Comunità ebraica di Siena
Item
Country
IT
Name of institution (English)
Archive of the Jewish Community of Siena
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
ita
Contact information: postal address
Vicolo delle Scotte 14, 53100 Siena
Contact information: phone number
0039 0577271345
Contact information: email
sinagoga.siena@coopculture.it
Reference number
Comunità ebraica di Siena
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Jewish community of Siena
Title (official language of the state)
Comunità ebraica di Siena
Language of title
ita
Creator / accumulator
Comunità ebraica di Siena
Date(s)
1702/1984
Language(s)
heb
ita
Extent
191 storage units
Type of material
Textual Material
Scope and content
The Comunità ebraica di Siena fonds comprises documentation produced by the Jewish community of Siena since the early 18th century. The fonds is divided into nine series:
Statuti e regolamenti (statutes and regulations): composed of four units containing documents produced to regulate the daily life of the community, namely: "Registro primo delle Takanot" (regulations, deliberations and laws from 1777 to 1804 (copies from 1637) that mark a sort of break between the oldest community organization and its reformation in 1777); "Legge del Zorké Zibur" (printed booklet from 1778, containing regulations to those who lived even temporarily in the community of Siena); "Copia autentica del Piano Amministrativo dell'Università Israelitica di Siena" (handwritten copy of the Siena Community's regulation of 1814-19); "Statuto e regolamento generale dell'Università israelitica di Siena" (statutes and regulations of the Jewish community of Siena, printed in Siena, All'insegna dell'Ancora, 1890).
Deliberazioni consiliari (Resolutions of the Councils): composed of 42 units, containing the resolutions of the Consiglio maggiore (Major Council) and the Consiglio minore (Minor Council), responsible for administering the community until 1777, and the Consiglio unico (Unique Council), that merged both councils after that year.
Atti dei Massari (deeds of the Massari): composed of three subseries: deliberazioni (deliberations, 3 units, 1777-1811); processi (trials, 1 unit, 1784-1808) and licenze di soggiorno (residence licenses granted to foreign Jews by the Massari, according to the regulation approved by the Grand Duke of Tuscany in 1784; 1 unit, 1784-1802).
Copialettere (copy letters): divided into 3 subseries: copialettere (8 units, 1780-1938); copialettere col Concistoro (copy letters with the Concistoro, 1 unit, 1810-1812); copialettere del Commissario, figura preposta al culto israelitico (copy letters from the Commissioner, in charge to the Jewish cult, 2 units, 1811-1815).
Carteggio ed atti (correspondence and acts): composed of 2 subseries: filze antiche (old files, 6 folders, 1774-1875) and faldoni di inizio novecento (folders of the early 20th century, 22 units containing documents from 1774 to 1960, collected in annual files in the 20th century).
Amministrazione (administration): divided into 9 series relating to the administrative management of the community, namely: entrata e uscita (incomes and expenses, 9 units, 1748-1937); libri di cassa (cash books, 5 units, 1821-1868); debitori e creditori (debtors and creditors, 11 units, 1823-1937); debiti e crediti di singoli verso la comunità (debts and credits of individuals towards the community, 3 units, 1737-1824); conti finanziari e bilanci (financial accounts and balance sheets, 1 unit, 1917-1934); mandati di pagamento (payment orders, 10 units, 1833-1942); gestione dei beni immobili (real estate management, 6 units, 1870-1962); fabbrica del tempio (temple treasury, 1 unit, 1791); gestioni commissariali (commissioner management, 7 units, 1869-1893).
Atti e registri diversi (various deeds and registers): composed of 12 units, containing heterogeneous documents such as wills, credit documents and deeds of old administrations; records of payments to public institutions; inventories of objects; a visitor's signature book, etc.
Beneficenza (charity): divided into 2 series: gestione della beneficenza e delle oblazioni dei membri della Comunità per specifiche finalità o beneficenza generica (management of charities and donations of members of the community for specific purposes or general charity, 5 units, 1828-1960); and registri di stracciafogli, dove le oblazioni venivano annotate dagli addetti alle riscossioni (records in which the donations are noted by the officers, 5 units, 1837-1862).
Statuti, regolamenti e opuscoli vari di vari enti e comunità (Statutes, regulations and other records from various institutions and communities): containing documents unrelated to the community of Siena, including regulations and statutes of diverse Italian Jewish communities, laws of the Italian state, regulations of the Municipality of Siena, etc. Composed of 25 units from 1860 to 1932.
Statuti e regolamenti (statutes and regulations): composed of four units containing documents produced to regulate the daily life of the community, namely: "Registro primo delle Takanot" (regulations, deliberations and laws from 1777 to 1804 (copies from 1637) that mark a sort of break between the oldest community organization and its reformation in 1777); "Legge del Zorké Zibur" (printed booklet from 1778, containing regulations to those who lived even temporarily in the community of Siena); "Copia autentica del Piano Amministrativo dell'Università Israelitica di Siena" (handwritten copy of the Siena Community's regulation of 1814-19); "Statuto e regolamento generale dell'Università israelitica di Siena" (statutes and regulations of the Jewish community of Siena, printed in Siena, All'insegna dell'Ancora, 1890).
Deliberazioni consiliari (Resolutions of the Councils): composed of 42 units, containing the resolutions of the Consiglio maggiore (Major Council) and the Consiglio minore (Minor Council), responsible for administering the community until 1777, and the Consiglio unico (Unique Council), that merged both councils after that year.
Atti dei Massari (deeds of the Massari): composed of three subseries: deliberazioni (deliberations, 3 units, 1777-1811); processi (trials, 1 unit, 1784-1808) and licenze di soggiorno (residence licenses granted to foreign Jews by the Massari, according to the regulation approved by the Grand Duke of Tuscany in 1784; 1 unit, 1784-1802).
Copialettere (copy letters): divided into 3 subseries: copialettere (8 units, 1780-1938); copialettere col Concistoro (copy letters with the Concistoro, 1 unit, 1810-1812); copialettere del Commissario, figura preposta al culto israelitico (copy letters from the Commissioner, in charge to the Jewish cult, 2 units, 1811-1815).
Carteggio ed atti (correspondence and acts): composed of 2 subseries: filze antiche (old files, 6 folders, 1774-1875) and faldoni di inizio novecento (folders of the early 20th century, 22 units containing documents from 1774 to 1960, collected in annual files in the 20th century).
Amministrazione (administration): divided into 9 series relating to the administrative management of the community, namely: entrata e uscita (incomes and expenses, 9 units, 1748-1937); libri di cassa (cash books, 5 units, 1821-1868); debitori e creditori (debtors and creditors, 11 units, 1823-1937); debiti e crediti di singoli verso la comunità (debts and credits of individuals towards the community, 3 units, 1737-1824); conti finanziari e bilanci (financial accounts and balance sheets, 1 unit, 1917-1934); mandati di pagamento (payment orders, 10 units, 1833-1942); gestione dei beni immobili (real estate management, 6 units, 1870-1962); fabbrica del tempio (temple treasury, 1 unit, 1791); gestioni commissariali (commissioner management, 7 units, 1869-1893).
Atti e registri diversi (various deeds and registers): composed of 12 units, containing heterogeneous documents such as wills, credit documents and deeds of old administrations; records of payments to public institutions; inventories of objects; a visitor's signature book, etc.
Beneficenza (charity): divided into 2 series: gestione della beneficenza e delle oblazioni dei membri della Comunità per specifiche finalità o beneficenza generica (management of charities and donations of members of the community for specific purposes or general charity, 5 units, 1828-1960); and registri di stracciafogli, dove le oblazioni venivano annotate dagli addetti alle riscossioni (records in which the donations are noted by the officers, 5 units, 1837-1862).
Statuti, regolamenti e opuscoli vari di vari enti e comunità (Statutes, regulations and other records from various institutions and communities): containing documents unrelated to the community of Siena, including regulations and statutes of diverse Italian Jewish communities, laws of the Italian state, regulations of the Municipality of Siena, etc. Composed of 25 units from 1860 to 1932.
Archival history
The Comunità ebraica di Siena is an original fonds of the archive of the Jewish community. The archive also preserves other eight fonds produced by institutions belonging or related to the community. These are: Associazione donne ebree d'Italia. Sezione di Siena (1 unit, 1927-1958); Circolo giovanile ebraico di Siena (1 unit, 1946-1958); Confraternita Ez Haim (1 unit, 1777-1837); Confraternita Mattir Assurim-Bikur Olim (1 unit, 1720-1807); Confraternita Meorei Aniim (1 unit, 1748-1838); Federazione Sionistica Italiana (sez. di Siena) (1 unit, 1946-1956); HaIim VeHessed VeBikur Holim Shel (2 units, 19th century); Keren Hayesod (sez. di Siena) (1 unit, 1947-1960); Misericordia israelitica (Hesed Veemed) di Siena (44 units, 1765- 20th century).
Administrative / Biographical history
The Jewish community of Siena is one of the oldest in Tuscany. The first documentary evidence of its existence dates back to 1229 and is preserved in the Archivio di Stato di Siena (Statuti di Biccherna, fl. 63). According to this document, the Jewish community of Siena had been organised for a long time. Indeed, its origin probably dates back to the middle of the 12th century, when some Jewish families came to Siena as money lenders. In 1335, the first Jewish bank opened in Siena, starting a business that prospered until the late 17th century.
Initially, the community was composed of Italian Jews. In the aftermath of the late-15th-century expulsions from Spain and Portugal, some Iberian Jews also settled in the city. Ashkenazi Jews also ended up becoming part of the community over time. Besides credit activities, the Jews of Siena also operated in other activities, such as wool and silk weaving, tailoring and medicine.
However, this community would soon be subject to segregation. In 1384, the Sienese Jews were confined in a ghetto behind Piazza del Campo. The ghetto of Siena lasted until 1859. In spite of this, the Sienese Jews enjoyed religious freedom since 1457. Then, a Yeshiva was founded, which made Siena the centre of Jewish studies in central Italy. In the following centuries, the Sienese Jews founded five academies with libraries and their own theatre. In 1786, the construction of the new synagogue in Viccolo delle Scotte was begun. Although the Sienese Jews were recognised as full citizens after the French occupation, their emancipation and the definitive extinction of the ghetto only took place in 1859.
At present, the Jewish community of Siena is composed of a few families and is annexed to the Florentine one.
Initially, the community was composed of Italian Jews. In the aftermath of the late-15th-century expulsions from Spain and Portugal, some Iberian Jews also settled in the city. Ashkenazi Jews also ended up becoming part of the community over time. Besides credit activities, the Jews of Siena also operated in other activities, such as wool and silk weaving, tailoring and medicine.
However, this community would soon be subject to segregation. In 1384, the Sienese Jews were confined in a ghetto behind Piazza del Campo. The ghetto of Siena lasted until 1859. In spite of this, the Sienese Jews enjoyed religious freedom since 1457. Then, a Yeshiva was founded, which made Siena the centre of Jewish studies in central Italy. In the following centuries, the Sienese Jews founded five academies with libraries and their own theatre. In 1786, the construction of the new synagogue in Viccolo delle Scotte was begun. Although the Sienese Jews were recognised as full citizens after the French occupation, their emancipation and the definitive extinction of the ghetto only took place in 1859.
At present, the Jewish community of Siena is composed of a few families and is annexed to the Florentine one.
Access points: locations
Access points: corporate bodies
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
The fonds is divided into 9 series, some of them subdivided into subseries.
Finding aids
"Comunità ebraica di Siena. Inventario dell'archivio". Available for consultation in the archive.
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Carla Vieira, 2022
Linked resources
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| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Archivio della Comunità ebraica di Siena | Collections (official language of the state) |