Archivio Storico della Comunità Ebraica di Livorno
Item
Country
IT
Name of institution (English)
Historical Archive of the Jewish Community of Livorno
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
ita
Contact information: postal address
Piazza Benamozegh 1, 57123 Livorno
Contact information: phone number
0039 0586896290
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
comunitaebraica.livorno@gmail.com
Reference number
Archivio della Communità Ebraica di Livorno (ACEL)
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Historical Archive of the Jewish Community of Livorno
Title (official language of the state)
Archivio Storico della Comunità Ebraica di Livorno
Language of title
ita
Creator / accumulator
Comunità Ebraica di Livorno
Date(s)
1597/1896
Language(s)
heb
ita
por
spa
Type of material
Textual Material
Scope and content
The Archivio Storico della Comunità Ebraica di Livorno fonds comprises an extensive collection of documents that testifies to the vital role that the Jewish community played in the social, religious, economic and cultural history of Livorno since the late 16th century. Its records bring to light the lively commercial exchanges carried out by Jewish merchants in Livorno thanks to the privileges granted by the so-called Livorninas, as well as their extensive networks of relations with other European ports, North Africa and the Ottoman Empire. The fonds also shows the cultural vitality of the community through the activity of their numerous yeshivot and other educational and cultural societies related to the congregation. Moreover, the welfare mission of the community is also shown in the numerous documentation produced by its charities.
The most consistent documentation preserved in the Archivio Storico dates from the 18th century. Some of these records are currently available online, namely the following series:
"Copia Lettere": copies of letters sent by the community between 1700 and 1847.
"Delibere di Governo": minutes of the meetings of the community's governing body from 1693 to 1808.
"Delibere dei Massari": records of the resolutions taken by the Massari from 1701 to 1715.
"Elezioni e Uffizi": registers of the elections to the Mahamad and other offices of the Jewish community between 1642 and 1824.
"Filza de Cartas": Correspondence between the Grand Ducal Chancellery and the Massari from 1715 to 1734.
"Nascite": Birth records between 1668 and 1860.
"Sepolture": Death and burial records between 1715 and 1950.
"Ordini, Statuti e Regolamenti": documentation regarding the constitutive acts of the Jewish community, including the edict of 1593 (Livornina), as well as several decrees, edicts, statutes, regulations, etc., from 1645 to 1851.
"Rescritti": files containing petitions, letters and deeds to the central government, between 1597 and 1854.
The digital copies available online also include the 19th-century series of documentation "Emigrazioni" (emigration records from 1824 to 1865) and "Concistoro" (documentation produced during the French domination period, 1810-1813).
However, these records only constitute a small part of the Archivio Storico holdings. Outside this group of digitalised records, there is, for instance, a collection of wills drafted between 1629 and 1713 by the chancellor of the Jewish nation, containing precious documentation on Sephardim in Livorno. Other wills of Jews from Livorno can be found in the Notarile Moderno fonds of the Archivio di Stato di Firenze.
The most consistent documentation preserved in the Archivio Storico dates from the 18th century. Some of these records are currently available online, namely the following series:
"Copia Lettere": copies of letters sent by the community between 1700 and 1847.
"Delibere di Governo": minutes of the meetings of the community's governing body from 1693 to 1808.
"Delibere dei Massari": records of the resolutions taken by the Massari from 1701 to 1715.
"Elezioni e Uffizi": registers of the elections to the Mahamad and other offices of the Jewish community between 1642 and 1824.
"Filza de Cartas": Correspondence between the Grand Ducal Chancellery and the Massari from 1715 to 1734.
"Nascite": Birth records between 1668 and 1860.
"Sepolture": Death and burial records between 1715 and 1950.
"Ordini, Statuti e Regolamenti": documentation regarding the constitutive acts of the Jewish community, including the edict of 1593 (Livornina), as well as several decrees, edicts, statutes, regulations, etc., from 1645 to 1851.
"Rescritti": files containing petitions, letters and deeds to the central government, between 1597 and 1854.
The digital copies available online also include the 19th-century series of documentation "Emigrazioni" (emigration records from 1824 to 1865) and "Concistoro" (documentation produced during the French domination period, 1810-1813).
However, these records only constitute a small part of the Archivio Storico holdings. Outside this group of digitalised records, there is, for instance, a collection of wills drafted between 1629 and 1713 by the chancellor of the Jewish nation, containing precious documentation on Sephardim in Livorno. Other wills of Jews from Livorno can be found in the Notarile Moderno fonds of the Archivio di Stato di Firenze.
Archival history
The Archivio Storico della Comunità Ebraica di Livorno was still without a significant intervention until the present century. The project "Un tesoro disvelato" (2010-2016), dedicated to the preservation of the Jewish cultural heritage of Livorno, called attention to the invaluable documentary collection of the Jewish community. It encouraged a complete revision of the cataloguing and description of this collection, with the identification of its series and sub-series, the periodisation of the preserved documents and the detection of chronological gaps, the reconstruction of the original ordering system, and the production of finding aids. This work was developed by using digital technologies. Initially, the digital archive was only available for consultation on the archive room's computers. Later, this data was transferred to the Sistema documentario Provinciale di Livorno, which already hosted data of other city archives, by using the SABINA SOL software to make it available online.
In 2016, the Jewish community of Livorno began a digitisation project of a first group of records (43 storage units, belonging to 11 series, for a total number of 20,153 images), which are now available on the Archivio Storico della Comunità Ebraica di Livorno website. They comprise some archival series considered most relevant from the "Sezione antica" (old section), including documents from 1644 to 1896.
In 2016, the Jewish community of Livorno began a digitisation project of a first group of records (43 storage units, belonging to 11 series, for a total number of 20,153 images), which are now available on the Archivio Storico della Comunità Ebraica di Livorno website. They comprise some archival series considered most relevant from the "Sezione antica" (old section), including documents from 1644 to 1896.
Administrative / Biographical history
The origins of the Jewish community of Livorno dates back to the 1580s, when Jews from the Ottoman Empire and Iberian exiles settled in the city. Its growth followed Grand Duke Ferdinando I's policy to encourage the establishment of foreign merchants in Livorno by guaranteeing them full rights and privileges. Attracted by the opportunities opened by the so-called "Livorninas" (1591 and 1593), many Jewish merchants settled in Livorno, and the Jewish community of Pisa founded a branch in the city. Soon after, in 1597, the Jewish community of Livorno became independent from Pisa and built its own synagogue in 1603.
Livorno became the home of a numerous and influential community of Jewish merchants, who developed their activity through vast and complex networks that connected the Mediterranean with the Atlantic and Asian ports.
The administration of the community was entrusted to a council of five members, the "Capi" or "Massari", who were elected annually amongst the most prominent and well-succeeded merchants. In addition to the Massari, a council of twelve deputies was created in 1667. Their position was for life. The administrative bodies of the congregation also included a council of 40 citizens divided into three commissions from whom the Massari were elected. In 1693, a great board composed of 60 members was created. Later, in 1715, the Grand Duke appointed three members of this great council as censors. They exercised this position for two years and were assigned to examine the community's books and supervise its expenses.
The 18th century became the economic and cultural golden age of the Livorno Jewish community. The several yeshivot established in the city promoted the diffusion of Jewish culture, in particular the Talmud Torah, founded in 1676.
In 1780, the municipality of Livorno received its constitution, which declared that Jews were eligible to the municipal council but excluded from the magistracy. However, they had the right to send a deputy to the magistracy, who took part in the government of the city. During the French domination, this privilege and others given to the Jewish community were revoked. However, they ended up being restored in 1816. In 1845, Jews became eligible for all municipal offices.
The decline of the city's commerce during the 19th century led to the emigration of several Jews. In the early 20th century, there were about 3,000 Jews in Livorno. In the past, the community had reached near 10,000 people at various times.
Livorno became the home of a numerous and influential community of Jewish merchants, who developed their activity through vast and complex networks that connected the Mediterranean with the Atlantic and Asian ports.
The administration of the community was entrusted to a council of five members, the "Capi" or "Massari", who were elected annually amongst the most prominent and well-succeeded merchants. In addition to the Massari, a council of twelve deputies was created in 1667. Their position was for life. The administrative bodies of the congregation also included a council of 40 citizens divided into three commissions from whom the Massari were elected. In 1693, a great board composed of 60 members was created. Later, in 1715, the Grand Duke appointed three members of this great council as censors. They exercised this position for two years and were assigned to examine the community's books and supervise its expenses.
The 18th century became the economic and cultural golden age of the Livorno Jewish community. The several yeshivot established in the city promoted the diffusion of Jewish culture, in particular the Talmud Torah, founded in 1676.
In 1780, the municipality of Livorno received its constitution, which declared that Jews were eligible to the municipal council but excluded from the magistracy. However, they had the right to send a deputy to the magistracy, who took part in the government of the city. During the French domination, this privilege and others given to the Jewish community were revoked. However, they ended up being restored in 1816. In 1845, Jews became eligible for all municipal offices.
The decline of the city's commerce during the 19th century led to the emigration of several Jews. In the early 20th century, there were about 3,000 Jews in Livorno. In the past, the community had reached near 10,000 people at various times.
Access points: locations
Access points: corporate bodies
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Carla Vieira, 2021
Bibliography
Published primary sources
Linked resources
Filter by property
| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Archivio di Stato di Firenze | Collections (official language of the state) | |
| Archivio Storico della Comunità Ebraica di Livorno | Collections (official language of the state) |