(HAMBURG).

9th Shevat

Hamburg

1664

Manuscript Legal Document: Rohiel Jesurun of Hamburg appoints his only daughter, wife of Haham Mosseh Guidon Abudente, his sole heiress. Signed by three members of the Portuguese-Jewish community of Hamburg: Jacob Curiel, Joseph Abendana and Joseph Frances.

Reuel or Rohiel Jesurun (alias Paulo de Pina) (b. 1580), a resident of Amsterdam, relocated to Hamburg in 1627. A playwright, his religious play Dialogo dos Montes, was performed in Amsterdam in 1624. Having twice married, Jesurun's only surviving child was Sara, wife of Haham Moses Gideon Abudiente (c. 1610-1688) who was a teacher in the Sephardic community of Hamburg and a fervent Sabbatian believer. See M. and R.F. Sárraga, "The Poet Moses Gideon Abudiente and His Family in Amsterdam and Hamburg" Studia Rosenthaliana, 35:2 (2001), pp. 214-240. Each of the signatories was distinguished in his own right: Jacob Curiel (d. 1664) represented the interests of the King of Portugal in Hamburg, Joseph Abendana was a Haham of the Hamburg community and Joseph Frances was a noted poet. See JE, Vol. I, pp. 53, 140; Vol. VI, pp. 191-194; Kayserling, pp. 8,19,47. The Sephardic community of Hamburg, founded by Portuguese Marranos at the beginning of the seventeenth century remained influential up until its destruction following the rise of Nazism