Chovos-Buch [Financial Ledger of Jewish Merchant of Colmar, Alsace].

(FRENCH JUDAICA)

Colmar

1832-1862

Judeo-German manuscript in cursive Aschkenazic script; smattering of French in cursive script on 204 leaves

The book is an invaluable source of historical information concerning the Jewish community of Colmar, seat of the Chief Rabbinate of the Upper Rhine (Haut-Rhin). One notes with interest several entries concerning I. Dreyfus of Basel. (See f.125 for year 1850, f.129r. for year 1852, and f.130r. for year 1855.) Dreyfusbank of Basel was founded in 1813 by Isaac Dreyfus-Bernheim. The Dreyfus Family originated in Alsace. Provenance: The book formerly belonged to Aron Salomon Levy (c. 1810-1879), an affluent notable and commissaire of Colmar. The Jewish presence in Colmar has been recorded as early as 1278. This first Jewish community of Colmar was forcibly disbanded in 1360. A second community existed from 1385 until 1512, at which time the Jews were once again expelled from the city. From 1512-1791 there was no Jewish community, to speak of. This changed radically with the French Revolution. A synagogue opened between 1795-1800. In 1823, Colmar became the seat of the Israelite Consistory of Haut-Rhin (Upper Alsace). In 1850, a Talmudic academy opened its doors. Between the years 1833 and 1866, the Jewish population doubled from 513 to 1,060 souls