Fascinating 17th Century Codebook for the Hachnassas Kallah Society. Venice, 1690.
Rare,
“Regulations of Society of Levantine Kehillah for Marrying Off Maidens.” The mission of this 17th century Jewish charity society in Venice was to provide a dowry for disadvantaged brides, both members of their community (who were first priority) and brides from other communities in the city.
The Codebook presents strict, detailed rules and regulations regarding the Society’s policies, the rights and liabilities of its members, and policies for electing officers and the decision-making process.
Every year on Pesach, the Society would announce in local synagogues that anyone who wished to submit a request for charity for a disadvantaged bride should submit a form supplying the applicant’s personal details and specifying if she is orphaned of her father, mother or both parents, as well as a form for her fiancé. The list of applicants was printed and reviewed by all Society members, and in a subsequent General Assembly meeting, resolutions were passed regarding the financial assistance dispensed to each bride.
The end of the booklet lists the Society’s new directors and a complete list of members. This codebook was valid for 12 years.
Venice,
1690. 63 [1] page. 22 cm. All text appears both in Hebrew and Italian on parallel columns. Good condition, thick white paper, original wrapper.
Ostensibly published in limited copies.
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