached the age of 60 would immediately receive four zahuvim each week. The next 50 registered members would have to wait an additional five years. Each year, at Pesach, two gabbaim were chosen to lead the rayze chevre, one of whom resided in Amsterdam while the other served as a travelling gabbai. The governing board consisted of these two gabbaim and the four gabbaim of the two preceding years. The introduction to the takkanot shows that the rayze chevre was founded sixteen years earlier, and that the original takkanot required revision to guarantee payment to the members on the principle of seniority.2 Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana, Amsterdam Zak. 1:16, ‘I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy’. See: S. Berger, ‘De takkanot van de Rayze Chevre’, ( J. Bethlehem, F. Hiegentlich, F. J. Hoogenwoud eds) Gids voor onderzoek naar de geschiedenis van de joden in Nederland (Amsterdam 2000), 66–72. ’s Hertogenbosch archive has a manuscript by Max Cahen which records the society and its activities in Brabant, based on extracts from documents of local authorities. J. Zwarts mentions that Sneek municipal archive also held a copy of the society’s takkanot, however they were not found in the present research. See: J. Zwarts, ‘De Joodse gemeenten buiten Amsterdam’, in H. Brugmans and A. Frank, Geschiedenis der Joden in Nederland. Eerste Deel (Tot circa 1795) (Amsterdam 1940), 448. 1 2

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independent institutions

Chevrah Tehilim u-Mikra Semi-Official Institutions 2. ‫( חברה תהלים ומקרא לח"ק נדח' ישראל יכנס‬Chevrah tehilim u-mikra la-chevrah kaddisha nidchei Yisrael yekhanes)3 Signature: Br. Ros. Regl. E-10 Date: ‫תרנ"ט לפ"ק‬: 5659 (1898/99) Remarks: Although the date on the cover of the booklet is 5659 (1898/99), the introduction mentions that the booklet itself was printed by order of the gabbaim after a meeting of the society during chol ha-mo’ed Pesach 5667 (1907). The date on the cover refers to the founding year of Tehilim u-Mikra. The booklet was printed by Gebroeders Levisson, formerly Proops. Tehilim u-Mikra was founded by members of Amsterdam’s so-called Russian Shul, officially named Nidchei Yisrael Yekhanes. Most of the community were refugees from Russia who came to Amsterdam in the wake of the pogroms of the 1880s and the Kishinev pogrom of 1903.4 They established their own synagogue, independent of the official Dutch community. The motive for founding the society is stated in the introduction: ‫וויא מיר זיין א‬

‫גאנצע וואך פער הארעוועט דאס מאן האט קוים צייט אום צו דאוונען‬ ‫אלזא וואלט גיוועזען א יושר מאן זאל גרינדען א חברה תהילים אז‬ ‫שבת פאר נאכט זאל מאן לכל הפחות זאגען א שטיקעלע תהילים‬. Another reason was to perform burials and shiva according to the Polish and Russian custom. In its first years, the society extended its activities to study. The society wished to include all the three pillars ‘on which the world is founded’: Torah, avodah, and gemilut chasadim. This is reflected in the takkanot. They consist of 6 takkanot ha-limud, 11 takkanot gemilut chasadim and 10 takkanot halvayat ha-met ve-inyanei shiva. The takkanot also stipulate annual meetings, gabbaim and contributions.

Ps. 147:2, ‘He gathers the exiles of Israel’. The general history of the Eastern European Jews who came to Amsterdam in this period and especially the observant among them, has hardly been studied. J. Michman in Pinkas, 131, mentions that the Russian Shul was founded by Russian diamond traders in 1883, while the Kehillat Ja’akov community began in 1890. See also: L. Fuks, ‘East-European Jews in the Netherlands’, Aspects of Jewish Life in the Netherlands: A Selection from the Writings of Leo Fuks (Assen 1995), 194–214. 3 4

SUPRA-COMMUNAL INSTITUTIONS Algemeen Rijksarchief in Den Haag A.R.A. (National Archive in The Hague) I. Archieven van de Opper-Consistorie der Hollandsch-Hoogduitsche Israelitische gemeenten in het Koninkrijk Holland en de Fransche Consistories, 4 januari 1809–21 Februari 1813 (Archive of the Supreme Consistory of the Dutch Ashkenazi Jewish communities in the Kingdom of Holland and the French Consistories, 4 January 1809–21 February 1813) Access no. 2.07.01.041 Verbal Records Inventory no. 1. January–February 1809 1.1a. Copy of an announcement by the parnassim of the ‘Hollandsche Hoogduitsche Israelitische Gemeente’ in Amsterdam regarding the installation of the Supreme Consistory2 Undated Dossier: 7 January 1809, doc. N1, DN4 2.1b. Copy of an announcement by the parnassim of Amsterdam and a copy of an announcement of the poor fund administration in Amsterdam

1 The access no. and inventory nos. are according to: Inventarissen van de Departements-Archieven betreffende de Erediensten 1805–1870; .04 A. Archieven Opper-Consistorie der Nederlands Hoog-Duitse Israelitische gemeenten in het Koninkrijk Holland en de Franse Consistories 1808–1814. 2 The following three announcements by the parnassim are a response to a missive from the Supreme Consistory, dated 7 January 1809, in which all Dutch Ashkenazi communities are informed of the installation of the Supreme Consistory. The community of Amsterdam is additionally instructed to arrange a settlement between the Alte and Naye Kille, to report the number of members, to compile a draft regulation and to list the rabbis, teachers and administrators as well as a state of the poor. See: ARA 2.07.01.04, inventory no. 1, dossier 7 January, document no. 2.

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supra-communal institutions Undated Dossier: 17 January 1809, doc. N13, DN16

3.1c. Copy of an announcement by the parnassim of the community of The Hague regarding the installation of the Supreme Consistory on 4 January 1809 with a Dutch translation Undated Dossier: 24 January 1809, doc. N5/2, DN11 4.1d. Copy of an announcement by the parnassim of Amsterdam following the government instructions of 25 November 1808 concerning vaccination against smallpox Undated Dossier: 24 January 1809, doc. N8, DN22 5.1e. Covering letter from Rabbi David Friedrichsfeld of Berlin, written in Amsterdam, to the Supreme Consistory in The Hague accompanying a copy of his book Zeeger Zaddik (sic)3 Date: ‫( יום ד' טו' שבט תקס"ט לפ"ק‬Wednesday, 15 Shevat 5569, i.e. 1 February 1809) Dossier: 31 January 1809, doc. N6, DN8 6.1f. Copy of an announcement by the parnassim Ber ben Lipman and Fishel ben Anshel Kolbo of Alphen community, about the installation of the Supreme Consistory on 4 January 1809 and an announcement by parnas Ber ben Lipman to the Supreme Consistory, about the number of members of Alphen community and its surrounding communities

3 ‫ ויחקור וידרש על ענין‬,‫ מהו' נפטלי הרץ ויזל‬. . . ‫ ודברי ימי חיי‬. . . ‫זה ספר זכר צדיק‬ '‫ מאת החכם ר‬,‫ספריו מליצותיו ושיריו ועל דברי המליצה בכללה ומליצת העבריה בפרטה‬ ‫ קטנתי לפ"ק‬,‫ אמשטרדם‬,‫ ש' פרופס‬,‫דוד בן צוי הרש פרידריכספעלד‬, 5569, 1809.

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Date: The first announcement is undated, the second is dated ‫( פ' יתרו שבט תקסטיית לפ"ק‬Parashat Yitro, [12–19] Shevat 5569, i.e. 29 January–4 February 1809) Dossier: 7 February 1809, doc. N3/78, DN4 7.1g. Letter from Rabbi Joseph Asser Lehmans of The Hague to the Supreme Consistory recommending they act according to the decisions of Amsterdam’s chief rabbi regarding religious services,4 with a Dutch translation the official translator, Lion Davids Date: ‫( יום ג' כ"א שבט תקס"ט לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 21 Shevat 5569, i.e. 7 February 1809) Dossier: 14 February 1809, doc. N10, DN2 8.1h. Copy of an announcement by the parnassim of Norden community regarding the installation of the Supreme Consistory and a letter from the parnassim of Norden to the Supreme Consistory asking permission to write their takkanot in Yiddish Date: The announcement is dated ‫ש"ק פ' בא תקס"ט לפ"ק‬ (Shabbat kodesh, parashat Bo 5569, i.e. 15 January 1809). The letter is dated 6 February 1809. Dossier: 14 February 1809, doc. N1/6, DN4 9.1i. Four copies of announcements by the parnassim of Amsterdam Announcement by the burgomaster of Amsterdam and the government of a collection for the victims of the recent floods; the parnassim of Amsterdam appeal to rich and poor to help their fellow countrymen in this national disaster, and to contribute according to their status (‫ )שטאנד‬in society Announcement by the parnassim that registered members of the community may apply for the position of shamash This letter was written amid the conflict between the Alte and Naye Kille in Amsterdam. Rabbi Joseph Asser Lehmans and the chief rabbi of Rotterdam examined the liturgical customs of Amsterdam. The correspondence includes of a letter from Amsterdam’s chief rabbi and an apology from Israel Graanboom, son of Isaac Ger Graanboom, rabbi of the former Naye Kille. See also: J. Michman, Pinkas, 372. 4

124

supra-communal institutions Announcement by the parnassim that the shochtim Berman ben Mendele, Mordekhai ben Moshe and Lezer ben Mendele are permitted to exercise their profession for both the Alte and Naye Kille Announcement by the Supreme Consistory with a Dutch translation that by royal decree of 17 January 1809 the liturgical order of the former Ashkenazi community should be reinstated in all the synagogues in Amsterdam Date: The first three announcements are undated. The announcement of the Supreme Consistory is dated 10 February 1809. Dossier: 14 February 1809, doc. N80, DN11

10.1j. Copy of two announcements by the parnassim of Haarlem, with Dutch translation Announcement on behalf of the burgomaster of Haarlem and the landdrost (high bailiff) of Amstelland encouraging vaccination against smallpox and admonishing the gabbai in charge of the poor fund that the children of people supported by the poor fund are especially required to be vaccinated Announcement by the parnassim that a special charity will be started for the acquisition of rimonim for the Torah scrolls Date: 18) ‫ שבט כ"ה תקס"ט לפ"ק‬,‫ שבט י"ח‬Shevat [smallpox] and 25 [rimonim] 5569. i.e. 4 and 11 February 1809) Dossier: 14 February 1809, doc. N80, DN11/12 (with translations in Dutch) 11.1k. Copies of six announcements by the parnassim of Amsterdam, including: An announcement by the governing board of Machzikei Tzedekah on the sale of matzot An announcement by the governing board of Machzikei Tzedekah regarding the distribution of matzot An announcement by the parnassim that the minister of religious affairs has decreed the first annual day of thanksgiving and prayer

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on 22 February 1809, during which the melamdim will pray all day with their students in the Great Synagogue, shops will remain closed and all commercial activity prohibited Undated Dossier: 21 February 1809, doc. N9, DN12 12.1l. Copy of an announcement by the parnassim of Aalten regarding the installation of the Supreme Consistory on 4 January 1809 Undated Dossier: 28 February 1809, doc. N2/9, DN4 13.1m. Copy of an announcement by the parnassim of Leer regarding the installation of the Supreme Consistory with a note concerning the use of Dutch and other innovations Date: ‫( יום ג' אדר ה' תקס"ט לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 5 Adar 5569, i.e. 21 February 1809) Dossier: 28 February 1809, doc. N2/11, DN4 14.1n. Five announcements by the parnassim of Amsterdam An announcement that the government has ordered a collection for the victims of the floods in all synagogues An announcement that order be maintained during services according to the takkanot An announcement on behalf of the burgomaster of Amsterdam expressing his gratitude to the Jewish community for their contribution to the flood victims An announcement on behalf of the burgomaster of Amsterdam allowing Purim merrymakers to go out in Jewish neighbourhoods, stipulating that public order should not be disturbed An announcement by the governing board of Mechukrei laEvionim regarding the distribution of matzot and peat Undated Dossier: 28 February 1809, doc. N8, DN10

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15.1o. Announcement by the poor fund administration in Amsterdam concerning donations to tzedakah Undated Dossier: 28 February 1809, doc. N9, DN12 Inventory no. 2. March–April 1809 16.2a. Copy of an announcement by the parnassim of Beverwijk regarding the installation of the Supreme Consistory Undated Dossier: 9 Lentemaand (March) 1809, doc. N3/13, DN7 17.2b. Three copies of announcements by the parnassim of Amsterdam and three copies of announcements by the poor fund administration of Amsterdam An announcement by the parnassim on behalf of the burgomaster of Amsterdam that a collection will be held for the maintenance and furnishing of schools for the poor in Amsterdam, which have proven successful An announcement by the parnassim on behalf of the chief justice allowing Purim celebrants onto the streets day and night, emphasising the maintenance of public order An announcement and warning by the parnassim against stamping the feet during the Purim service An announcement by the Amsterdam poor fund administration regarding the distribution of clothes Two announcements by the governing board of Machzikei Tzedakah, one of which is addressed to residents of Floomburg (Vlooienburg) neighbourhood who are entitled to their support Undated Dossier: 9 March 1809, doc. N90, DN14

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18.2c. Three announcements by the parnassim of Amsterdam An announcement concerning the collection for Jewish schools for the poor An announcement by the chief rabbi and av beit din of Amsterdam forbidding the purchase of meat outside the community’s two meat markets and a warning by the parnassim that those who receive support from tzedakah and buy meat elsewhere, will forfeit this support, and will receive no more matzot and no help from Bikkur Cholim, neither from doctors or midwifes An announcement by the parnassim about the lease of seats in synagogue Undated Dossier: 14 March 1809, doc. N11, DN13 19.2d. Letter from the parnassim of Ezens replying to the instructions issued by the Supreme Consistory on 18 January 1809 Date: ‫( יום ה' אדר כ"א תקס"ט לפ"ק‬Thursday, 21 Adar 5569, i.e. 14 March 1809) Dossier: 14 March, doc. N2/1, DN4 20.2e. Letter from Rabbi Isaac Beer to Leer community and a letter from Shlomo Zalman of Leer5 Date: ‫( יום ה' שבט כ"ג תקס"ט לפ"ק‬Thursday, 23 Shevat 5569, i.e. 9 February 1809) and 21) ‫ כ"א אדר תקסט'ת לפ"ק‬Adar 5569, i.e. 11 March 1809) Dossier: 14 March 1809, the document numbers are not signed, but are included under N4

See also inventory number 13. The letter from Rabbi Isaac Beer is the second he wrote to the Leer community. The community dossier, which is mostly written in Dutch and German, shows that there was a conflict about the innovations demanded by the Supreme Consistory. 5

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21.2f. Three announcements by the parnassim of Amsterdam and an announcement by the committee for the distribution of matzot Undated Dossier: 21 March 1809, doc. N14, DN17 22.2g. Copy of a letter from the late Ziskind ben Ya’akov Peis about certain members of Blokzijl community who organize separate religious services6 Date: ‫( ג' אדר שני תקס"ז לפ"ק‬3 Adar II 5569, i.e. 13 March 1807) Dossier: 30 March 1809, doc. N3/3, DN6 23.2h. Copies of four announcements by the parnassim of Amsterdam Undated Dossier: 30 March 1809, doc. N26 24.2i. Takkanot of Veenendaal Jewish community Undated Dossier: 11 and 12 April 1809, doc. N4/3, DN9 25.2j. Takkanot of Norden Jewish community Undated Dossier: 11 and 12 April 1809, doc. N4/4, DN9 27.2k. Letter from Levie Joseph to the Supreme Consistory, on behalf of his sister, the widow Sipora Polak, requesting that J.A. Polak of Wijk bij Duurstede perform the chalitza ceremony with his brother’s widow

6 The letter is included in a case in which two members of Blokzijl’s poor fund ask the minister of religious affairs to issue a statement prohibiting private services.

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129

Undated Dossier: 11 and 12 April 1809, doc. N20, DN25 28.2l. Copies of three announcements by the parnassim of Amsterdam Undated Dossier: 18 April 1809, doc. N18 29.2m. Announcement by the parnassim of Amsterdam attached to an announcement by the government that the state has decided to issue an official loan to support the national waterboard and an announcement by the poor fund of Amsterdam Undated Dossier: 28 April 1809, doc. N14, DN19 Inventory no. 3. Bloeimaand (May) and Somermaand ( June) 1809 30.3a. Copies of two announcements by the parnassim of Amsterdam Undated Dossier: 2 May 1809, doc. no. N16 31.3b. Letter from Rabbi Hirsch to the Supreme Consistory with proposals for the amelioration of the moral position of the Jews in Holland and requesting he be appointed ba’al darshan for all Dutch Ashkenazi communities in the kingdom Undated Dossier: 9 May 1809, doc. N11, DN13 32.3c. Copies of three announcements by the parnassim of Amsterdam Undated Dossier: 9 May 1809, doc. N16

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33.3d. Unsigned letter, probably from Rabbi Isaac Beer of Aurich about his salary and the extra expenses he has incurred in the service of the community Undated Dossier: 16 and 18 May 1809, doc. N10, DN15 34.3e. Letter from Chief Rabbi J. Samuel of Den Bosch concerning his difference of opinion with the parnassim of Eindhoven community regarding who is authorized to perform weddings and a complaint about the behaviour of members of Breda community Date: 8 May 1809 Dossier: 16 and 18 May 1809, doc. N13, DN18 35.3f. Letter from Rabbi Hirsch asking again to be appointed as ba’al darshan of Holland7 Date: ‫( יום ג' ר"ח סיון תקס"ט לפ"ק‬Tuesday, rosh chodesh Sivan 5569, i.e. 16 May 1809) Dossier: 16 and 18 May 1809, doc. N15, DN20 36.3g. Copies of two announcements by the parnassim of Amsterdam Undated Dossier: 16 and 18 May 1809, doc. N17, DN22 37.3h. Copies of three announcements by the parnassim of Amsterdam Undated Dossier: 23 May 1809, doc. N5, DN6

7 Rabbi Hirsch’s request to be appointed ba’al darshan of Holland was discussed by the Supreme Consistory.

supra-communal institutions

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38.3i. Copies of two announcements by the parnassim of Amsterdam Undated Dossier: 30 May 1809, doc. N20, DN24 39.3j. Copy of an announcement by the parnassim of Amsterdam Undated Dossier: 6 June 1809, doc. N19, DN24 40.3k. Copy of an announcement by the parnassim of Amsterdam Undated Dossier: 13 June 1809, doc. N15, DN17 Inventory no. 4. Hooimaand ( July) 1809 41.4a. Letter from the parnassim of Breda community explaining the disagreements within the community Date: 28 June 1809 Dossier: 10 July 1809, doc. N3, DN5 42.4b. Letter from Salomon Urij (sic) Cohen of Leer denouncing the persistent abuses, disorder and indecency within the community Date: ‫( ר"ח אב לרחם תקסטית לפ"ק‬Rosh chodesh Av le-Rachem 5569, i.e. 14 July 1809) Dossier: 18 July 1809, doc. N14, DN16 Inventory no. 5. August 1809 43.5a. Letter signed by Jakov ben Uri of Leer complaining about the conduct of the ‘Directie der Hollandsch Israelitische Gemeente’ (Board of the Dutch Jewish community)

132

supra-communal institutions Date: ‫( יום א' י"ח מנחם אב תקסטית לפ"ק‬Sunday, Menachem Av 5569, i.e. 31 July 1809) Dossier: 1 August 1809, doc. N10, DN12

44.5b. Letter from Salomon Urij Cohen of Leer complaining about the dispute in the Jewish community and its leadership Date: ‫( חמשה עשר באב תקס"ט לפ"ק‬15 Av 5569, i.e. 28 July 1809) Dossier: 1 August 1809, doc. N20, DN22 45.5c. Letter from Rabbi Joseph Asser Lehmans of The Hague complaining that the Jewish recruits in The Hague have no tefilin or tallit katan Date: ‫( יום ה' כ"א אב תקס"ט לפ"ק‬Thursday, 21 Av 5569, i.e. 3 August 1809) Dossier: 6 August 1809, doc. N1, DN3 46.5d. Announcement on behalf of the chief rabbi of Amsterdam that the shochtim Berman, Mordekhai and Lezer are authorised to slaughter and supervise the two meat markets in Amsterdam8 Undated Dossier: 8 August 1809, doc. N17, DN20 47.5e. Letter from Rabbi Joseph Asser Lehmans of The Hague about one of his sermons Date: ‫( ט' אב תקס"ט לפ"ק‬9 Av 5569, i.e. 22 July 1809) Dossier: 15 August 1809, doc. N7/5, DN10 8 This rabbinical decision is included in a dossier dealing with a complaint by chazzan and shochet E.E. Boas of the Naye Kille to the Supreme Consistory that he is only allowed to slaughter in the small meat market, has been deprived of his income, and that the chief rabbi’s decision runs counter to the settlement between the two communities sanctioned by the king on 12 September 1808.

supra-communal institutions

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48.5f. Letter, signed by Shmuel ben Avraham Falk and Meir ben Jakov of Maarssen, stating that the ba’alei batim of Maarssen community have notified their shochet and chazzan that his tenure has been terminated Date: ‫( כ"ד מנחם תקס"ט לפ"ק‬24 Menachem [Av] 5569, i.e. 6 August 1809) Dossier: 15 August 1809, doc. N9, DN12 49.5g. Four sermons and discourses by Chief Rabbi Samuel Berisch Berenstein of Leeuwarden and one sermon in Hebrew and Yiddish by Rabbi Isaac Beer of Aurich9 Date: 22 August 1809 Dossier: 22 August 1809, doc. N23/4 DN24 50.5h. Announcement signed by Shmuel Kassel, on behalf of the parnassim of Groningen community, about the establishment of a Jewish corps10 Date: ‫( יום א' ר"ח אלול תק"ע לפ"ק‬Sunday, rosh chodesh Elul 5570, i.e. 31 August 1810) Dossier: 29 August 1809, doc. N3/10, DN5 51.5i. Announcement signed by Itzik ben Zelig, on behalf of the parnassim of Leeuwarden community, about the establishment of a Jewish corps, with a Dutch translation Date: ‫ פון אהכשמאנד‬9, i.e. 9 Oogstmaand (August) 1809 Dossier: 29 August 1809, doc. N3/9, DN5

9 The sermons by Chief Rabbi Samuel Berenstein and Rabbi Isaac Beer are included in a dossier that deals with the establishment of the Jewish corps. Chief Rabbi Samuel Berenstein supported this wholeheartedly and, at his own initiative, sent letters of recommendation to several Jewish communities. See: ARA, dossier 15 August 1809, document number N24. 10 See also: ARA, dossier 8 August 1809.

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supra-communal institutions

52.5j. Anonymous letter emphasising that it will be the poor Jews who will be the victims of conscription, with a Dutch translation Undated Dossier: 29 August 1809, doc. N12, DN14 Inventory no. 6. Herfstmaand (September) 180911 53.6a. Announcement by the parnassim of The Hague about the establishment of a Jewish corps with a warning, referring to article 7 of the Supreme Consistory regulations, that all material or financial aid from the Jewish community or charities to those eligible for conscription will be stopped until the quota is reached Undated Dossier: 5 September 1809 doc. N5/1, DN7 54.Announcement by the parnassim of the Dordrecht community regarding the establishment of a Jewish corps Undated Dossier: 5 September 1809, doc. N5/2, DN7 55.Announcement signed by Avraham Bendit Katz, on behalf of the parnassim of Bergen op Zoom expressing support for the innovative measures of Louis Bonaparte Undated Dossier: 5 September 1809, doc. N5/9, DN 7 Inventory no. 7. Wijnmaand (October) 1809 56.7a. Letter from shochet A. Mozes Frank to the alufim of Nijmegen community and the Supreme Consistory asking to be reinstated

11 This inventory starts with lists of the needy in Amsterdam and a questionnaire to collect data about the poor in communities.

supra-communal institutions

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Date: ‫( יום ג' ז' מרחשון תק"ע לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 7 Marcheshvan 5570, i.e. 17 October 1809) Dossier: 24 October 1809, doc. N12, DN6 57.7b. Letter from Chief Rabbi Samuel Berisch Berenstein of Leeuwarden regarding his proposal to unite Groningen and Leeuwarden under his chief rabbinate and a letter from parnas Shmuel in Leeuwarden expressing his support for the reform of Jewish education and the rural schools in Friesland Date: ‫( יום ג' י"ד חשון תק"ע לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 14 Cheshvan 5570, i.e. 24 October 1809) Dossier: 31 October 1809, doc. N8, DN9 Inventory no. 8. Slagtmaand (November) 1809 58.8a. Letter from the parnassim of Blokzijl and Vollenhove communities to the Supreme Consistory containing draft rulings regarding internal disputes and the question of order during services in Blokzijl Date: 1809 ‫ הערבשמאהנד‬8, i.e. 8 October 1809 Dossier: 14 November 1809, doc. N5, DN6 59.8b. Letter from Gerson Jacob Blog, chazzan of the Veendam and Wildervank communities asking to raise his salary Undated Dossier: 20 December 1809, doc. N7, DN9 60.8c. Letter from Marcus Daniels of Amsterdam claiming money from the collegie competerend geld (disbursement board) after his child died Undated Dossier: 26 December 1809, doc. N3, DN5

136

supra-communal institutions

Inventory no. 9. Louwmaand ( January) and Sprokkelmaand (February) 1810 61.9a. Letter from Gerson Jacob Blogh, chazzan of Veendam and Wildervank communities claiming that his dismissal was unjust, with a free Dutch translation Undated Dossier: 9 January 1810, doc. N15, DN16 62.9b. Overview of the revenues and expenses of Amsterdam community for 1809 showing the community’s precarious financial situation due to the number of poor Undated Dossier: 13 February 1810, doc. N6, DN7 Inventory no. 10. Lentemaand (March) 1809 63.10a. Letter containing seven statements about the whereabouts of several persons conscripted for the Jewish corps, to be passed on to Captain Boas Undated Language: Four statements in Yiddish, three statements in Dutch Dossier: 13 March 1810, doc. N6, DN8 64.10b. Letter from Lezer bar Uri of Weener complaining that the Weener community refuses to approve his membership Date: ‫( כ"ו אדר שני תק"ע לפ"ק‬26 Adar II 5570, i.e. 1 April 1810) Dossier: 10 April 1810, doc. N10, DN13

supra-communal institutions

137

Inventory no. 11. Bloeimaand (May) and Somermaand ( June) 1810 65.11a. Letter, signed by Jakov Moshe Begamo, attached to a request by the parnassim of Amsterdam to the Supreme Consistory to give melamdim who refuse to sign the new prescriptions for teachers in Amsterdam their acten van patent (certificates) too Date: ‫( טית אייר תק"ע לפ"ק‬9 Iyar 5570, i.e. 13 May 1810) Dossier: 15 May 1809, doc. N3, DN5 66.11b. Copy of two announcements by the parnassim of Amsterdam Date: ‫( י' אייר תק"עיין לפ"ק‬10 Iyar 5570, i.e. 14 May 1810) Dossier: 15 May 1809, doc. N4, DN6 67.11c. Letter from Doesburg, passed on by the parnassim of Amsterdam to the Supreme Consistory, about conscription problems and requesting assistance Date: 25 Bloeimaand (May) 1810 Dossier: 29 May 1810, doc. N3, DN4 68.11d. Three letters, from Isaac Hijman Lusar, Wolf Levie Judaman and Avraham Meijer Prins, objecting to the tax assessment imposed by the parnassim of Amsterdam Date: Two letters are undated. Avraham Meijer Prins’s letter is dated: ‫( סיון תק"ע לפ"ק‬Sivan 5570, i.e. June 1810) Dossier: 12 June 1810, doc. N9/3, 9/4, N 9/5, DN12 69.11e. Copies of two announcements by the parnassim of Amsterdam in Dutch with a Yiddish translation, that people who buy meat outside the two meat markets and still receive help from doctors and midwifes harm the poor fund and that stringent measures will be taken Date: 6 and 10 June 1810 Dossier: 12 June 1810, doc. N10, DN13

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supra-communal institutions

70.11f. Letter signed by Ephraim Reens, secretary of ‫ג"ח )גמילות‬ ‫( חסדים( עדת ישרון‬Gemilut Chasadim Edat Yeshurun) about the appointment of Gabriel David Courlander as shamash Undated Dossier: 19 June 1810, doc. N9, DN11 71.11g. Letter from Rabbi Joseph Asser Lehmans of The Hague responding to the proposal to translate the Tanakh into Dutch, to how it will be printed, and to the new education proposals Undated Dossier: 26 June 1810, doc. N8, DN9 72.11h. List of objections by Amsterdam’s Doodgraverscollege der Ongetrouwden (burial society of the unmarried) against the rulings imposed by the community’s parnassim regarding their society Date: 26 June 1810 Language: Dutch and Yiddish Dossier: 26 June 1810, doc. N13, DN14 73.11i. Letter signed by members of Norden community regarding conflicts and disputes in their community Undated Dossier: 26 June 1810, doc. N15, DN16 Inventory no. 12. July–August 1810 74.12a. Announcement by the parnassim of Amsterdam that the illegal sale of meat and the failure of many members to pay their contribution, causes a steady decline in the revenues of the kupat ha-tzedakah and undermines the community’s services to the sick and poor Undated Dossier: 24 July 1810, doc. N4, DN6

supra-communal institutions

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75.12b. Copy of a letter to the alufim and gabbaim of Gemilut Chasadim in Amsterdam Date: ‫( יום ה' ט"ז מנחם תק"ע לפ"ק‬Thursday, 16 Menachem [Av] 5570, i.e. 16 August 1810) Dossier: 21 August 1810, doc. N13 Inventory no. 13. Herfstmaand (September) and Wijnmaand (October) 1810 76.13a. Note concerning Amsterdam’s poor fund Date: ‫( ה' אלול תקעיין לפ"ק‬5 Elul 5570, i.e. 4 September 1810) Dossier: 4 September 1810, doc. N3, DN5 77.13b. Letter, signed by the secretary of the burial society of married men in Amsterdam, complaining about the society to the Supreme Consistory Date: 16 September 1810 Dossier: 18 September 1810, doc. N6, DN7 78.13c. Two notes about the continuing division in Norden community due to conflict and disputes, one signed by the ne’eman ha-Katan Eliakim Gotslik, the other by ha-Katan Leib Segal Date: the note from the ne’eman is dated: ‫יום ו' עש"ק א' דר"ח אייר‬ ‫( תק"ע לפ"ק‬Friday, erev Shabbath kodesh, 1st day of rosh chodesh Iyar 5570, i.e. 4 September 1810). The note from Leib Segal is dated: ‫( זיין ניסן תק"ע לפ"ק‬7 Nisan 5570, i.e. 11 April 1810) Dossier: 18 September 1810, doc. N10/1, DN11 79.13d. Three documents about the conflicts in Norden community An announcement by the parnassim of Norden community A note about payments to community officials and the chazzan’s rebellion

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supra-communal institutions A letter from Leib (?),12 the shamash tzedakah of Norden community, about the conflicts in the community Date: The announcement by the parnassim is dated: ‫יום ה' כ"ז‬ ‫( אייר תק"ע לפ"ק‬Thursday, 27 Iyar 5570, i.e. 31 May 1810). The note is undated. The letter is dated 20 September 1810. Dossier: 2 October 1810, doc. N12/3, DN14

80.13e. Copy of a letter from Yitzhak Abraham to the parnassim of Groningen community apologising for his misconduct Date: ‫תק"ע לפ"ק‬, i.e. 5571 (1810) Dossier: 23 October 1810, doc. N8, DN10 Inventory no. 14. Slagtmaand (November) and Wintermaand (December) 1810 81.14a. Letter from Leib ben Michael of Winterswijk stating that the Supreme Consistory’s authority is being undermined and complaining about a personal injury Date: 5 November 1810 Dossier: 13 November 1810, doc. N14, DN15 Inventory no. 15. January–April 1811 82.15a. Proclamation by the parnassim of Rotterdam community to be announced in the two synagogues regarding the illegal sale of meat outside the meat market and the implications for the poor fund, and a letter from the parnassim of Gorinchem community to Moses Sijmans, parnas of Rotterdam community about a request to the burgomaster of Gorinchem for permission to collect for the poor Date: The proclamation from Rotterdam is dated ‫ש"ק ט' טבת‬ ‫( תקע"א לפ"ק‬Shabbat kodesh, 9 Tevet 5571, i.e. 5 January 1811). The letter from Gorinchem is dated 14 January 1811. Dossier: 29 January 1811, doc. N3, DN5 12

The name is blurred due of water damage.

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141

83.15b. Letter from Mozes Mendels of Jever to the widow Marianne van Gelder of Amsterdam about the imprisonment of her son in Jever Date: 3 January 1811 Dossier: 29 January 1811, doc. N7, DN9 84.15c. Two bills from Emden community Undated Dossier: 26 March 1811, doc. no. N5, N7 Inventory no. 16. May–December 1811 85.16a. Letter from Chief Rabbi Samuel Berisch Berenstein of Leeuwarden requesting that when the ‘consistorial communities’ are reorganised, Groningen will continue to fall under the Leeuwarden chief rabbinate Date: ‫( יום ג' כ"ד תמוז תקע"א לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 24 Tammuz 5571, i.e. 16 July 1811) Dossier: 16 July 1811, doc. N4, DN6 86.16b. Announcement by the parnassim of Amsterdam to young Torah students who become eligible for conscription in 1809 that they must report for duty Undated Dossier: 2 September 1811, doc. N3, DN4 Inventory no. 17. January 1812–21 February 1813 87.17a. List of revenues and expenses from ‫יום ג' ה' טבת תקע"א לפ"ק‬ (Tuesday, 5 Tevet 5571, i.e. 1 January 1811) to January 1812, from Amsterdam community Undated. c. January 1812 Dossier: 21 January 1812, doc. N3, DN4

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Inventory no. 42 88.42a. Letter from Aron Levy Haas of Frankfurt am Main to Mayer Breslau of Arnhem13 Date: 25 August 1813 II. Commissie tot de zaken der Israelieten. 15 maart, 1814 tot 22 juli, 1817; Hoofdcommissie tot de Zaken der Israelieten. 23 juli, 1817 tot 31 augustus, 1870 (Committee for Jewish Affairs; 15 March 1814 to 22 July 1817; Central Committee for Jewish Affairs; 23 July 1817 to 31 August 1870) Access no. 2.07.01.05.14 Inventory no. 1 1.1a. Letter sent by ne’eman and shamash tzedakah Moshe ben Josef Breslau to J.B. Benjamins, member of the Committee for Jewish Affairs about the need to appoint qualified parnassim in Gorinchem Date: ‫( יום ב' כ' אלול תקע"ד לפ"ק‬Monday, 20 Elul 5574, i.e. 5 September 1814) 2.1b. (. . .) (‫קאפיע מן התקנות דח"ק ג"ח )דחברה קדישה גמילות חסדים‬ .‫( הארלעם‬Copy of the takkanot of the chevrah kaddisha Gemilut Chasadim in Haarlem); (‫קאפיע מן רעגלעמנעט פר הנשים דח"ק )דחברה קדישה‬ ‫( גמילת חסד ואמת‬Copy of the rulings for the women of the chevrah kaddisha Gemilat Chesed ve-Emet) both with Dutch translation Date: *‫יום ג' ד"י אלול שנת להורות את הדרך א*ש*ר* י*ל*כ*ו‬ ‫( ב*ה* לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 14 Elul of the year lehorot et ha-derekh asher

13 Dossier: ‘Arnhem, Ingekomen brieven van 1813 en 1814, Consistorie der Israelieten in de circumscriptie Zwolle’ (Incoming correspondence of 1813 and 1814, Consistory of the Israelites in the Zwolle region). 14 The access number and the inventory numbers are according to: Inventarissen van de Departements-Archieven betreffende de Erediensten 1805–1870; .05 Archieven gedeponeerd bij het Departement van de Hervormde en andere Erediensten behalve de Rooms-Katholieke; Archief van de Commissie en Hoofdcommissie tot de Zaken der Israelieten. 1814–1870.

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143

jelkhu ba15 [5574], i.e. 30 August 1814). The takkanot of the women’s society are dated ‫( יום א' כ"ו אלול תקע"ד לפ"ק‬Sunday, 26 Elul 5574, i.e. 11 September 1814). Appendix 78 Inventory no. 2 3.2a. Two copies of announcements by the parnassim of Meppel, regarding Zalman Meir Segal and his son who were fined for disobedience and two notes about the fine Date: The first announcement is dated: ‫עש"ק א' דר"ח אדר תקע"ה‬ ‫( לפ"ק‬Erev Shabbat kodesh, 1st day of rosh chodesh Adar 5575, i.e. 11 February 1815). The second announcement is undated. The two notes are dated ‫( ט' שבט תקע"ה לפ"ק‬9 Shevat 5575, i.e. 20 January 1815) and ‫( ה' אדר ראשון תקע"ה לפ"ק‬5 Adar I 5575, i.e. 15 February 1815). Inventory no. 5 4.5a. Letter from Eizik ben Leib of Delfzijl to parnas S.J. van Coevorden in Groningen about problems relating to shochtim Date: 23 April 1816 Document no. 211 5.5b. Letter signed by Isaac Silverberg, A. Silberberg, Phillip Silberberg, Isaac Gronberg, Moeses (sic) Hellendael of Maastricht community asking S.E. Stein of The Hague to appoint one of them leader Date: 21 May 1816 Document no. 220

15 See: Kings I, 8:36, ‫ בה‬-‫ הדרך הטובה אשר ילכו‬-‫( כ' תורם את‬for [You] will teach them the right way in which they will walk) and Chron. II, 6: 27, ‫ הדרך‬-‫כי תורם אל‬ ‫ בה‬-‫הטובה אשר ילכו‬.

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6.5c. ‫( תקנות דק"ק הערציגן בוש‬Takkanot of the kehilah kedushah’s Hertogenbosch)16 with a Dutch translation Date: ‫( יום א' ט' מרחשון תקע"ה לפ"ק‬Sunday, 9 Cheshvan 5575, i.e. 23 October 1814) Inventory no. 6 7.6a. Letter from ‘Commissaire Surveillant de la Synagogue’ (parnas) Godchauer in Luxemburg to ‘la Commission Chargée des affaires Israelites à la Haye’ (Committee for Jewish Affairs in The Hague)17 stating that the community has agreed to keep him in office and that Jonas Lipman and Abraham Cahen are appointed manhigim Date: 9 October 1816 Document no. 463 8.6b. Letter from the kerke professor (synagogue teacher) Moses Hertzdath of Sittard to president Stein in The Hague explaining that the Sittard community is unable to comply with instructions to correspond in Dutch and that they are too small and poor to hire a secretary Date: 30 October 1816 Document no. 505 9.6c. Letter from ha-Katan Hirsch ben Shimeon of ’s Hertogenbosch to the maggidim, katzinim, parnassim and manhigim of the Netherlands about Jews of no fixed abode who have been imprisoned in ’s Hertogenbosch Date: ‫( יום ה' ה' מחנכה תקע"ז‬Thursday, the 5th day of Chanukah 5577, i.e. 19 December 1816) Document no. 611

The takkanot comprise 31 statutes. They were sent for approval to the Committee for Jewish Affairs in The Hague. 17 The term Commissaires Surveillants was introduced under the Consistoire Central in Paris (1810–1813). 16

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145

10.6d. Letter, signed by melamed Avraham Yekutiel Bloch, on behalf of the parnassim of Winschoten community, to the parnas of Groningen community, Yom Tov Katz Date: ‫( לפ"ק יום ד' ו'ו טבת תקע"ז‬Wednesday, 6 Tevet 5577, i.e. 25 December 1816) Document no. 618 Inventory no. 10 11.10a. Letter from Rabbi Aharon Frankforter of Winschoten to parnas Zalman J. van Coevorden in Groningen discussing whether a marriage of a widow was legal according to Jewish law Date: ‫( יום ד' ב' דר"ח טבת תקע"ח לפ"ק‬Wednesday, 2nd of rosh chodesh Tevet 5578, i.e. 10 December 1818) Language: Hebrew and Yiddish Document no. 942 Inventory no. 11 12.11a. Three letters from Rabbi Aharon Frankforter of Winschoten to parnas S.J. van Coevorden in Groningen complaining that his salary was not paid as agreed18 Date: 2 January 1818, ‫( יום ד' ער"ח שבט תקע"ח לפ"ק‬Wednesday, erev rosh chodesh Shevat 5578, i.e. 7 January 1818) and ‫יום ה' א' שבט‬ ‫( תקע"ח לפ"ק‬Thursday, 1 Shevat 5578, i.e. 8 January 1818) Document no. 61 13.11b. Letter from Rabbi Aharon Frankforter of Winschoten to parnas S.J. van Coevorden in Groningen

18 The letters are copied in typescript by Dr Jaap Meyer z”l, with thanks to Prof. Wout van Bekkum, who brought these manuscripts to my attention.

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supra-communal institutions Date: ‫( עש"ק כ"ב שבט תקע"ח לפ"ק‬Erev Shabbat kodesh, 22 Shevat 5578, i.e. 30 January 1818) Document no. 119

Inventory no. 13 14.13a. Letter from Appingedam to the parnassim of Groningen community discussing problems relating to the baking of kosher bread Date: ‫( יום א' כ"ד סיון תקע"ח לפ"ק‬Sunday, 24 Sivan 5578, i.e. 28 June 1818) Document no. 510b 15.13b. Two letters from sofer Avraham Katz of Groningen One letter to the district synagogue council, complaining about problems after marrying the sister of his late wife One letter to president parnas Avraham Hess (?) of Groningen community complaining that he and his wife are barred from the mikveh Date: The first letter is dated: ‫( יום א' א' תמוז תקע"ח לפ"ק‬Sunday, 1 Tammuz 5578, i.e. 5 July 1818); the second letter is dated ‫( יום ד' י"א תמוז תקע"ח לפ"ק‬Wednesday, 11 Tammuz 5578, i.e. 15 July 1818). Document no. 566 16.13c. Two letters: one from Zwolle and one from Smilde about problems concerning the performance of a wedding by Reb Nathan in Smilde Date: The letter from Zwolle is dated ‫יום א' ט' ניסן תקע"ט לפ"ק‬ (Sunday, 9 Nisan 5576, i.e. 7 April 1816); the letter from Smilde is dated ‫( יום ג' דר"ח של פסח‬poss. 3 Nissan [5576] , i.e. 2 April 1816).19 Document no. 600

19 Since Pesach falls on 14 Nissan, two weeks after rosh chodesh, there is clearly a mistake here. The writer may have intended the abbreviation for chol ha-mo’ed, or to signal the month in which Pesach takes place, i.e. Nissan. The latter seems more likely.

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Inventory no. 14 17.14a. Letter from Mordekhai de Lissa of Rotterdam recommending a moreh hora’ah to the parnassim of ’s Hertogenbosch community Date: ‫( יום ד' ה' מרחשון תקע"ט לפ"ק‬Wednesday, 5 Marcheshvan 5579, i.e. 4 November 1819) Document no. 861a Inventory no. 16 18.16a. Letter from E.L. Koster, on behalf of the parnassim of Zaandam to the alufim, parnassim and manhigim of Amsterdam and the state20 Date: 18 April 1819 Document no. 369 Inventory no. 19 19.19a. Two letters from members of an unspecified society in Kampen to the parnassim of Zwolle about problems concerning the appointment of leaders of the society, passed on by the secretary of Zwolle community, S.J. Philipson, to the Central Committee in The Hague Date: 4 and 9 January 1820 Document no. 28 20.19b. Announcement by the parnassim of Amsterdam regarding the appointment of Rabbi Nathan Chaim Mansfeld, Rabbi Jakob Shmuel Steur and Rabbi Aharon Frankforter as moreh hora’ah and dayan in Amsterdam, The Hague and Winschoten respectively Date: 18 January 1820 Document no. 75

20

The letter is part of a dossier of rulings on fees weddings.

148

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Inventory no. 20 21.20a. Letter from Chief Rabbi Bezalel Levi Glogauer of Middelburg to the parnassim of ’s Hertogenbosch asking for a bonus to meet his annual accommodation costs Date: ‫( יום ב' טית סיון תק"פ לפ"ק‬Monday, 9 Sivan 5580, i.e. 22 May 1820) Document no. 348 Inventory no. 21 22.21a. Letter from Pinchas Zelig Goldstik of Eijsden regarding problems about a wedding in Maastricht Date: ‫( יום ה' ג' תמוז תק"פ לפ"ק‬Thursday, 3 Tammuz 5580, i.e. 15 June 1820) Document no. 413 23.21b. Two letters from Nijkerk and Zwolle Letter signed by Mordekhai bar Naftali, Yitzhak ben Shmuel and Mordekhai bar Nathan in Nijkerk, with a question about the shechitah of Reb Itzik.21 Announcement by av beit din Rabbi Naftali Hirsch of Zwolle, to be read out in Steenwijk synagogue, stating that Zusman Altemark is not permitted to work as a mohel Date: The letter from Nijkerk is dated ‫( ג' אב תק"פ‬3 Av 5580, i.e. 14 July 1820). The letter from Zwolle is dated ‫( יום ג' ב' שבט תק"פ לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 2 Shevat 5580, i.e. 18 January 1820). Document no. 453

21

This letter is part of a larger dossier on shochet Itzik (sic) Cohn Vedder.

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149

24.21d. Unsigned letter from a member of Maastricht community to the Central Committee in The Hague about a debt problem with a certain Wijngaard Date: 20 August 1820 Document no. 515 25.21e. ‫( ענטוואורף איינער פערבעססרטע שולע אויף צו ריכטען‬Plan to found an improved school) Date: c. August 1820.22 Document no. 557 Inventory no. 23 26.23a. Letter from Shmuel ben Mons, Shlomo ben Kummer Chaim Segal and Lipman ben Barukh Wiener of Maarssen to the Central Committee in The Hague23 Date: ‫( יום ג' ער"ח אב תק"פ לפ"ק‬Tuesday, erev rosh chodesh Av 5580, i.e. 11 July 1820) Document no. 44 Inventory no. 24 27.24a. Letter from the parnassim of Nijmegen community regarding a Torah scroll that was placed at the disposal of Nijmegen community by the late Eliezer de Beer, the loan of which is now questioned by the family Date: ‫( כ"ד אלול תק"פ לפ"ק‬24 Elul 5580, i.e. 3 September 1820) Document no. 285

22 The plan is part of a dossier about the school in Leeuwarden dated 31 August 1820. It consists of two pages, drafted by the two directors of the school in Leeuwarden, Ch. Feitsma and S. van Messel. 23 The letter from Maarssen is part of a dossier about a controversy between parnas E. Hartogensis of ’s Hertogenbosch and the parnassim of Maarssen, whom Hartogensis accuses of not keeping to an agreement about a lottery.

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Inventory no. 25 28.25a. Letter from parnas Nathan Fortune of Maastricht to the Central Committee in The Hague, informing them of the death of the secretary Gutentag and about problems in the Maastricht community Date: 12 July 1821 Document no. 424 29.25b. Two identical bills from aluf and katzin Lezer Jakob Ficht of Gouda for the funeral of Lezer Philiph De Jong Undated. c. September 1821 Document no. 524 30.25c. Seven copies of a written exchange between Chief Rabbi Samuel Berisch Berenstein of Amsterdam and parnas Kalman bar Menachem Kleib of Amsterdam24 Date: ‫( ט' תמוז תקפ"א לפ"ק‬9 Tammuz 5581, i.e. 9 July 1821). The last dated document is from Chief Rabbi Berenstein, written on ‫( יום א' עש"ק אב תקפ"א לפ"ק‬Sunday, erev rosh chodesh Av 5581, i.e. 29 July 1821). Language: the four documents from Chief Rabbi Berenstein are in Hebrew, the three documents from the parnas are in Yiddish. Document no. 467 Inventory no. 26 31.26a. Letter from parnas Nathan Fortune of Maastricht community regarding a conflict between Chief Rabbi Bezalel Levi Glogauer and the parnassim about Glogauer’s appointment of Goldstikker as shochet in Eijsden

24 The issue is a decision by the chief rabbi that due to shomer Chaim Levi’s negligence during the manufacture, a supply of cheese is unfit for consumption.

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151

Date: 21 August 1821 Document no. 601 Inventory no. 27 32.27a. ‫( טעקלאראציונען אייזען‬Declarations of Eijsden) giving a detailed account of the conflict concerning the appointment of the shochtim Date: ‫( יום ג' ח'ת טבת תקפ"ב לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 8 Tevet 5582, i.e. 1 January 1822) Document no. 12 33.27b. Announcement by the parnassim, signed by president parnas Wolf Moses van Praag and secretary J. Goldsmit of Groningen community to the members of the community about financial problems caused by the takkanot of Kala Chevrah Date: 24 May 1818 Document no. 286 Inventory no. 28 34.28a. Letter from Salomon Levij (sic) Muller, former shamash of Edam ringsijnagoge to parnas Nathan Segal of Amsterdam about the new president (kerkmeester) at Edam, Mozes Fles Date: c. 31 January 1822 Document no. 206 Inventory no. 29 35.29a. Letter from parnas Nathan Fortune of Maastricht community to the Supreme Committee asking advice regarding a siddur containing liturgical changes, received from Germany Date: 27 August 1822 Document no. 506

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36.29b. Letter from parnas Nathan Fortune of Maastricht to the Committee in The Hague, informing them that the parnassim have restored order during synagogue services and that the old Kalman Blumental has been temporarily appointed shochet Date: 9 September 1822 Document no. 517 Inventory no. 32 37.32a. Announcement by the manhigim Levie ben Moshe Blok and Jacob ben Jehudah Levie de Beer to be read out in Harlingen ringsijnagoge, about the collection of tzedakah by the shamash and the order for the reading of the Torah Date: ‫( י' אדר תקפ"ג לפ"ק‬10 Adar 5583, i.e. 10 February 1823) Document no. 284 Inventory no. 37 38.37a. Letter from S.J. van Coevorden, member of the supreme committee of the Groningen region responsible for correspondence, written on behalf of Sara Salomons of Winschoten, whose religious and civil weddings were declared invalid, and was deserted by her husband who is now serving a long sentence in jail Date: 4 July 1824 Document no. 349 39.37b. Letter from Rabbi Chaim ish (sic) Löwenstam of Leeuwarden to S.Z. van Leer about the shochet J.M. de Leeuw in Heerenveen Date: ‫( ט' אדר שני תקפ"ד לפ"ק‬9 Adar II 5584, i.e. 9 March 1824) Document no. 433

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153

Inventory no. 43 40.43a. Letter sent from Harlingen by parnas S. Fries (sic) of Franeker community regarding irregularities in the burial of a man called Keizer Date: ‫( עש"ק פ' שמות תקפ"ו לפ"ק‬Erev Shabbat kodesh of parashat Shemot 5586, i.e. 30 December 1825) Document no. 219 Inventory no. 45 41.45a. Dossier on the suspect wedding of Izaak Lotinga Three letters from Rabbi Aharon Frankforter of Winschoten to S.J. van Coevorden of Groningen regarding the invalid consecration of the wedding of Izaak Lotinga of Winschoten to a widow from Leer, who may be an agunah25 Two letters from Chief Rabbi A. Löwenstam of Emden to S. van Coevorden of Groningen stating that he suspects that the widow is an agunah Twelve appendices written by Chief Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Rozenbach of Groningen comprising copies of letters from the various parties involved in the Lotinga case Date: One letter from Rabbi Aharon Frankforter is undated, the other two are dated ‫( יום ב' ד"י סיון תקפ"ו לפ"ק‬Monday, 14 Sivan 5586, i.e. 19 June 1826) and ‫( יום א' כ' סיון תקפ"ו לפ"ק‬Sunday, 20 Sivan 5586, i.e. 25 June 1826).

25 Rabbi Frankforter was abused by Lotinga and lodged an official complaint with the civil authorities of Winschoten. The letters from Frankforter are part of a larger dossier examining the legitimacy of the wedding, which was also questioned by the Rabbi A. Loewenstam of Emden and Chief Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Rozenbach of Groningen, although the German civil authorities, having found an unidentified body in a canal, felt confident enough to declare the woman a widow. The case is particularly interesting because it shows the connection between civil and religious weddings in rabbinical regions under Dutch and German civil law and because it offers a glimpse of life among Jews who lived on the margins of society and defied rabbinical authority.

154

supra-communal institutions The letters from rabbi A. Löwenstam are dated ‫יום ויו עש"ק כ"ד‬ ‫( ניסן תקפ"ה לפ"ק‬Friday, erev Shabbat kodesh, 24 Nisan 5585, i.e. 15 April 1825) and ‫( י"ח אייר תקפ"ו לפ"ק‬18 Iyar 5586, i.e. 25 May 1826). The appendixes of Chief Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Rozenbach range from ‫( יום ב' א"ח של פסח תקפ"ה לפ"ק‬Monday, isru chag of Pesach 5585, i.e. 12 April 1825) to ‫( כ"ב סיון תקפויו לפ"ק‬22 Sivan 5586, i.e. 27 June 1826). Language: The appendices comprise seven Hebrew documents, one written in Dutch and four in Yiddish. Document no. 430

42.45b. Letter from Rabbi Aharon Frankforter of Winschoten to parnas S.J. Coevorden of Groningen complaining that he was again harassed by members of the Lotinga family Date: ‫( י"א תמוז תקפ"ו לפ"ק‬11 Tammuz 5586, i.e. 16 July 1826) Document no. 506 Inventory no. 46 43.46a. ,‫ יוסף פרופס‬,‫תקנות דק"ק ליידן שנתיסדו ע"י מנהיגי הקהלה‬ ‫ א*מ*ת* ו*י*צ*י*ב* לפ"ק‬,‫( אמשטרדם‬Takkanot of the kehilah kedushah Leiden, ‘she-nityasdu al yedei manhigei ha-kehilah’ [founded by the leaders of the community], Joseph Proops, Amsterdam, emet ve-yatziv 5559, i.e. 1799);26 Two copies of testimonies by Mozes Abraham Deken and Juda Doctor, that Nathan, son of Aron Levie, was accepted as a full member of Leiden community in 1800, with Dutch translation

26 Leiden Jewish community ‘that was founded by the leaders of the community’. The takkanot are included in a dossier about S.A. van Praag, whose enrolment as a member of the community was refused, although he claimed that his father was a founding member of the community. The manhigim denied that Van Praag’s father was even an unregistered member.

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Date: The testimonies are dated ‫יום א' א"ח דשבועות תק"ס לפ"ק‬ (Sunday, isru chag of Shavuot 5560, i.e. 1 June 1800) and ‫ח"ת סיון‬ ‫( תק"ס לפ"ק‬8 Sivan 5560, i.e. 1 June 1800). Document no. 635 Inventory no. 49 44.49a. Hebrew prayer marking the building of a synagogue by Tzvi Hirsch in Luxemburg, with Yiddish translation Date: ‫( יום ה' ב' דר"ח מנחם ת*א*מ*צ*נ*ו* לפ"ק‬Thursday, 2nd of rosh chodesh Menachem [Av], te’amtzenu27 5587, i.e. 26 July 1827) Document no. 418 45.49b. Letter from Marcus Eenas, president (kerkmeester) of Borculo community to S.J. Frankfort, parnas of Deventer community about the acquisition of a new cemetery Date: 21 March 1827 Document no. 454 Inventory no. 50 46.50a. Anonymous letter to the parnassim of Amsterdam’s main synagogue accusing Abraham Shnoukel of holding religious services in his house with a minyan Undated28 Document no. 586 47.50b. Letter from G.K. van Leeuwen, manhig of Almelo to S.J. Frankfort, manhig of Deventer, with a Dutch translation

27 Ps. 89: 22: ‫זרועי תאמצנו‬-‫( אשר ידי תכון עמו אף‬Who my hand will sustain; also my arm will strengthen him). 28 Included in dossier 4 October 1827.

156

supra-communal institutions Date: 19 October 1827 Document no. 660

48.50c. Letter from Shaul Leib and Lezer ben Meir of Ommen to Chief Rabbi Hartog Joshua Hertsveld of Zwolle, about ritual and financial problems involving two deceased sisters Date: 11 December 1827 Document no. 732 Inventory no. 69 49.69a. Letter from Chief Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Rosenbach of Groningen explaining that his response to a request by the Supreme Committee was delayed due to ill health Date: 23 August 5592 (1832) Document no. 598 Inventory no. 70 50.70a. Report with appendix by Chief Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Rosenbach of Groningen explaining that he has barred several shochtim from pursuing their profession because they failed the examination Date: ‫( ג' ניסן תקצ"ב לפ"ק‬3 Nisan 5592, i.e. 3 April 1832) Document no. 794 Inventory no. 74 51.74a. Two copies of letters from Nachum Spiers to his friend Hirsch, about the latter’s son of Moshe Bergen, Andries, who died from cholera at Vlissingen military hospital and was buried there; the father asks for permission to have his son exhumed and reburied at Middelburg’s Jewish cemetery Date: 9 and 10 September 1833 Document no. 616

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Inventory no. 112 52.112a. Fragment in Yiddish in an otherwise Dutch report to the Central Committee by the leaders of Zaandam’s ringsijnagoge Date: 12 February 1840 Document no. 279 Inventory no. 115 53.115a. Letter from Abraham Boers to the teacher Neuwied of Veenhuizen regarding difficulties with a pupil named Levi Undated (1842) No document number, placed between document no. 889 and 890 Criminal Records Rijksarchief Gelderland (Gelderland State Archive), Arnhem Criminal Records of the Courts of Gelre and Zutphen Access no. 0124 1. Criminal record of Hertog or Hertz Esaias Mozes, Heiman or Heineman Isaaks, Levy Jacobs Samuels alias Levy Hertz den Rootkop (Redhead),29 Jews or Smousen30

29 For a further description and analyses of the Roodkop gang see: Mansfeld, R.G., ‘Een Joodse roversbende in Gelderland en Overijssel in de eerste helft van de 18de eeuw’, in Bijdragen en Mededelingen Gelre, LX (1961), 185–208. 30 Smous was a common derogatory term for a Jew in the 18th century. Its origin is not completely clear. The most likely explanation is that it refers to the language and outward appearance of Jews in general and the Yiddish accent in particular: smouzen. See: Y. Kaplan, ‘De Joden in de Republiek tot omstreeks 1750’, in: J.C.H. Blom, R.G. Fuks-Mansfeld, I. Schöffer (eds), Geschiedenis van de Joden in Nederland (Amsterdam 1995), 172 and in the same volume R.G. Fuks-Mansfeld, ‘Verlichting en emancipatie omstreeks 1750–1814’, 180. Hartog Beem in his ‫שארית‬, [sje-eriet] Resten van een Taal. Woordenboekje van het Nederlandse Jiddisch (Amsterdam 1992), 126 mentions the German expression mauscheln for speaking with a Yiddish accent. However, he states that the word smous derived from Mous, the Amsterdam version of Moos (short for Moses).

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supra-communal institutions Inventory no. 4,586 Date: 1726/27 Dossier no. 4 Remarks: The documents written in Yiddish in the dossier consist of five undated notes that contain incriminating evidence. The Roodkop gang were accused of theft, burglary and horrific crimes. They were sentenced to corporal punishment and execution.

2. Criminal record of Meijer Isaaks, Samuel Meijer and Jacob Meijer Inventory no. 4,650 Date: 1775 Dossier no. 12 Remarks: The dossier contains three letters in Yiddish written in pencil by Meijer Isaaks while in prison. The official translator E. Scheidius31 transcribed and translated these into Dutch for the authorities. Meijer Isaaks was found to possess a page of a printed Yiddish book, with the haskamah of Rabbi Naphtali Hirsch of Margraten: ‫עץ חיים דאש איז דאש קעשטליכי ספר קיצור שני‬

‫ א*ת‬. . . ‫ חיים בן צבי הירש‬. . . ‫ נדפס פה פיורדא‬. . . ‫לוחות הברית‬

31 Everhard Scheidius (1742–1794) was professor of Oriental languages at Harderwijk from 1766 to 1793. In his covering letter to his translations he notes that ‘Van het Hoogduitsch, onder de Jooden gebruikelijk & met veele basterdwoorden uit het Hebreeuwsch vermengd, heb ik tot hier toe weinig werk gemaakt gehad & hetzelve altijd als een liefhebberij beschouwd’ (‘Until now, I have not had much work in the High German used among the Jews and mixed with numerous loan words from Hebrew and I always thought of it as a pastime’). Besides translating the letters, Scheidius also examined the material for incriminating evidence. In the same letter he states that he searched the Hebrew book that was sent to him by the authorities for further evidence. He declares that his examination had not been thorough enough ‘om zeker te zijn dat daar niets die materie betreffende, ’t zij met bleeken inckt, of iets anders, tusschen in gekrabbeld of ook gedrukt zij. Ik zal het zeker van letter tot letter doorlezen & dan verder de eer hebben aan Uwedelgestr. mede te remitteren’ (‘to ensure that nothing concerning the matter was scribbled or printed in invisible ink, or anything else. I will certainly read it through, letter by letter after which I shall be privileged to reply to your Honour’). Meijer Isaaks’s letters were also thoroughly examined; Scheidius maintained that particular were erased or omitted.

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‫ה*ע*ת* ה*ברו*כ*ה* לפ"ק‬, et ha-et ha-brukha 5512 (1752).32 Some notes in Yiddish written in pencil on the back of the page have been blotted out. Meijer Isaaks also had a Hebrew book in his possession: ‫ ומבא‬. . . ‫ ספר הליכות עולם‬,‫ה"ר ישועה ב"ר יוסף הלוי‬ ‫ יאן יאנדון‬,‫ אמשטרדם ר*א*ה* זה ח*דש* הוא לפ"ק‬. . . ‫הגמרא‬, re’e ze chadash hu33 5514 (1754). Meijer Isaaks was sentenced to death by hanging for theft and burglary. Samuel Meijer and Jacob Meijer were acquitted. 3. Criminal record of Jacob or Juda Levi Inventory no. 4,655 Date: 1778 Dossier no. 3 Remarks: The dossier contains two letters in Yiddish with translations for the judicial authorities. They were found in Jacob34 Levi’s bag. The first is dated ‫( יום א' י"ז סיון תקל"ז לפ"ק‬Sunday, 17 Sivan 5537, i.e. 22 June 1777). It was written in his place of residence Almelo, addressed to his mother, the widow Mendel Levi, and deals mainly with family matters. The second is dated ‫( יום ג' דר"ח אייר תקל"ח לפ"ק‬3rd day [sic] of rosh chodesh Iyar 5538, i.e. 1 May 1778). It was written in Oldenzaal, and deals with business matters. The two letters were translated by a Christian translator for the scholtamt (sheriff ’s office) in Zutphen. The translator describes the Yiddish as ‘in Hoogduitsch geschreven met Hebreeuwsche letteren’ (‘written in High-German in Hebrew characters’). Jacob Levi was accused of issuing counterfeit money. The evidence, forged guilders, was found in his possesion. Jacob Levi was sentenced to three years in prison.

The book, written by Yeshaya ben Avraham Horvitz, deals with religious ethics according to the kabbalah. 33 See: Eccles. 1:10 ‘Look at that, is it new?’ 34 The letter to his mother discloses that Jakob had a brother called Juda. 32

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4. Criminal record of Benjamin Jacob Inventory no. 4,665 Date: 1784 Dossier no. 7 Remarks: The dossier contains one letter written in Yiddish. It is undated and written by the shmadder Jacob Abbas to Benjamin Jacob. The merchant Benjamin Jacobs of Maarssen was arrested for attempting to poison Jacob Abbas in Zutphen. Benjamin Jacob sold all kinds of merchandise and lottery tickets. The case was dealt with by the scholtambt of Zutphen. 5. Criminal record of Israel Jacobs Inventory no. 4,681 Date: 1792 Dossier no. 6 Remarks: The dossier contains three letters and a list of merchandise written in Yiddish by the peddler Israel Jacobs. E. Scheidius translated these documents for the authorities. The first letter is dated ‫( יום ג' כ' מרחשון תק"נ לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 20 Marcheshvan 5550, i.e. 10 November 1789). It was sent by his brother Aharon and deals with family matters. The other two letters are undated and provide incriminating evidence about Israel Jacobs’s monetary transactions. Jacobs was accused of fraud with tickets for the Generaliteits Lottery. His dossier includes the actual evidence: a leather pouch with the lottery tickets used by the accused. Jacobs was convicted by the Veluwe court and sentenced to severe flogging, four years confinement and banishment from the province for life. 6. Criminal record of Moses Salomon, his wife Sara Davids, Marcus Levy and Dina or Christina Voerster Inventory no. 4,693 Date: 1797

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161

Dossier no. 25 Remarks: The dossier contains 21 letters in Yiddish, written between 1788 and 1796. The contents are diverse. The letters deal with business and family matters. Two are love letters. Some are particularly interesting, since they are written by women. The letters are meticulously translated with explanations for the court. The gang was accused of issuing counterfeit three guilder and one guilder coins. Moses Salomon received severe beatings, while the others had to watch his punishment. He was sentenced to eight years imprisonment. His wife Sara Davids and Marcus Levy each received four years and Dina Voerster one year confinement. All were banned for life from the province after completing their sentence. 7. Criminal record of Salomon Moses or Moijse Inventory no. 4,743 Date: 1805 Dossier no. 18 Remarks: The dossier contains three German poems written in Hebrew letters. Salomon Moses, born in Gulpen near Maastricht, was arrested for spreading counterfeit money. He was sentenced to physical punishment, six years in prison and banishment for life from the province by Nederveluwe court in Heerde. 8. Criminal record of Jacob Salomons Inventory no. 4,760 Date: 1807 Dossier: 17 Remarks: The dossier contains three letters and a list of debts and payments of Jacob Salomons written in Yiddish. The first letter is dated ‫( יום א' י"ז אלול תקס"ו לפ"ק‬Sunday, 17 Elul 5566, i.e. 31 August 1806). It is a request by Jacob Salomons of Winterwijk to his friend David to provide several first class lottery tickets. The second letter is dated ‫יום ג' פ' פקודי תקס"ז לפ"ק‬

162

supra-communal institutions (Tuesday, parashat Pekudei 5567, i.e. 10 March 1807). It is written by Jacob Salomons to ‘Zoodik Coopman te Detechem’ (sic) who expressed his doubts concerning the numbers on the lottery tickets he bought. The third letter is dated ‫יום ב' פ' ויקרא תקס"ז לפ"ק‬ (Monday, parashat Vayikra 5567, i.e. 17 March 1807). It was written by Abraham Eldar of Winterswijk, requesting the release of his friend Jacob. The three letters and the list of debts and payments were translated for the court by E. Schabraeg, official translator in Amsterdam, on 6 May 1807. Jacob Salomons was charged with forging lottery tickets. He made tickets from the ‘Generaliteits nu Bataafsche’ (States General now Batavian) lottery in his own name with his signature. From his dossier it seems that Salomons had many outstanding debts and that he was convinced he had brought shame on his family. He hanged himself in his cell using his own truss on 23 July 1807.35 The case was never resolved.

9. Criminal record of Moses and Isaak Gabriel, and their assistant Levij Israel Inventory no. 4,773 Date: 1809 Dossier no. 33 Remarks: The dossier contains one notebook, eight scraps of paper and one letter written in Yiddish. The letter, dated 17 March 1807, is written by S. Simons, who had contact with Moses ben Gabriel. It concerns lottery tickets. The notebook and scraps of paper all contain numbers and notes with names and sums of money connected to the sale of lottery tickets. The material was found in the home of Moses and Isaak Gabriel. The accused forged lottery tickets of the Koninklijke Hollandsche Loterye (Royal Dutch lottery). Criminal Records: Rijksarchief Zaltbommel (Zaltbommel state archive)

35 His cellmate testified that Jacob Salomons had stopped reciting his prayers a few weeks before he committed suicide and had told him that “God had left him, and now he would leave God”.

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Inventory no. 226 10. Letter from Hartog Levi of (Zalt) Bommel to Corman Elias Gompertz of Amsterdam concerning repayment of a debt36 Date: ‫( יום ו' כ"ח אייר תמ"ח לפ"ק‬Friday, 28 Iyar 5448, i.e. 28 May 1688) Rijksarchief Groningen (Groningen State Archive) Groninger Archieven (Groningen Municipal Archive) Inventory of the Hoge Justitiekamer (‘high court’) in Groningen and other provincial institutions Access no. 136 1a. Unsigned letter from Amsterdam to the merchant David Jakob of Groningen, containing 28 guilders and 4 stuivers, concerning payments to several people, among them a Christian woman;37 b. letter from an unknown person, to be handed to Rabbi Joseph Schilge of Amsterdam, containing compromising details about an informer Inventory no. 2,015 Date: ‫( יום ב' כ"ט אדר ראשון תקי"ו לפ"ק‬Monday, 29 Adar I 5516, i.e. 1 March 1756); the second letter is undated, but given as 30 March 1756 by the translator 2a. Letter written on behalf of Levij Isak of Appingedam to his brother-in-law and sister Salomon Jonas Lazarus and his wife Kene in

36 The letter is part of a dossier relating to a case conducted in 1695 by Cosman Elias Gompertz against Hartogh Levi. The dossier contains a translation of the Yiddish letter for the court. 37 The letter is part of a dossier containing records of the investigation and the lawsuit against Salomon Elias (alias Slaume Reijsiger), Izaak Heijman and Jacob Lopes (alias Kootje de Portugies). Salomon Elias was accused of theft, burglary and violence against the Protestant minister Snook in Grootegast, the murder of his maidservant and theft of money and silverware in the house of a priest in Bussum. Salomon Elias is mentioned as the leader of a gang that consisted of at least 9 Jews when Snook’s house was burgled. The translator of the Yiddish letters in this dossier was J. Israel.

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Embden requesting help;38 b. letter from Merle, the unmarried daughter of Levij Isak’s son, to Eva (Kene), wife of Salomon, requesting that Salomon immediately declare that he rather than Levij Isak signed a bill of exchange Inventory no. 2,178 Date: ‫( יום ה' ה"ה אדר תק"מ לפ"ק‬Thursday, 25 Adar 5580, i.e. 2 March 1780). The second letter is undated, but was translated on 24 June 1780.39 Algemeen Rijksarchief in Den Haag A.R.A. (National Archive in The Hague) Raad van State no. 1,06240 1. Letter from Yitzkhak ben Heshel Segal of Leeuwarden to the widow of Wolf Shochet regarding problems relating to the sale of lottery tickets and the number of blanks among them Date: ‫( יום ו' עש"ק כ"ב כסליו תקל"ג לפ"ק‬Friday, erev Shabbath kodesh, 22 Kislev 5533, i.e. 18 December 1772)

Levij Isak was accused of forging bills of exchange and other fraud. The translator of the letters in Yiddish in this dossier was N.W. Schroeder, professor of Oriental languages at the Academie van Stad en Lande in Groningen. 40 Found under: ‘Ingekomen stukken 1773 May–July’. With thanks to Mr J.W. Hagen, who brought this letter to my attention. 38 39

PART TWO

PRIVATE RECORDS

RABBIS Joshua Aaron Lipschütz Archive of Rabbi Joshua Aharon Lipschütz, rabbi of Middelburg community from 1750 to 17901 Zeeuws Archief (Zeeland archive) Inventory no. 18 1. 18a. Letter from Zalman Cohen of Neustatgenz (?) describing his satisfaction regarding his son’s bride Date: ‫( יום ד' כ"ה תמוז תקכ"ו לפ"ק‬Wednesday, 25 Tammuz 5526, i.e. 2 July 1766) 2. 18b. Letter from Zalman Cohen of Neustatgenz, who received cheese as a gift and again expresses his satisfaction regarding his son’s bride Date: ‫( יום ו' ג' אלול תקכ"ו לפ"ק‬Friday, 3 Elul 5526, i.e. 8 August 1766) 3. 18c. Letter from Nathan Ashkenaz of Amsterdam Date: ‫( ר"ח כסלו תקכ"ח לפ"ק‬Rosh chodesh Kislev 5528, i.e. 22 November 1767) 4. 18d. Letter from Zalman Saltief (?) of Kleve Date: ‫( לפ"ק כ"ז טבת תקל"ב‬27 Tevet 5532, i.e. 3 January 1772) 5. 18e. Letter from Yitzhak Zelkele and Tzadok, sons of Moshe Mordekhai, of Amsterdam asking Rabbi Lipschütz whether he will be

1 The inventory numbers are according to D.A. Felix De Archieven berustend onder het bestuur der Nederlandsch-Israëlitische Hoofdsynagoge te Middelburg (The Hague 1923).

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in Rotterdam or Middelburg during Pesach with regard to a delivery of goods Date: ‫( יום ה' כ"ח אב תקל"ב לפ"ק‬Thursday, 28 Av 5532, i.e. 27 August 1772) 6. 18f. Letter from Yitzhak Zelkele and Tzadok, sons of Moshe Mordekhai, containing a receipt for goods ordered, including bedclothes Date: ‫( עש"ק כ' טבת תקל"ה לפ"ק‬Erev Shabbat kodesh, 20 Tevet 5535, i.e. 23 December 1774) 7. 18g. Letter from Zalman bar Zanwill of Neustatgenz informing Rabbi Lipschütz that Meir ben Jakob has not arrived, but that he will attest to the authorities that Meir ben Jakob is in town to look for a bride Date: ‫( יום ד' ער"ח אדר ראשון תקל"ה לפ"ק‬Wednesday, erev rosh chodesh Adar I 5535, i.e. 1 February 1775) 8. 18h. Letter from Zalman bar Zanwill informing Rabbi Lipschütz that complications have arisen regarding his testimony for Meir ben Jakob since a new landesrichter (county judge) has been appointed Date: ‫( יום ג' כ"א אדר רשון תקל"ה לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 21 Adar I 5535, i.e. 21 February 1775) 9. 18i. Letter from Avraham ben Boas of Amsterdam to Rabbi Lipschütz with a list of names of people between whom a sum of money will be divided Date: ‫( יום ג' ה' אדר שני תקל"ה לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 5 Adar II 5535, i.e. 7 March 1775) 10. 18j. Letter from Ber ben Chaim Glogau of Amsterdam about a shipment of wine for Rabbi Lipschütz Date: ‫( יום ד' ט"ת סיון תקל"ה לפ"ק‬Wednesday, 9 Sivan 5535, i.e. 7 June 1775)

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11. 18k. Letter from Yitzhak bar Issakhar Barends, wine merchant in Amsterdam, about a shipment of wine ordered by Rabbi Lipschütz, stating that Barends will also provide curtains, undershirts and other commodities Date: ‫( יום ב' ב"י תמוז תקל"ה לפ"ק‬Monday, 12 Tammuz 5535, i.e. 15 July 1775) 12. 18l. Letter from Yitzhak bar Issakhar Barends about a shipment of wine for Rabbi Lipschütz Date: ‫( יום ו' עש"ק כ"ז אלול תקל"ה לפ"ק‬Friday, erev Shabbat kodesh, 27 Elul 5535, i.e. 22 September 1775) 13. 18m. Letter from Levi ben Segal Amsterdam about deliveries for Rabbi Lipschütz Date: ‫( יום ג' ט"ת שבת תקל"ה לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 9 Shevat 5535, i.e. 26 January 1779) 14. 18n. Letter from a certain Chaim of Amsterdam sending the rabbi a hat for 14 zahovim (guilders) Date: ‫( יום ד' ח' ניסן תקל"ט לפ"ק‬Wednesday, 8 Nisan 5539, i.e. 24 March 1779) 15. 18o. Letter from Yitzhak bar Issakhar of Amsterdam about a shipment of wine for the rabbi Date: ‫( יום ו' עש"ק ח' אלול תקל"ט לפ"ק‬Friday, erev Shabbat kodesh, 8 Elul 5539, i.e. 20 August 1779) 16. 18p. Letter from Yitzhak bar Issakhar of Amsterdam about a shipment of wine for the rabbi Date: ‫( יום ד' כ"ז אלול תק"מ לפ"ק‬Wednesday, 27 Elul 5540, i.e. 27 September 1780) 17. 18k. Letter from Yitzhak bar Issakhar about a shipment of wine for the rabbi

170

rabbis Date: ‫( יום ה' ט"ז כסליו תקמ"א לפ"ק‬Thursday, 16 Kislev 5541, i.e. 14 December 1781)

18. 18r. Letter from Yitzhak bar Issakhar about the delivery of a case of wine, marked IA and a receipt Date: ‫( יום ג' ר"ח ניסן תקמ"א לפ"ק‬Tuesday, rosh chodesh Nisan 5541, i.e. 27 March 1781) 19. 18s. Letter from Yitzhak bar Issakhar about a shipment of wine for the rabbi Date: ‫( יום ו' עש"ק ה' סיון תקמ"א לפ"ק‬Friday, erev Shabbat kodesh, 5 Sivan 5541, i.e. 1 June 1781) 20. 18t. Letter from Yitzhak bar Issakhar about a shipment of wine for the rabbi Date: ‫( יום ו' עש"ק כ"ט סיון תקמ"א לפ"ק‬Friday, erev Shabbat kodesh, 29 Sivan 5541, i.e. 22 June 1781) 21. 18u.Letter from Yitzhak bar Issakhar about payment and a new shipment of wine for the rabbi Date: ‫( יום ב' כ"ז שבט תקמ"ב לפ"ק‬Monday, 27 Shevat 5542, i.e. 11 February 1782) 22. 18v. Letter from Yitzhak bar Issakhar about the delivery of two cases of wine marked IA for Rabbi Lipschütz Date: ‫( יום ה' כ"ח אדר תקמ"ב לפ"ק‬Thursday, 28 Adar 5542, i.e. 14 March 1782) 23. 18w. Letter from morenu Itzik of Rein, sent from Amsterdam, defending himself against charges of dishonesty Undated. c. 1782

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24. 18x. Letter from Yitzhak bar Issakhar about a shipment of wine for the rabbi Date: ‫( יום ד' ח' כסליו תקנ"ד לפ"ק‬Wednesday, 8 Kislev 5544, i.e. 3 December 1783) 25. 18y. Letter from Yitzhak bar Issakhar about a shipment of wine for the rabbi Date: ‫( יום ד' ג' אב תקמ"ד לפ"ק‬Wednesday, 3 Av 5544, i.e. 21 July 1784) 26. 18z. Letter from Yitzhak bar Issakhar about a shipment of wine for the rabbi Date: ‫( יום ה' כ"ח מרחשון תקמ"ה לפ"ק‬Thursday, 28 Marcheshvan 5545, i.e. 12 November 1784) 27. 18 ia. Receipt for wine supplied by Ber ben Chaim Glogau to Rabbi Lipschütz Date: ‫( יום ב' כ"ז אדר שני תקמ"ו לפ"ק‬Monday, 27 Adar II 5546, i.e. 27 March 1786) 28. 18 ib. Letter from Itzhak bar Issachar to Rabbi Lipschütz about the delivery of two cases of wine Date: ‫( יום ד' י"א סיון תקמ"ו לפ"ק‬Wednesday, 11 Sivan 5546, i.e. 7 June 1786) 29. 18 ic. Letter from the merchant Feis ben Moshe Abraham of Kamerik, near Woerden, to Rabbi Lipschütz Date: ‫( יום ג' ז' אב תקמ"ו לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 7 Av 5546, i.e. 1 August 1786) 30. 18 id. Letter from Ber ben Chaim Glogau about the delivery of a case of wine to Rabbi Lipschütz Date: ‫( יום ג י"א תשרי תקמ"ז לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 11 Tishri 5547, i.e. 3 October 1786)

172

rabbis

31. 18 ie. Letter from Tzvi Hirsch of Paris about his difficulty reaching a financial agreement to pay his debt to Rabbi Lipschütz Date: ‫( יום א' י"ט כסליו תקמ"ז לפ"ק‬Sunday, 19 Kislev 5547, i.e. 19 December 1786) 32. 18 if. Receipt for wine supplied by Ber ben Chaim Glogau to Rabbi Lipschütz Date: ‫( יום ב' ד' אדר תקמ"ט לפ"ק‬Monday, 4 Adar 5549, i.e. 2 March 1789) 33. 18 ig. Receipt for wine from Ber ben Chaim Glogau for Rabbi Lipschütz Date: ‫( יום ג' ר"ח ניסן תקנ"א לפ"ק‬Tuesday, rosh chodesh Nisan 5551, i.e. 5 April 1791) 34. 18 ih. Two letters from Yitzhak bar Issakhar about shipments of wine for Rabbi Lipschütz Undated Inventory no. 19 35. 19a. Debenture of parnas Nathan Cohen to Hirsch ben Simon Date: ‫( יום ג' י"א מרחשון תקל"א לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 11 Marcheshvan 5531, i.e. 30 October 1770) Private Correspondence of Various People Inventory no. 21 36. 21a. Letter from Zalman Cohen of Neustatgenz to Rabbi Joshua Aharon Lipschütz about making a shiddukh, problems relating to the financial aspects of matchmaking and malaria2 This letter probably belongs to Rabbi Joshua Aharon Lipschütz’s dossier in inventory nos. 18 and 19 of the Zeeland archive, as do numbers 38 and 42 below. 2

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173

Date: ‫( יום ג' ה' טבת תקכ"ו לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 5 Tevet 5526, i.e. December 1765) 37. 21b. Letter from Nathan Asher of Rotterdam noting that he is not able to come because his ship is delayed by contrary winds and has not yet arrived Date: ‫( יום ו' עש"ק כ"ז תמוז תקכ"ז לפ"ק‬Friday, erev Shabbat kodesh, 27 Tammuz 5527, i.e. 29 July 1767) 38. 21c. Letter from Shimon Falk of Amsterdam, sent from Kleve, to the merchants Alexander, Lezer and Chaim Israel of Middelburg about the troubles of the av beit din, who needs help Date: ‫( יום ד' כ"ח אדר שני תקל"ב לפ"ק‬Wednesday, 28 Adar II 5532, i.e. 2 April 1772) 39. 21d. Letter from Isack Joseph Cohen of Amsterdam to parnas Elias Levie Content of Middelburg, about a shochet from Middelburg who refuses to be examined by the av beit din of Amsterdam and will only take orders from the parnassim of Middelburg Date: ‫( יום ב' ט"ז כסליו תקמ"ב לפ"ק‬Monday, 16 Kislev 5542, i.e. 3 December 1781) 40. 21e. Letter on behalf of Gitele bat Grosman of Rotterdam to parnas Moses Polak of Middelburg about a financial settlement for the orphan Nathan bar Yoel HaCohen, a case in which the burgomaster Huisman also presses the parnassim to be fair on the orphan Date: ‫( יום א' ט"ו תמוז ישמח י*ש*ר*א*"ל* לפ"ק‬Sunday, 15 Tammuz yismach Yisrael3 5541, i.e. 8 July 1781) 41. 21f. Letter from Zelig ben Moshe on behalf of the av beit din of Amsterdam to parnas Elias Levie Content referring again to the disobedient shochet in Middelburg

3

Ps. 149:2, ‘Israel will rejoice (in its Maker)’.

174

rabbis Date: ‫( יום ו' עש"ק ז"כ כסליו תקמ"ב לפ"ק‬Friday, erev Shabbat kodesh, 27 Kislev 5542, i.e. 14 December 1781)

42. 21g. Letter to Rabbi Joshua Aharon Lipschütz from his brother in Switzerland, who is suffering distress Date: ‫( ר"ח אדר תק"נ לפ"ק‬Rosh chodesh Adar 5550, i.e. 15 February 1790) 43. 21h. Letter from Leentje Israels of Rotterdam to Anna Israels about an authorization to obtain 12 guilders Date: ‫( יום א' תקס"ה‬Sunday 1805) Shlomo Zalman Rozenbach Letter-Book of Shlomo Zalman Rosenbach, Chief Rabbi of Groningen, Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana, Amsterdam Signature: HS Ros 1374 Date: 1822–1842 Language: Hebrew, Yiddish and Dutch Remarks: The letter-book of Shlomo Zalman Rosenbach, chief rabbi from 1824 to 1848, contains copies of 250 letters. It also contains a list of names of Jewish communities in the province of Groningen and names of members of these communities.

4 See: L. Fuks and R.G. Fuks-Mansfeld, Hebrew and Judaic Manuscripts, vol. I, 220, no. 496.

rabbis

175

Jacob Fränkel Archive of Jacob Fränkel, chief rabbi of Zwolle from 1851 to 1882,5 Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana, Amsterdam Box 1 1. Rabbi Jacob Fränkel’s letter-book, January 1848–February 1851 Inventory no. 2 2a. Two letters from Rabbi Jacob Fränkel to Joseph Gottschalk of Zwolle Letter no. 96/50, 113/506 2b. Sixteen letters from Rabbi Jacob Fränkel to parnas Salomon Abraham Jacobs of Zwolle Letter no. 37/49, 53/49, 61/49, 64/50, 67/50, 71/50, 73/50, 75/50, 82/50, 84/50, 100/50, 107/50, 114/50, 115/50, 122/51, 126/51 2c. Letter from Rabbi Jacob Fränkel to Jacob Stibbe of Kampen Letter no. 85/50 2d. Letter from Rabbi Jacob Fränkel to Voss of Zwolle Letter no. 98/50 2. Chief Rabbi Jacob Fränkel’s letter-book, March 1851–December 1852

The inventory numbers are according to L. Giebels, Inventaris van de archieven van Jacob Fraenkel, opperrabbijn van Zwolle en de joodse gemeenschap van Oldenzaal (Amsterdam 1986). 6 The numbers are according to the classification in the letter-book. The second number refers to the date. 5

176

rabbis

Inventory no. 3 3a. Two letters from Jacob Fränkel to parnas Salomon Abraham Jacobs of Zwolle Letter no. 50/51, 72/52 3. Chief Rabbi Jacob Fränkel’s letter-book, 1855–1858 Inventory no. BIII. 1855 a. Letter from Chief Rabbi Jacob Fränkel to the synagogue council (kerkeraad ) of Kampen written in Dutch and German in Hebrew characters Letter no. BIII 395 Date: ‫( יום עש"ק חה"מ פסח תרט"ו לפ"ק‬Erev Shabbat kodesh, chol ha-moed Pesach 5615, i.e. 6 April 1855) b. Halakhic explanation by Chief Rabbi Jacob Fränkel about ritual slaughtering Letter no. BIII 412 Date: 15 May 1855 BV 1857 c. Letter from Chief Rabbi Jacob Fränkel to Salomo Cohen of Delden Letter no. BV 694 Date: ‫( טו"ב שבט )תריז( לפ"ק‬15 Shevat [ Tu b’Shevat] 5617, i.e. 19 February 1857) d. Letter from Chief Rabbi Jacob Fränkel to the synagogue council (kerkeraad ) of Ootmarssen Letter no. BV 713 Date: ‫( יום ד' ער"ח ניסן )תרי"ז( לפ"ק‬Wednesday, rosh chodesh Nisan [5617], i.e. 26 March 1857)

rabbis

177

c. Letter from Chief Rabbi Jacob Fränkel to the synagogue council (kerkeraad ) of Haaksbergen Letter no. BV 727 Date: ‫( יום ב' כ"ה למזל טו"ב ]תרי"ז[ לפ"ק‬Monday le-mazzal tov, 25 (?) [5617], i.e. 1857) Box 3 Incoming correspondence, 1849–18527 4. Inventory no. 56 56a. Letter from S.M. Poppers, official translator in Groningen Date: ‫( ג' אדר תרי"ב לפ"ק‬3 Adar 5612, i.e. 23 February 1852) 5. Inventory no. 57 57a. Unsigned letter to Chief Rabbi Jacob Fränkel encouraging him to resist the lies and slander8 Date: ‫( יום שבת פ' תזריע ת*ו*ר*"ה* לפ"ק‬Shabbat, parashat Tazri’a, Torah [5611], i.e. 6 April 1851) 6. Inventory no. 59 59a. 67 letters from Dr Jacob Fränkel, sent from Żnin (Posen) and Koerlin (Pomerania) to Salomon Abraham Jacobs, president of the synagogue council (kerkeraad ) in Zwolle9 The letters were written from October 1849.

See also inventory no. 74d. Chief Rabbi Fränkel was accused of sympathising with the Reform movement. The NIK rabbinical college refused to confirm his appointment as chief rabbi, but was overruled by the minister of religious affairs. J. Michman ascribes resistance to Chief Rabbi Fränkel to a growing opposition against foreign rabbis. See: Pinkas, p. 612. 9 Dorothea Fränkel-Baer wrote two notes on her husband’s letters to Salomon Avraham Jacobs and his wife Betje Salomons. 7 8

178

rabbis

7. Inventory no. 61 61a. Letter signed Ihr Vorsteher to Dov Philipsthal, rabbi of Birnbaum (Posen) Date: ‫( כ"ג למב"י ב*ר*י*ת* עולם לפ"ק‬23rd le-mispar benei Yisrael, berit olam10 5612, i.e. 27 April 1852) 8. Inventory no. 62 62a. Letter from Rabbi Jacob Aharon Fränkel in Żnin to Salomon Avraham Jacobs about arrangements for his appointment as chief rabbi of Zwolle Date: ‫( יום ו' עש"ק ג' בעומר פסח תרי"א לפ"ק‬Friday, erev Shabbat kodesh, 3rd day of the Omer, Pesach 5611, i.e. 18 April 1851) 9. Inventory no. 71 Outgoing Correspondence of Zwolle Synagogue Council 71a. Letter from the parnassim Salomon Avraham Jacobs, J. Philipson, J.M. Gosschalk and S.J. Philipson in Zwolle to Rabbi Shlomo L. Rapoport in Prague Date: ‫( יום ה' ר"ח ניסן ת*י*ר*"א* לפ"ק‬Thursday, rosh chodesh Nisan, Tira11 5611, i.e. 3 April 1851) 71b. Letter to Rabbi Gabriel Cohen in Samter about the smikhah of Jacob Fränkel Date: 6 March 1851 71c. Letters to the parnassim containing references for Rabbi Jacob Fränkel

10 See Ex. 31:16 ‘to keep the Shabbat among their generations as an eternal covenant’. 11 Deut. 10:20, ‘Fear (the Lord)’.

rabbis

179

Letter from Rabbi Gabriel Cohen Date: ‫( יום ב' פ' ויקהל שנת ת*ו*ר*"ה* לפ"ק‬Monday, parashat Vayakhel of the year Torah 5611, i.e. 24 February 1851) Letter from Rabbi Tzvi Benjamin of Wongrowitz (Posen) Undated. Received by secretary S.J. Philipson on 14 January 1852. Letter from Rabbi Gabriel Cohen of Samter Date: ‫( פסח יום ו' עש"ק פ' תצא תר"ג לפ"ק‬Pesach, Friday, erev Shabbat kodesh, parashat Tetze 5613, i.e. 18 February 1853) Letter from Chief Rabbi Dov Philippsthal of Birnbaum (Posen) Undated Letter to Rabbi Jacob Fränkel Date: ‫( י"ג למב"י אל תיר"א לפ"ק‬13th le-mispar benei Yisrael, al tira12 5611, i.e. 30 April 1851) 71d. Letter from the parnassim to Rabbi Jacob Littauer in Wongrowitz requesting information regarding Rabbi Jacob Fränkel’s honesty and integrity in halakhic matters Date: ‫( יום ה' פ' פקודי תרי"א לפ"ק‬Thursday, parashat Pekudei 5611, i.e. 6 March 1851) 10. Inventory no. 72 Incoming Correspondence of Zwolle Synagogue Council 72a. Letter from Rabbi Jacob Littauer of Wongrowitz to the parnassim of Zwolle community, with Dutch translation Date: ‫( כ"ח אב לרחם ת*ו*ר*"ה* לפ"ק‬28 Av le-Rachem, Torah 5611, i.e. 26 August 1851)

12

See: Numbers 14:9, ‘Do not fear (them)’.

180

rabbis

11. Inventory no. 74 74a. Letter from Gabriel Cohen of Samter to Jacob Fraenkel Date: ‫( יום ג' פ' ויקהל שנת תורה לפ"ק‬Tuesday, parashat Vayakhel of the year 5611, i.e. 25 February 1851) 12. Inventory no. 76 76a. Letter from Rabbi Jacob Littauer of Wongrowitz to the parnassim of Zwolle Date: ‫( כ"ח אב לרחם ת*ו*ר*"ה* לפ"ק‬28 Av le-Rachem, Torah 5611, i.e. 26 August 1851)13 13. Inventory no. 82 (Incoming correspondence) 82a. Letter from J. Weinstein of Deventer to S.A. Jacobs of Zwolle Date: February, 1851 82b. Two letters from Tzvi Hirsch Lehren of Amsterdam to S.A. Jacobs of Zwolle Date: ‫( י"ג ניסן תר"א לפ"ק‬13 Nisan 5611, i.e. 15 April 1851) 82c. Two letters from Zacharias Fränkel, chief rabbi of Dresden to Salomon Avraham Jacobs of Zwolle Date: 9 and 11 January 1852 14. Inventory no. 83 83a. Fourteen letters, one with an appendix to Chief Rabbi Jacob Fränkel Date: 1849–1852

13

The letter, signed by Rabbi Littauer, is a copy of the letter in inventory no. 74.

rabbis

181

15. Inventory no. 85 85a. Letter from Chief Rabbi Zacharias Fränkel of Dresden to Chief Rabbi Jacob Fränkel Date: 15 April 1851 16. Inventory no. 89. Incoming correspondence 1851–1852 89a. Letter with copy from A. Franklin of Berlin to Jacob L. Prins in Arnhem Date: 16 February 5612 (1852) 17. Inventory no. 118 118a. Letter written in Dutch and Yiddish from Jeremia Hillesum, rabbi in Meppel, to N.I. Loonstein, teacher at the Jewish school in Zwolle Undated (c. 1851) 18. Inventory no. 119 119a. Letter written in Dutch and Yiddish from Meir ben Hertz of Almelo to A.L. van Spiegel in Deventer Date: 1 April 1851 19. Inventory no. 127 127a. Letter with illegible signature from Rotterdam to the writer’s father-in-law concerning the Fränkel issue Date: 29 November 1852 20. Inventory no. 129 129a. Letter from Ben Israel, rabbi in Coblenz, to an unknown addressee regarding the actions of Jacob Isaacsohn, chief rabbi of Rotterdam, against Chief Rabbi Fränkel Date: 30 January 1852

182

rabbis

21. Inventory no. 230 Letter from the board of chevrah kaddisha Bikkur Cholim in Zwolle, offering honorary membership of the society to Chief Rabbi Fränkel Undated

COMMERCIAL RECORDS1 Nederlandsch Economisch-Historisch Archief te Amsterdam: NEHA (Archive of Dutch Economic History in Amsterdam) 1. Archive of a Jewish Merchant Inventory no. 1712 Date: (1774)3 Remarks: The archive of this anonymous Jewish merchant contains notes written in Yiddish in a Dutch almanac. All the notes deal with his commercial activities and are written on a blank page opposite the information relating to the month. The almanac is the d’Erven Stichters Comptoir Almanach op het Schrikkel Jaar onses Heeren Jesu Christi, MDCCXXXVI. Voorzien met alle de Jaar, Paarden, Beesten, en Leer-markten. Alsmede de Vacantien, het varen der Trek-schuyten en Beurt-schepen, het Reysen der Posten en Boodens, &c. Nevens de Maens Op en Ondergangh, door Jan Albertsz. van Dam. Cat Amsteldam, bij d’Erfgen: van de Wed: C. Stichter, op het Rockin/op de PaperSteeg/in de Oude Berg Calvarien. The merchant probably started using the practically useful almanac as a notebook shortly after its publication in 1736. 2. Koopmansadministratie en correspondentie van de firma S.A. Cohen, Enschede, 1817–1833 (Commercial administration and correspondence of the firm of S.A. Cohen, Enschede 1817–1833)4

1 Reorganisation work at Arnhem municipal archive during 2000 prevented an examination of the documents in the archive of the firm of Nechamah Maier. 2 The inventory numbers are according to P. Boorsma and J. Lucassen, Gids van de collecties van het Nederlandsch Economisch-Historisch Archief te Amsterdam, Amsterdam, 1992. 3 The year 1774 is indicated in the index. However, the merchant mentions the year 1738 for several of his activities. 4 Most of Salomon Abraham Cohen’s business activities took place in Osnabrück and in the east of the Netherlands. A record of the license ( patentrecht) for 1838/39,

184

commercial records Inventory no. 65 Remarks: The administration comprises a chronological register, written in Dutch, Yiddish and German. It has two loose business letters in Yiddish pinned to its pages. Besides the register, the administration includes four business letters written in Yiddish.

1. Letter from Israel Meijer in Beekbergen to S.A. Cohen Date: 14 August 1831 2. Letter from L. Bendien of Almelo to S.A. Cohen of Enschede Date: 22 March 1832 3. Letter from S.A. Cohen and M. Kohen of Enschede to J. van Coeverden Date: 12 August 1832 4. Letter from A. Krukking of Deventer to S.A. Cohen of Enschede Date: ‫( יום א' חה"מ סוכות תקצ"ב לפ"ק‬Sunday, 1st intermediate day of Sukkot 5592, i.e. 25 September 1831) Streekarchief Regio Eindhoven (Eindhoven Regional Archive) Rechterlijk archief Valkenswaard (Valkenswaard judicial archive) 1. Schultboek van Moses Meijer, wonende tot Valkenswert (Debt-book of Moses Meijer, residing in Valkenswert) Inventory no. 39/8 Date: 1748 to 1792 Remarks: The debt-book, comprising 150 pages, is written mainly in Yiddish. It indicates Moses Meijer’s wide-ranging activities as shows he was a manufacturer and merchant of vinegar and a shopkeeper. In 1830, he gave up his work at the Jewish school since he spent most of his time abroad.

commercial records

185

a merchant, butcher and moneylender to Jews and non-Jews in Brabant, Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht. Moses Meijer also sold lottery tickets. The debt-book is a rich socio-economic source showing the role that an established provincial Jewish merchant could play in his region. The volume contains twelve letters, in Yiddish and Dutch, most admitting having borrowed a sum of money.5 Others B. Ryksarchyf in Fryslân (State Archive in Friesland)

5 See also: Hagen, J.W. ‘Joden in Bladel in de tweede helft van de achttiende eeuw’, in: Jaarboek van de Heemkundige kring ‘Pladella Villa’ Bladel en Netelsel, Part III, (1992), 135–142.

PRIVATE ARCHIVES Nathan Bonnet Booklet of halakhic rulings on shechitah written by Nathan Bonnet6 Inventory no. 327 Date: 1843–1850 Remarks: Inscribed on the cover of the booklet is ‘Nathan Bonnet 1843 1850 te Goes in Zeeland’ and in different ink ‘J.S. Cohen’ (possibly added later). Neither the booklet, nor the author Nathan Bonnet seems to have a connection to Friesland or Leeuwarden. The halakhic rulings are phrased in Yiddish and Yiddish Dutch. One side of the booklet opens with ‘Hielges Schiete Wie viel hielges zijn er?’ The other side starts with ‫ וויא‬:‫הלכות שכחיטה‬ ?‫ פיהל הלכות שחיטה האט מאן‬This combined use of Yiddish and Yiddish Dutch makes it a significant source for linguistic research. Land van Heusden en Altena Streekarchief (Heusden and Altena regional archive) Salomon Avraham Breetbaard Archive of melamed and chazzan Salomon Avraham Breetbaard7 Inventory no. 1916/66. Aanwinsten (acquisitions)

6 The inventory number is according to S. de Haan, Archieven van Joodse instellingen in Friesland 1754–1972 (Leeuwarden 1995). 7 Breetbaard served as melamed and chazzan in Heusden from c. 1850.

private archives

187

1. Letter from Chief Rabbi Jakob Lehmans to the parnassim of Heusden confirming that Salomon Avraham Breetbaard has passed an examination for shechitah under his supervision and may function as shochet and bodek for the next half year Date: 18 August 5612 (1852) 2. Letter from B.O. Izaacs of Zaltbommel to Salomon Avraham Breetbaard requesting confirmation, this time in clearer terms, whether he may serve as ba’al kore or not Date: 3 January 1853 3. Letter from Shmuel ben Chaim Breetbaard to his wife Sarah about the delivery of unspecified merchandise Undated 4. Note in Yiddish on a fragment of an exercise book with Hebrew poems, containing a speech welcoming the visiting Prince of Orange, his wife, the minister of religious affairs, deputies of the province of Overijssel and the burgomaster of Ommen Undated. c. 18408 Gemeentearchief Rotterdam (Rotterdam municipal archive) Efraim Fishel Mak Collection of letters relating to Ephraim Fishel Mak9 Inventory no. 1,104 Date: 1911 to 1942 The letter from Chief Rabbi Jakob Lehmans shows that Salomon Avraham Breetbaard also served Ommen community. 9 The inventory number is according to A.W. van der Woel, Inventaris van de archieven van de Nederlands Israëlitische Gemeente te Rotterdam. 1737–1971 (Rotterdam 1976). 8

188

private archives Remarks: This collection of letters relating to Ephraim Fishel Mak contains c. 30 documents, mainly written in Hebrew, with a few fragments printed in Yiddish. Chazzan Ephraim Fishel Mak was born in Lipno in Poland on 22 March 1893. He and his wife Rachele Linke, born 5 November 1892 in Łeczyca, and their two children were registered in Rotterdam on 1 February 1927. The dossier contains several testimonies from Poland about Mak’s qualifications as a shochet, shochet-bodek and chazzan.10

Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana, Amsterdam Izak Salomon Schwartz and Regina Plaat Archive of Izak Salomon Schwartz (1840–1922) and Regina Plaat (1849–1943) of Oldenzaal11 1. 196. Two letters from Izaak Krukziener of Oldenzaal to Izak Salomon Zwartz and Regina Plaat regarding their wedding, with poems in Yiddish and Hebrew Inventory no. 196 Date: 12‫ תמוז י' ואת בריתי אקים את יצחק לפ"ק‬,'‫( תמוז ט‬9 and 10 Tammuz, ve-et beriti akim et Yitzhak 5638, i.e. 10 and 11 July 1878) Archive of Isaak Krukziener, teacher in Oldenzaal (1817–1889) 2. 211. Letter from I. Brogholten of Ootmarsum to Isaak Krukziener with notes in Dutch on the back from [Izak Salomon Zwartz]

10 The dossiers relating to Ephraim Fischel Mak are accompanied by a brief summary of the documents by Dr J.A. Stellwag. 11 The inventory numbers are according to L. Giebels, Inventaris van de archieven van Jacob Fraenkel, opperrabbijn van Zwolle en de joodse gemeenschap van Oldenzaal (Amsterdam 1986). 12 Gen. 17:21: ‘But my covenant I will establish with Isaac’.

private archives

189

Inventory no. 211 Undated 3. Barmitzvah speech by [Isaak Krukziener] Inventory no. 214 Undated Documents unconnected to Oldenzaal community 4. Rules for Jewish soldiers, comprising 24 rules Inventory no. 215 Undated 7. Speech written by an unknown author celebrating his parents’ 25th wedding anniversary Inventory no. 216 Undated Gemeentearchief Den Haag (The Hague Municipal Archive)13 1. Private liquidation agreement between the parnassim, the poor fund of the Ashkenazi community and the executors of the estate of Abraham and Simon Boas (sons of Tobias Boas)14 Inventory no. 908 Date: 1798, with supplements from 1798 to 1810 Language: Dutch, Hebrew and Yiddish

13 The inventory numbers are according to F.R. Biesta and J. Cahen, Inventaris van de archieven van de Nederlandsch-Israëlitische gemeente. Het Synagogaal resort en Joodse instellingen en personen te Den Haag, (1684) 1694–1944 (The Hague 1991). 14 See also: D.S. van Zuiden, ‘De val van een Haagsch Bankiershuis’, in Die Haghe (1919–1920), 112–126.

190

private archives

2. Private contract, in which Abraham van Daalen declares on behalf of the heirs of Esther Ulman, nee Polak, that they have received their inheritance from the parnassim Inventory no. 909 Date: 1809, with backdated documents (1808–1809) and supplements (1809) Language: Dutch and Yiddish 3. Authorization for a get by Jacob, residing in Stockholm, to his wife Esther, daughter of Mozes, residing in The Hague Inventory no. 591 Date: 1782 Algemeen Rijksarchief in Den Haag (National Archive in The Hague) Asser Family Archive of members of the Asser family, 179715 Access no. 2.21.014 1. Letter to Moses Samuel Asser (1754–1825), from his father-in-law J. Levine16 Date: 12 January 1815 Inventory no. 9

The inventory numbers are according to Bervoets, J.A.A., Inventaris van Archivalia afkomstig van leden van het geslacht Asser. 1797–1913 (’s Gravenhage 1976). 16 The letter belongs to a dossier dealing with the sale of 11/30th of the Berlyn’s Welvaaren plantation in Essequibo to other heirs of the estate. 15

private archives

191

2. Letter from J. Levine of Berlin to Moses Samuel Asser Date: 3 February 1801 Inventory no. 13 3. Letter from Rosa Levine to Moses Samuel Asser, sent from Leipzig, with a passage written by an acquaintance, Herr Marcus17 Inventory no. 13 Date: 27 February s.a. Joods Historisch Museum (Jewish Historical Museum), Amsterdam Mediatheek18 1. Unsigned letter, probably written by Fegele Gutman of Amsterdam, to Hirsh ben Jacob regarding business matters Inventory no. 5,588 Date: ‫( יום ג' כ"ו סיון תקמ"א לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 26 Sivan 5541, i.e. 19 June 1781) 2. Business letter from ha-Katan Leib Frankfort of London to Fegele Gutman of Moddermolensteeg in Amsterdam, with a list of merchandise Date: ‫( עש"ק ט"ו מנחם תקמ"ב לפ"ק‬Erev Shabbat kodesh, 15 Menachem [Av] 5542, i.e. 26 July 1782) 3. Unsigned letter from London to Fegel Gutman and her son Isaac in Amsterdam asking whether she has received the money sent to her Inventory no. 5,586 17 The section written by Asser’s wife Rosa is in German, the section written by Herr Marcus is in German, in Hebrew letters. Rosa’s postscript states ‘Ich wünsche du mögst verstehen was dir Herr Marcus geschrieben, ich nicht’. 18 The Mediatheek at the Jewish Historical Museum also contains material collected by the An-Ski Society, currently being inventoried by Frédérique Hiegentlich.

192

private archives Date: ‫( כ"ב תמוז תקמ"ג לפ"ק‬22 Tammuz 5543, i.e. 22 July 1783)

4. Letter from Hirsh ben Avraham Shlomo of London to his sisterin-law Fegele Gutman in Amsterdam, about his commercial activities in London Inventory no. 5,587 Date: ‫( כ' טבת תקמ"ה לפ"ק‬20 Tevet 5545, i.e. 2 January 1785) 5. ‫( בעקאנטמאכונג‬announcement) Inventory no. 5,142 Date: ‫( יום ג' י"ט סיון תקע"ח לפ"ק‬Tuesday, 19 Sivan 5575, i.e. 27 June 1815) Remarks: The announcement is a printed list of forthcoming books for subscribers produced by Yitzhak Zirndorf in Fürth, printer and publisher of religious literature. 6. Letter from Chief Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Rosenbach of Groningen to H. Sanders in Veendam concerning the marriage of his daughter Merle Inventory no. 5,147 Date: ‫( יום ה' ז' אדר תקצ"ו לפ"ק‬Thursday, 7 Adar 5596, i.e. 25 February 1836) 7. Two notebooks with Dutch-Yiddish words and idiomatic expressions used in the cattle trade Inventory no. 6,919 Date: c. 1916 Remarks: The notebooks are from the east of the Netherlands (Achterhoek). They contain vocabulary lists written with Latin characters. They belonged to G. van Otten, horse trader in Neede and to Jan Dickman. Both bear stamps from Dickman’s son C.A.E. Dickman, Spalstraat 38 in Hengelo.

APPENDIX I12 Jewish Archives in the Netherlands Jewish Community

Archive

pinkas or takkanot

Yiddish

Alphen

Mun. Arch. Amsterdam

–

–

Amersfoort (1874–1889, 1946–1990)

Mun. Arch. Amersfoort.

–

–

Amsterdam (1708–1940)

Mun. Arch. Amsterdam

*

*

Amsterdam P.I.G. (1614–1940)

Mun. Arch. Amsterdam1

Apeldoorn (1893–1970)

Mun. Arch. Apeldoorn

–

*2

Appingedam

Mun. Arch. Amsterdam

*

*

Arnhem (1820–1847, 1912, 1921–1983)

Mun. Arch. Arnhem

–

–

Assen (1870–1980)

State Arch. Drente

–

–

Barnevelt

Mun. Arch. Barnevelt

–

–

Borculo (1860–1970)

State Arch. Gelderland

–

–

Culemborg (1790–1931)

Reg. Arch. ‘Rivierenland’

–

*

Delft (1850–1941, 1940–1962)

Mun. Arch. Delft

–

–

Deventer (1797–1943)

Mun. Arch. Deventer

*

*

Dieren (1881–1952)

Mun. Arch. Rheden

–

–

Dordrecht (1770–1982)

Mun. Arch. Dordrecht

*

*

(continued on next page) 1 Amsterdam municipal archive has the archives or parts of the archives of the following Jewish communities: Alphen, Appingedam, Borculo, The Hague, Den Helder, ’s Hertogenbosch, Hoogeveen, Meerssen, Middelburg, Pekela, Oisterwijk, Oldenzaal, Sneek, Stadskanaal and Zwolle. For a detailed overview see: O. Vlessing, ‘Archiven in Nederland’, ( J. Bethlehem, F. Hiegentlich and F.J., Hoogewoud, eds) Gids voor onderzoek naar de geschiedenis van de joden in Nederland (Amsterdam 2000), 104–126. 2 Two fragments of machzorim, Hebrew/Yiddish dated c. 1830.

194

appendix i

Table (cont.) Jewish Community

Archive

pinkas or takkanot

Yiddish

Edam (1779–1888)

Reg. Arch. ‘Waterland’

*

*

Enkhuizen (1805–1847)

Reg. Arch. ‘Westfriese Gemeenten’/Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana

– *

– *

Enschede (c. 1850–today)

Jewish community of Enschede

–

–

Goes (1802–1911)

Zeeuws Archief

–

–

’s Gravenhage (1694–1944)

Mun. Arch. Den Haag

*

*

Groningen (20th century) Archives of Groningen

–

*

Haarlem (1787–1980)

Reg. Arch. Kennemerland

*

*

’s Hertogenbosch (1790–1985)

Mun. Arch. ’s Hertogenbosch

*

*

Leiden (1758–1943)

Mun. Arch. Leiden

*

*

Leeuwarden (1754–1972)

Ryksarchyf Fryslân

*

*

Maarssen (1750–1923)

Utrechts Archief

*

*

Maastricht (1788–1960, 1973)

Mun. Arch. Maastricht

–

*

Middelburg (1704–1906)

Zeeuws Archief

*

*

Oisterwijk (1764–1892)

Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana

*

*

Oldenzaal (c. 1850–1943) Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana

*

*

Rotterdam (1737–1971)

Mun. Arch. Rotterdam

*

*

Schiedam (1830–1900)

Mun. Arch. Schiedam

*

*

Schoonhoven

Reg. Arch. Krimpenerwaard

–

–

Sittard (1842–1943)

Mun. Arch. Sittard

–

–

Steenwijk (1817–1945)

State Arch. Overijssel

–

–

Utrecht (1789–1965)

Utrechts Archief

–

–

Tiel

Reg. Arch. Rivierenland

–

–

Lekkerkerk (1883–1923)

(continued on next page)

appendix i

195

Table (cont.) Jewish Community

Archive

pinkas or takkanot

Yiddish

Tilburg (1817–1941)

Mun. Arch. Tilburg

–

–

Uithoorn

Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana

*

*

Utrecht (1789–1965)

Utrechts Archief

–

–

Venlo (1891–1973)

Mun. Arch. Venlo

–

–

Wanneperveen (1791–1813)

Mun. Arch. Zwolle

*

*

Winterswijk/Borculo

Jewish com. of Winterswijk

–

–

Zaltbommel (To 1945)

Reg. Arch. Bommelerwaard

–

–

Zierikzee (1858–1920)

Zeeuws Archief

–

*

Zutphen (1821–1967)

Mun. Arch. Zutphen

*

*

Zwolle

Mun. Arch. Amsterdam

–

*

Haarlem

State Archives The Hague

takkanot

Yiddish

’s Hertogenbosch

,,

takkanot

Yiddish

Leiden

,,

takkanot

Yiddish

Norden

”

takkanot

Yiddish

Veenendaal

,,

takkanot

Yiddish

Criminal Records (test) State Archives Arnhem

*

State and Municipal Archives Groningen

*

National Archives The Hague (Raad van State)

*

State Archives Drente Munipal Archives Nijmegen

– –

196

appendix i Private Records RABBIS Yiddish/German in Hebrew letters

Rabbis

Archive

Yiddish

Berenstein family archive (1730–1902)

Mun. Arch. Amsterdam (Utr.Arch.)

*

Joshua Aharon Lipschütz (c. 1750–1790)

Zeeuws Archief

*

Shlomo Zalman Rosenbach (1822–1842)

Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana

*

Jacob Fränkel (1848–1880)

Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana

*

Tobias Tal (1886–1898)

Mun. Arch. The Hague

–

Izak Maarssen (1919–1943)

,,

–

Simon Philip de Vries (1896–1940)

Reg. Arch. Kennemerland

–

J. Levisson (1931–1942)

Mun. Arch. Arnhem

–

Commercial Archive

Yiddish

Regional Archives Eindhoven

*

NEHA Amsterdam

*

Other Margarine factory Benninga BV (1862–1943)

Mun. Arch. Leeuwarden

Jewish School (1941–1943)

Mun. Arch. Leeuwarden

Rulings Jewish organisations

Mun. Arch. Leeuwarden

Culemborgse Matza factory

Reg. Arch. Rivierenland

Butcher’s shop Manasse

Reg. Arch. Rivierenland (continued on next page)

appendix i

197

Table (cont.) Merchants Abraham Kats in Zweelo and Salomon Katz in Beilen (c. 2nd half 19th century)

State Arch. Drente

Firm of Rosenberg in Beilen (1920–1950) State Arch. Drente Textile firms Enschede (c. 2nd half 19th century and the 20th century)

Mun. Arch. Enschede

De Lange family archive

Mun. Arch. Alkmaar

Archives of the lawyer Aaron Prins.

Mun. Arch. Alkmaar

Documentation tombstones Jewish cemetery

Mun. Arch. Alkmaar

Documentation tombstones Jewish cemetery

Mun. Arch. Veenendaal

Documentation Jewish cemetery Tienhoven

Reg. Arch. Vecht en Venen

M. Philpson, secretary, teacher, cantor (1947–1973)

Reg. Arch. Kennemerland

The Corwin archive, (original documents Jewish community Enschede and copies relating or belonging to Jews in Twente and the Jewish community of Oldenzaal, 18th century to 1940) Max Cahen collection

Mun. Arch. ’s Hertogenbosch

Liturgy opening 2nd synagogue Vlaardingen

Lib. of Mun. Arch. Vlaardingen

Archives of Jules Frank, shochet (1910–1940)

Mun. Arch. Amersfoort

Gizzoek Emoenoh society ledger (1917–1923)

Mun. Arch. Amersfoort

Archives of Mr Dr Ir M.M. van Praag.

Mun. Arch. Schiedam.

Katz family archive in Susteren (1859–1920)

Mun. Arch. Sittard

Blijdenstein family archive (1930–1942)

Mun. Arch. Sittard.

Archive of H. Hertog, member of the Central Committee for the Syn. Resort Limburg, and his wife L. Alexander (1659, 1866, 1868, 1899–1970)

Mun. Arch. Maastricht

Documentation tombstones Jewish cemetery Gouda

Reg. Arch. Hollands Midden (continued on next page)

198

appendix i

Table (cont.) Documentation tombstones Jewish cemetery in Zaltbommel

Reg. Arch. Bommelerwaard

Documentation tombstones Jewish cemetery in Oosterhout

Mun. Arch. Breda

Documentation Jewish tombstones Venlo

Mun. Arch. Venlo

Documentation tombstones Jewish cemetery

Mun. Arch. Kampen

Documentation Jewish tombstones Blokzijl, Dalfsen, Elburg, Hasselt, Hattem, Kampen, Meppel, Ommen, Raalte, Steenwijk, Wijhe, Zwartsluis and Zwolle

Mun. Arch. Zwolle

Documentation tombstones Jewish cemetery Zierikzee

Mun. Arch. SchouwenDuiveland

Documentation marriages Amsterdam Jews in Weesp (c. 1880–1920)

Mun. Arch. Weesp

Documentation about Jews living on the island Goeree-Overflakkee

Reg. Mus. Goeree-Overflakkee

Archives of the ‘Goudse Stichting voor Joodse Sociale Arbeid’ (1957–1994)

Reg. Arch. Hollands Midden

Data base ‘Jews in Gouda’

Reg. Arch. Hollands Midden

‘Joodse Ereraad’ (1945–1949)

State Arch. Noord-Holland

Archives of the ‘Stichting Hulp aan Oorlogs-Pleegkinderen (c. 1944–1949, 1966)

State Arch. Noord-Holland

Printed liturgy (partly Hebrew) opening synagogue

Mun. Arch. Hattem

Tanakh with Hebrew annotations, Fam. Stern (1896)

Mun. Arch. Epe

Archives of the Nedermaas (French Archives) (1794–1814) Inventory no. 2,130 Jewish communities of the ‘Departments of the Nedermaas;’ dossiers about Jews, demographic information, change of names by Jews; inv. no. 2,130 (1806–1813).

State Arch. Limburg

(continued on next page)

appendix i

199

Table (cont.) Fragments Medieval Ashkenazi manuscripts Inventaris Rotterdam.

State Arch. Limburg

List of names of members Jewish community for the City Council (election parnassim) Inv. no. 2,303 (1788–1796)

Mun. Arch. Kampen

Requests to the City Council Jewish community Kampen. Inv. no. 2,304 (1793–1807)

Mun. Arch. Kampen

Register rulings City Council concerning the Jewish community. Inv. no. 2,302 (1760–1796)

Mun. Arch. Kampen

Jurisdiction Jewish Nation in Suriname, in: Nat. Arch. The Hague ‘Oud-notarieel Archief ’ (1699–1829). ‘Hoogduits-Joodse Wees- en Boedelkamer, Nat. Arch. The Hague in: Suriname, ‘Onbeheerde Boedels en Wezen (1829–1876) Portuguese Jewish community of Suriname (1677–1906), access no. 1.05.11.19

Nat. Arch. The Hague

Portuguese Jewish community of Curacao, Nat. Arch. The Hague in: Curacao, Old Archives to 1828 (1709–1828)

APPENDIX II Circumcision Registers1 Circumcision registers generally contain: – ‫ תק''ה לפ''ק‬,‫ אמסטרדם‬,‫ ש' פרופס‬,‫ ר' דוד דלידא‬,'‫ספר סוד ה‬, 5505, 1754 – ‫ברכת המזון‬ – '‫ברית ה‬, Yiddish – ‫סימנים‬, Yiddish – The circumcision register, in Hebrew or Dutch Amerfoort municipal archive 1. Mohel book of Abraham Mozes Levits (1773–1838) and his son Mozes Abraham Levits (1802–1875)2 Drente state archive, Assen Meppel

The circumcision registers included in this appendix were discovered accidentally on visits to archives. Apart from the printed sections of circumcision registers described above, and the few instances in which a mohel wrote a remark in Yiddish mohel books are of marginal importance in the search for Yiddish archives in the Netherlands. However, the appendix may encourage new research into circumcision registers, which show how far some of the mohalim travelled, for example. 2 Two original circumcision registers are known to belong to the Amersfoort community: the register of the mohalim Levits and that of Abraham Jacob van Gelder who served as mohel between 1791 and 1808. This register is kept at Amsterdam municipal archive. The two mohel books of Levits and Van Gelder have been published: ‫לתורה‬ ‫ולחופה ולמעשים טובים‬. Amersfoortse Besnijdenisboekjes uit de 18de en 19de eeuw. Uitwerking, vertaling van Briet Milah registers van de Amersfoortse Mohaliem Levits en Van Gelder. Bewerkt door Ze’ev Bar in opdracht van de Nederlands Israëlitische Gemeente Amersfoort (Amersfoort 1992). Utrecht state archive also has translated copies, authorized by the parnassim of Amersfoort, of the following mohalim of Amersfoort: Isaac Auerbach, worked 1753–1792; Wolf Cohen, worked 1789–1811; Jacob van Gelder and Isaac Weijl, worked 1805–1811. 1

appendix ii

201

2. Mohel book of Benjamin Wolf, member of Cohanim Cats family Inventory no. 76 Date: 1794–1821 Remarks: Although this circumcision register is connected to Meppel’s Ashkenazi community, it includes the Portuguese discourse ‘Dedicatora a o Noble Infante’, by Ishac Jahacob Yesurun DaCunha, printed by Daniel Pereyra in the year 5489 (1729). 3. Extract from a circumcision register, translated from Hebrew into Dutch Inventory no. DTOB, no. 15 Date: 1779–1811 Groningen state and municipal archives Oude-Pekela 4. Mohel book of Benjamin Hartogs Inventory no. DTB 655 (Rijksarchief Groningen) Date: 1788–1813 Oude-Pekela 5. Mohel book of Moshe ben Eitzik Inventory no. DTB 656 (Rijksarchief Groningen) Date: 1793–1811 Veendam 6. Mohel book of Rabbi Fissel (Philips, Jacob Goudsmid) Inventory no. DTB 657 (Rijksarchief Groningen) Date: 1741–1779 Remarks: The circumcision register starts in Wildervank.

202

appendix ii

7. Mohel book of Mozes Izak van Coevorden Inventory no. DTB 647 (GA Groningen) Date: 1779–1810 8. Mohel book of Salomon Izak van Coevorden Inventory no. DTB 648 (GA Groningen) Date: 1793–1811 9. Mohel book of Joseph Izak Cohen Inventory no. DTB 649 (GA Groningen) Date: 1781–1798 Remarks: The circumcision register is included in an earlier Proops edition with haskamot by Rabbi Jacob Alyon and Rabbi Yehudah Aryeh Leib. 10. Mohel book of Izak Hartog Kisch Inventory no. DTB 650 (GA Groningen) Date: 1794–1811 11. Mohel book of Lazarus Mozes Inventory no. DTB 651 (GA Groningen) Date: 1789–1811 12. Mohel book of Levie Hartog Pinto Inventory no. DTB 652 (GA Groningen) Date: 1757–1811 Remarks: The circumcision register is included in an earlier Proops edition with the haskamot of Rabbi Jacob Alyon and Rabbi Yehudah Aryeh Leib. The layout of the booklet is of high quality

appendix ii

203

and it has a red leather binding with a crown and angels in gold on the front cover. Ryksarchyf in Fryslân (State archive in Friesland)3 Gorredijk 13. Circumcision register in Hebrew Inventory no. 679 Date: 1771–1797 Remarks: This register only contains lists of circumcisions. Harlingen 14. Mohel book of Yehudah ben Jacob. Harlingen Inventory no. 319, or (copy) DTB 28/348 Date: 1782–1805 Leeuwarden 15. Mohel book of Jozef Moshe Mordekhai Drogischt (1757–1765) and Moshe ben Jozef Drogischt (1782–1828) Inventory no. 2 16. Mohel book of Isaac Levie Segal Inventory no. 1020, or (copy) DTB 28 Date: 1726–1750 Remarks: The circumcision register contains short introduction in Yiddish by the mohel.

3

The inventory numbers of the Ryksarchyf are according to S. de Haan, Inventory etc.

204

appendix ii

17. Mohel book of A. Swart Inventory no. 36 Date: 1837–1847 Maastricht municipal archive4 18. Mohel book of B. Wesley in two parts Inventory no. 296, 297 Date: 1831–1856, 1856–1873 19. Mohel book of S.M. Schepp in two parts Inventory no. 298, 299 Date: 1855–1895, 1895–1909 Nijmegen municipal archive 20. Mohel book of Levi Abrahams (Lodewijk Snitseller), entitled Besnydenis Register van L. Snitseller, Besnyder der Israelitische kinderen van 20 July tot 23 April 1811. Date: 1782–18125 Overijssel state archive, Zwolle Oldenmarkt 21. Mohel book of several mohalim Inventory no. 424, or (copy) DTB 124/2956 Date: (1744) 1786–1813 The inventory numbers are according to C.P.F. Andreas, Inventaris van de Nederlands Israelitische gemeente te Maastricht, 1788–1960, Maastricht, 1983. 5 See also: N.A. Hamers, ‘Een Nijmeegs besnijdenisregistertje’, Gens Nostra -Ons Geslacht- Maandblad der Nederlandse Genealogische Vereniging, 26/12 (1971), 416–25. 6 Inventory number and DTB number according to Overijssel state archive in Zwolle. 4

appendix ii

205

Remarks: The first circumcision register records 13 circumcisions by at least two mohalim, from 1744–1802. The second register is by the mohel Zusman bar Yechiel, 1805–1813, and has an introductory sentence in Yiddish. The third is by the mohel Salomon van Gelde in Oldemarkt, 1805–1813. Ootmarsum 22. Circumcision register Inventory no. 471, or (copy) DTB 124/344 Date: 1779–1811 Remarks: This register contains only six pages of lists. Zwartsluis 23. Mohel book of Israel Salomons Inventory no. 690, or (copy) DTB 124, Zwartsluis 539 Date: 1761–1790

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PLATES

Page of a notebook of a cattletrader in the East of The Netherlands to learn the Yiddish professional jargon used at the cattle market. (c. 1916) Inventory no. 6,919 Mediatheek of the Jewish Historical Museum in Amsterdam.

plates

211

Index of the original twenty-four takanot of the burial society Menachem Avelim (1792), written by Shmuel ben Moshe in a calligraphic hand. Rotterdam, inventory no. 14b. Municipality archive Rotterdam.

212

plates

Letter from the cantor and ritual slaughterer Adam Salomon Franck in Linnich applying for these positions in Maastricht (1825). Maastricht, inventory no. 53; 32a. Municipality archive Maastricht.

plates

213

Response of the chief rabbi Jacob Lehmans to a question of the parnassim if it is allowed to change the location of the bimah (1848). Maastricht, inventory no. 167; file 54b. Municipality archive Maastricht.

214

plates

Letter from the ba’al kore and shamash tzedeka Salomon Hertog to the parnassim of Maastricht with a request that due to this health the teacher will be allowed to lead the Shavuoth service (1860). Maastricht, inventory no. 194; file 68a. Municipality archive Maastricht.

plates

215

Announcement by the parnassim of the Jewish community of Amsterdam following the government instructions of 25 November 1808 concerning vaccination against smallpox. ARA, inventory no. 1. January-February 1809. National Archive in The Hague.

STUDIES IN JEWISH HISTORY AND CULTURE ISSN 1568-5004 1. Helm, J. and Winkelmann, A., Religious Confessions and the Sciences in the Sixteenth Century. 2001. ISBN 978 90 04 12045 7 2. Gotzmann, A., Eigenheit und Einheit Modernisierungsdiskurse des deutschen Judentums der Emanzipationszeit. 2002. ISBN 978 90 04 12371 7 3. Rauschenbach, S., Josef Albo (um 1380–1444): Jüdische Philosophie und christliche Kontroverstheologie in der Frühen Neuzeit. 2002. ISBN 978 90 04 12485 1 4. Wiedebach, H. and Winkelmann, A., Chajim H. Steinthal. Sprachwissenschaftler und Philosoph im 19. Jahrhundert / Chajim H. Steinthal. Linguist and Philosopher in the 19th Century. 2002. ISBN 978 90 04 12645 9 5. Krabbenhoft, K., Abraham Cohen de Herrera: Gate of Heaven. 2002. ISBN 978 90 04 12253 6 6. Morgenstern, M., From Frankfurt to Jerusalem: Isaac Breuer and the History of the Secession Dispute in Modern Jewish Orthodoxy. 2002. ISBN 978 90 04 12838 5 7. Veltri, G. and Winkelmann, A., An der Schwelle zur Moderne: Juden in der Renaissance. 2001. ISBN 978 90 04 12009 9 8. Kasper-Holtkotte, C., Im Westen Neues: Migration und ihre Folgen: deutsche Juden als Pioniere jüdischen Lebens in Belgien, 18./19. Jahrhundert. 2003. ISBN 978 90 04 13109 5 9. Wendehorst, S., The Roman Inquisition, the Index and the Jews: Contexts, Sources and Perspectives. 2004. ISBN 978 90 04 14069 1 10. Wiese, C., Challenging Colonial Discourse: Jewish Studies and Protestant Theology in Wilhelmine Germany. 2005. ISBN 978 90 04 11962 8 11. Veltri, G. and Necker, G., Gottes Sprache in der philologischen Werkstatt: Hebraistik vom 15. bis zum 19. Jahrhundert. 2004. ISBN 978 90 04 14312 8 12. Fraenkel-Goldschmidt, C., The Historical Writings of Joseph of Rosheim: Leader of Jewry in Early Modern Germany. 2006. ISBN 978 90 04 15349 3 13. Wiese, C., Redefining Judaism in an Age of Emancipation: Comparative Perspectives on Samuel Holdheim (1806–1860). 2006. ISBN 978 90 04 15265 6

studies in jewish history and culture 14. Gibbs, R., Hermann Cohen’s Ethics. 2006. ISBN 978 90 04 15318 9 15. Heller, M.J., In Studies in the Making of the Early Hebrew Book. 2007. ISBN 978 90 04 15759 0 16. Salah, A., La République des Lettres: Rabbins, écrivains et médecins juifs en Italie au XVIIIe siècle. 2007. ISBN 978 90 04 15642 5 17. Diemling, M. and Veltri, G., The Jewish Body: Corporeality, Society, and Identity in the Renaissance and Early Modern Period. 2009. ISBN 978 90 04 16718 6 18. Guetta, A. and Itzhaki, M., Studies in Medieval Jewish Poetry: A Message Upon the Garden. 2009. ISBN 978 90 04 16931 9 19. Litt, S., Pinkas, Kahal, and the Mediene: The Records of Dutch Ashkenazi Communities in the Eighteenth Century as Historical Sources. 2008. ISBN 978 90 04 16773 5 20. Gerdmar, A., Roots of Theological Anti-Semitism: German Biblical Interpretation and the Jews, from Herder and Semler to Kittel and Bultmann. 2009. ISBN 978 90 04 16851 0 21. Weinstein, R., Juvenile Sexuality, Kabbalah, and Catholic Reformation in Italy Tiferet Bahurim by Pinhas Barukh ben Pelatiyah Monselice. 2009. ISBN 978 90 04 16757 5 22. Bonfil, R., History and Folklore in a Medieval Jewish Chronicle: The Family Chronicle of A˜ima{az ben Paltiel. 2009. ISBN 978 90 04 17385 9 23. van Luit, T., Mediene Remnants: Yiddish Sources in the Netherlands Outside of Amsterdam. 2009. ISBN 978 90 04 15625 8 24. Ogren, B., Renaissance and Rebirth: Reincarnation in Early Modern Italian Kabbalah. 2009. ISBN 978 90 04 17764 2