Illuminated Aleph Bookmark by Jean-Jacques LEVI

OPPENHEIMER family

Most of the information on this page comes from a family tree prepared by Samuel DOKOW of Hemsbach in 1900 based in part on the family tree of Issachar ben Löb OPPENHEIMER of Hoffenheim.

My direct ancestors are in bold. Also see our ascending family tree.

Vögele Bezalel Löb and Rabbi Isak COHEN

Rabbi Isak (Jizchak) (Yitzhak) (KATZ) (Ha-)COHEN (Jacob Elhanan) (d. 30 May 1624 Prague) son of Rabbi Samson (Simson) COHEN first married Lea LOEW daughter of the Maharal of Prague.

Lea LOEW died childless, and Rabbi Isak (Jizchak) (Yitzhak) (KATZ) (Ha-)COHEN remarried Lea LOEW's sister Vögele (Vaigel) Bezalel Löb (LOEW) (d. 28 Jan. 1629 Prague).



Chawa married Rabbi (Abraham) Samuel BACHRACH son of Isak BACHRACH

Chawa (Eva) COHEN (b. 1580 Prague, d. and buried 1651 Sofia on the way to Palestine) was an unusual woman with great knowledge. She married Rabbi Abraham Samuel BACHRACH (b. 1575, d. 26 May 1615 Gernsheim) Rabbi in Worms, son of Isak BACHRACH. (Chawa was Abraham's 2nd wife.)

It was a big honor when Abraham Samuel BACHRACH became Rabbi in Worms around 1606 at such an early age. But in 1615 the Judengasse was plundered and the Jews expelled. He found refuge in Gernsheim. He passed away before he was 40 years old and is buried in Alsbach an der Bergstrasse. His grave is still a venerable place.

His widow Chawa returned to Prague and devoted herself to the education of her only son Simson.



Chavas Yoir

The Joir Chayim BACHRACH was known as the Chavas Yoir, Rabbi of Worms after the book of responsa he wrote. The Chavas Yoir was born 1638 in Leipnik, Moravia as Chajim, and the name Jair was added according to Jewish custom after a several sickness. In 1650, he answered the call to become Rabbi in Worms like his father. He died 1 January 1702 in Worms. (See p. 46, vol. IV of Encyclopedia Judaica 22 Volume Set . He was a follower of Shabtai Zvi, the pseudo-Messiah.)

The Chavas Yoir studied under Rabbi Meschullam Eliesar Sussman Brillin and married (1653 Fulda) his daughter Sarah (Dina Sorle) BRILIN. The family Brillin was a well-known family related to the OPPENHEIMERs.

The lectures of the Chavas Yoir in Frankfurt in 1660 were a sensation. Because of his knowlege he was so widely known that his house became a place of pilgrimage.



Chawa BACHRACH and Juda Löb OPPENHEIM

According to J. Eric FREEDNER Freedner at sbcglobal.net: "The name OPPENHEIMER is one of the most common family names. Already in the 16th century, long before Jews in Germany (early in the 19th century), when they had to adopt family names, the name OPPENHEIMER had such a good reputation that many Jews who were not related to the OPPENHEIMERs took this name.
"The origin of the family is in the city of OPPENHEIM on the Rhine, between Worms and Mainz. Already in the 13th century, there was a Jewish community. Towards the end of the 15th century in the so-called green book in Worms several OPPENHEIMERs are mentioned.
"In the 16th century one finds OPPENHEIMERs in Frankfurt. The first of this name was LOEW OPPENHEIMER who is supposed to have come from OPPENHEIM." Chawa BACHRACH (d. 5 April 1701 Hemsbach or Laudenbach, buried in Hemsbach) married (Worms) Juda Löb OPPENHEIM of Hemsbach (d. 1701 Hemsbach or Laudenbach).

Descendants of Chawa BACHRACH and Juda Löb OPPENHEIM:

Thanks to Mark Steven SCHREINER, Renate McVITTIE Red at McVittie.com, Yael ROZENZWIEG yael_01@hotmail.com, J. Eric FREEDNER Freedner at sbcglobal.net for information on this branch of the family tree.

Daniel E. LOEB, eMail: publisher@pjvoice.com
I read the Philadelphia Jewish Voice