Abraham Levy – Man of Mystery and History

Why do I consider that the experience of adversity by Jewish communities is always “only a matter of time”? Unfortunately, because patterns of antisemitism are clearly discernible in the apparent chaos of history. The sporadic use of what has become called the “blood libel” by antisemites is but one example appearing in these patterns.

The first recorded “blood libel” is made concerning a young boy named “William” who has been found dead in Norwich in England in 1132. It is claimed that William had been killed by Jews in order that his Christian blood can be used as an ingredient in unleavened bread ( Matzos) to be eaten by them during Passover. Many in the non-Jewish population swallow the lie and then direct their venom at their Jewish neighbors. William eventually is made a Saint and an otherwise declining church become a pilgrimage destination. This is not to be a singular event in the dim distant past.

The blood libel on the Jewish people spreads to mainland Europe and two claims of this nature are eventually made in Sochachev,  one in 1554 with three falsely excused  Jews being executed and another in  1619 with a falsely accused Jew being burnt at the stake and all Jews barred from living in the town. As ever the blood libel has been spread by the controlling power-hungry to the general populace in the town so as to promote hatred of the Jews.

Sochachev is occupied by the Swedish in 1655 during their invasion of the area. The fighting lasts 5 long years ending with only 15 buildings remaining habitable. Many years pass before any significant commercial activity is re-established in that location.  In 1749 to ensure that this happens King Augustus III of Poland removes the ban and invites Jewish merchants to settle in the town so that the local economy can benefit from the commercial activity this should create. Invitations of this nature regularly feature in the pattern of events leading to adversity for Jewry in the longer term even if initially positive.

Augustus’s strategy succeeds. Businesses established by members of the Jewish community include a  tannery,  a distillery, tailoring,  shoemaking, and trading in agricultural products. The King achieves his objective to such an extent that in 1765 there are  1349 Jews in Sochachev- all paying a special poll tax.  However, Jews can never afford to be complacent.

Rulers over the centuries have exploited Jews when it seemed to be to their advantage. They felt there was no downside to their importing Jews to create prosperity in a particular location. Jews would never represent a threat to the power of the ruler if they become wealthy. In contrast, if the Ruler were to allow Christian merchants to become wealthy they might become a power base that eventually seeks to replace the ruler with one of their number. Rulers know that they can always choose to dispense with their Jewish subjects with impunity.

The very act of dispensing can have more than one benefit The ruler can choose to stoke up antisemitism in the non-Jewish population against wealthy Jews to make himself appear as the good one using any wealth the town’s Jewry have accumulated to create jealousy. No matter if this causes violent attacks against Jews or even programs in which many of them die. When this takes place their wealth can be easily confiscated by the Ruler and his preferred nobles. Many rulers have done just this – imported Jews to create prosperity and later dispensed with them when it was deemed expedient.

The Jewish residents of Sochachev at the time of its prosperity in the last half of the 18th century include the mother of Manes, Hawe Przedecka,  born in 1752 and his father (about whom I have gained only limited information). Hawe’s married family name of Sochaczewska is my evidence that she and her husband were likely born in the town. Hawe had two other family names “Gembinska” and “Urbach” according to information on family births, marriages, and deaths accessed via jri-Poland. It was not unusual when a law came in requiring individuals to adopt a family name usually for the purpose of authoritarian control that the name of their home town would be chosen. His fellow Jews would never call him by his Polish name “Manes”. They would certainly call him Menachem but he may have had other community names.

Life within the Jewish community for a time has achieved a level of stability in Sochachev such that I can relate with reasonable certainty how my ancestors live their lives. They do not work from sunset each Friday for the next  25 hours during which time there are evening, morning and afternoon services held that most men and some women attend. A screen hides the women from the men to avoid distraction

Each workday morning every adult male Jew like Menachem’s father commences his day with a religious ritual which involves attaching black boxes to a wrist and to the head. He later attends a communal morning service before commencing work, another communal service in the afternoon before sunset and later evening communal service. After dinner, he may spend some time studying the Torah and debating aspects with fellow Jews. Over the centuries the Rabbis’ deliberations of the meaning of the Torah include how it applies to all aspects of everyday life.

He prays before and after meals. The food and drink are kosher with certain foods such as pork and shellfish forbidden by reference to the Torah. He is not allowed milk for a time after consuming meat because “you shall not see the baby in the mother’s meat. The length of time he has to wait to consume a dairy product varies in accordance with local custom.

He celebrates the many Jewish festivals each year with special services and rituals during most of which he refrains from work. The “work” one cannot do is not just the exercise of your occupation. It extends far beyond to not cutting, not cooking and more. If I were to go back there in time even though I am in no way as orthodox as my ancestors were, I would recognize most of the prayers and rituals and experience a feeling of continuity.

Everyday life is interrupted by celebrations of those special events in life that are also accompanied by the observance of religious rituals – the birth of children, the circumcision of male babies. the bar mitzvahs (reading of the law of boys reaching manhood after which they assume responsibility for ensuring the future of Judaism. ) and marriages. There are also rituals to be observed relating to mourning the death of family, the comforting of mourners and the remembering of those passed away in previous years. This concern that ancestors will not be forgotten has made much of my research possible.

Menachem’s father and Hawe discuss many matters of concern major and minor with their   Rabbi. They seek advice not only on relationship with the Lord but also on relationships with their fellow men and women, on what foods are permitted to be eaten, on how business should be conducted in accordance with Jewish law, on the education of their children ( they had at least three boys Menachem, Jete, and Hades and one girl Malkie Urbachowa whose family name differed by Polish custom from that of her brothers), and on matters relating to envisaged marriages of their children that they may be actively encouraging. Past rabbis have emphasized that everyday matters of concern to most people should be seriously addressed by Rabbis and their time should not be confined to high-level matters they might otherwise consider the only ones worthy of their attention.