Title

Description

The introduction to the pinkas (communal ledger) was signed on 5 Elul, 5548 [September 7, 1788] by Rabbi Volf Eiger, the rabbi of the Nancy, and the communal officers. It states that the communal ordinances in the pinkas will be established by a committee of five members and will be binding on the entire community. [Image 3]

The pinkas contains a copy of a document kept in the community office signed by the rabbi, the board, and approximately 40 members of the community whereby they accepted upon themselves the decisions of the committee of five regarding the building of the new synagogue and the purchase of land for a Jewish cemetery.  It was signed 5 Elul, 5548 [September 7, 1788]. [Image 5]

On 7 Elul, 5548 [September 9, 1788], Hertz Büscha, who served as the parnas (elected member of the Jewish community) of Metz was appointed head of the community in Nancy. On Wednesday, 10 Elul [September 12], Hertz Büscha accepted the appointment and was honored by the community with ownership of the first seat in the new synagogue. [Images 8-10]

Details of the announcements of the rules and regulations for the fast that the community accepted upon themselves at the dedication of the cemetery. [Images 8-10]

A listing of new members accepted into the community. [Image 10]

On 20 Shvat, 5549 [February 16, 1789], new ordinances that were accepted by the community were recorded [Images 10-13].

On 4 Tamuz, 5549 [June 28, 1789], a Jerusalemite emissary for the Jewish community of Tiberias was given the money collected for the poor of the Land of Israel. [Image 13]

A detailed ordinance regarding the billeting of poor Jews visiting the community. [Image 14]

A listing of the 32 ordinances of the burial society. [Images 14-17]

A listing of the 70 articles relating to the sale of seats and their arrangements in the synagogue and listing of individual charitable obligations, which was signed on 26 Sivan, 5550 [June 8, 1790] by members of the community. [Images 17-24]

A listing of those appointed to community offices.  [Image 24]

A product of a cooperation agreement between the Russian National Library and Touro University’s Project Zikaron in 2019. This pinkas is part of the Günzburg Manuscript Collection at the Russian National Library in Moscow. This overview and the accompanying annotated transcription were made by Rabbi Yitzchok Stroh of Brooklyn, New York, in 2022.

Category

Year of Publication/Creation

1788-1790

Language(s)

Hebrew, Yiddish

Geographic Places

• Nancy, France (read online)