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By Ton Tielen
End of the 16th century Portuguese merchants started to come to Amsterdam to live there. Later it turned out that most of them were conversos. Those first years are shrouded in a fog of legends, some true, some false, most of them with a kernel of truth.
Documentary evidence for an emerging community can be found in the archives of the rulers of Amsterdam and in the Amsterdam notarial archives. Beth Jacob is considered to be the oldest Jewish community, and Neve Salom the second oldest, but we are not completely sure. Rabbi Moses Uri ha-Levy was in Amsterdam from at least 1605. Two synagogues were constructed somewhere between 1602 and 1612.
The community really took off in the years 1614-1616. In the course of just a few years a cemetery was bought, several charities were started - Bikur Holim, Dotar, Terra Santa, Cativos - and the community records of Beth Jacob and Neve Salom begin.
Another pillar of Jewish life started in 1616: a school. The members of the two existing communities got together and founded it in 1616, thus starting what came to be known as Ets Haim, school, library and charity in one.
I published here before the names of those members, based on their signatures under the founding document of Ets Haim. I did that in three installments in 2016 when Ets Haim existed for 400 years.
Here follows the complete and revised list, which I believe comprises all or nearly all of the Jehidim present in 1616. This then is a first census of heads of households of the Jewish Community in Amsterdam. There are a few signatures from persons from Hamburg which shows that they too had an interest in good education.
The numbering in this list is the same as in the images..
A big thank you to Raif Melhado, Michael Waas ans Aron Sterk who deciphered the Hebrew signatures for me.
First page
14 sivan 5376
1 d[ou]tor] Abraham Farar
2 Davi Israel Nunes
3 Habraham de Liao
4 Ishac de Liao
5 Jacob de Liao
6 Abrao Chillao
7 Jacob Chillao
8 Moses Ysarael Dorta
9 Ysaque Salres
10 Izaque Marcos
11 Elayo Beinveniste
12 Joseph Salom
13 David Israel Pena..
14 Abraham Roiz Cazeby
15 … Mizurado
16 … Mizurado
17 ..cob Baruch
18 …
19 David Chillao
20 Jacob Jeuda Leao
21 Josseph Cohen
22 Samuel Jachia d’Anburgo
23 Daniel Abensur
24 por Samuel da Silva d’Anburgo
25 por Joseph Musaphia
26 por Beijamin Musaphia
27 Abraham Pharar
28 Micahel Jehuda Leao
29 David Isrrael Esteves
30 Moseh Abodiente
31 David Yzurun de Veneza
32 Juzua Framses
33 Tobias Namis
34 ..q Israel Alco …
35 [name disappeared]
36 Yosef Pardo - hebrew
37 Benjamin Israel
38 Rohjel Jesurun
39 [Moses] Uri bar Yoseph Halevi - hebrew
40 Eliahu Israel Balverdes
41 por i
42 Yzchack Myllanos
43 Jeosua Abensur
44 Eliau Israel Despinney
45 Abraham Tisry
46 Moseh Peixoto
47 Abraham Cardozo
48 Jacob Salom
49 Samuel Abravanel
50 Rafael Abravanel
51 Rafel Jesurun
55 David Jesoa
56 Aminadab Minz
57 Abrahan Despinosa
58 Ysaque Despinosa
59 Daniel Despinosa
60 Jacob Despinosa
61? …
Second page
1 Yzaque Juda Leao
2 Joseph ben Ysrael
3 Elezar Esurun Lopes
4 Jacob Alcalaim
5 Jeudah de Faro Macabeo
6 Abram Ysrael Rez(?)
7 Abram da Fonsequa
8 Ishac Israel Ruiz
9 Yeremiahu Mazaod
10Tobihau Ysrael Silva
11 Yshaque Levy
12 Jacob Franco de Mes.
13 Ishac Gabay
14 Reuben Israel
15 Salamao Doria
16 Baruk Osoryo e p[or] 17 seu filho
18 David Osorio e p[or] seu sobrinho Abrahan Ebuaf
19 por Samuel de Caceres d’Anburgo Juzef Hazam
20 Abram Hamis
21 Daniel de Campos
22 A[ra]o de Sende
23 Selomo Jeauda Leao
24 verdwenen
25 Josua Jesurun de Haro
26 David Coriel
27 Menaseh ben Ysrael
28 David Jauda Leao o moso
29 Joao Vas Pimentel
30 Juzef Frazao
31 … Abraham Nahar (?)
32 Abraham do Costa
33 Izaque de aCosta
34 Moze Issrael Guimes
35 Efraim Castiel
36 David Naamias Pascalle
37 Salamon Naamyas mi hijo
38 Jeosua Ysrael
39 Izaque Gracom
40 Davi di Juza
41 Josef Jesurum de Veneza
42 David Issrael de Vise(?)
43 Josias Israel Dorta
44 Abraham Jesur[un]
45 Abraham Perigrino
46 o D[outor] David Farar
47 David Zu…
48 Jahacob ….
51Arao Isra[el]
52 David Juda o velho
53 Abraham …(?)
54 Mosse Zacuto
55 Yaco Levi da Costa
56 Joseph Pinto
57 David Baruch
58 Daniell Issrae[l]
59 Rohiel Jesurun [por seu]
[cu]nhado …
60 [h]u f[ilh]o Rohyel Jesu[run] Mordechay de Rohiel
Third page
1 [%E2%80%A6]ah de Luna
2 Mordequay Israel da Costa
3 Mosse a …
4 Eliao Castiel
5 Giduis Vaez Silva
6 Isha de Casseres [?] Mosse de Caseres
7 Daniel Fustiel
8 Mose da Silva
9 Jacob de Caseres
10 Gydeon Abudiente
11 Eliahu Gedalia
12 Ishaq Farhar
13 Rafael Abudiente (?)
14 Eleazar Jezurum Ribeiro
15 Jaeho Fustiel e Daniel
16 Arao Querido
17 Daniel Mexia
18 Jacob Ysrael Belmonte
19 Moseh Coen
20 Shmuel HaCohen - hebrew
21 Davyd Belmonte
22 Chain Yacob de Vitoria
23 Jacob Cohen
24 Yosef Belmonte
25 Arom Castiell
26 Daniel Cohen
27 Beyyamym Belmonte
28 Izaque Israel Toma
29 Abrao Irael Vas da Silva
30 David Pardo
31 David Cohen - hebrew
32 Daniel de Israel da Fonseq
33 Izaque Netto
34 Abraham Israel da Fonsequa
35 Itshac Coem Nara
36 Jacob Nehemias Correa
37 M[o]rdehay Zachuto
38 Davi Espinosa
39 Abraham Cohen de Lara
40 Jacob Montesinos
41 Samuel Gedalliah
42 Mosse Zacuto p[or] meu f[ilh]o Abraham Benzanero
43 Abraham Jesurum Sanchez
44 Por Mosse Montalto e
45 Ishac Montalto
46 [%E2%80%A6] Tobia Livi
47 David de Sem[ue]l …
48 Abraham Israel de Sande
49 Daniel Gezurum del Porte
50 Moze (???)