Saphir, Ya’akov (“Even Sapir.”) Gai Chizayon [in praise of Sir Moses and Lady Judith Montefiore upon their arrival to Eretz Israel].

(ISRAEL, LAND OF).

Israel Bak

Jerusalem

1855

First Edition. An uncut copy.

Vinograd, Jerusalem 82; Halevy 53.

Born in Belarus, Jacob Saphir (1822-86) grew up in Jerusalem. Appointed by the community as a Shada’r, his travels took him to Egypt, Yemen, India, Indonesia and Australia. His travels and interactions with the local Jewish communities in those places (especially the Jews of Cochin) are detailed in his work ‘Even Sapir.’ A self-taught scholar, Saphir wrote about Ethiopian Jews, the Kether Aram Tzovah and was among the first Jewish scholars to recognize the importance of the Cairo Genizah. He was also instrumental in disproving the false messiahship of the Yemenite Judah ben Shalom (also known as Shukr Kuhayl II). In this work, Saphir heaps praise upon the Montefiores. He also relates of the munificence of Sir Moses and Gershom Kursheedt for utilizing the funds provided by the American Jewish philanthropist Judah Touro to build a hospital in Jerusalem (pp. 12-15). Touro was born in Newport, Rhode Island in 1775 and died in New Orleans in 1854. He left an enormous legacy of $60,000 to support the indigent residents of Jerusalem. These funds were to be distributed at the discretion of Sir Moses Montefiore and Gershom Kursheedt who were named by Toro as trustees of his estate.