Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will recount it to thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee. (Deuteronomy 32:7)
This organization shall be known as HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF JEWS FROM EGYPT, and not of Egypt or of Egyptian Jews, but FROM EGYPT
Hacham Yomtob Yisrael
By: Rabbi Jack Savdie
Hacham Yomtob Yisrael ZS"L was born in
(Jerusalem) Yerushalayim in 1821. In 1847 his father-Hacham Eliyahu Yisrael was appointed Chief Rabbi of Egypt, and the family moved to Cairo.
After the death of his father in 1866, Hacham Yomtob took his place. He served the kehilla faithfully for 17 years until he returned to Yerushalayim in 1883.
In 1890 he made a special trip to Cairo to appoint his successor as Chief Rabbi- Hacham Refael Aharon ben Shimon.
Shortly after he returned to Yerushalayim he passed away on 13 AB 1891. Works: He composed a very important sefer outlining the age-old customs of Egyptian Jewry entitled 'Minhage Misrayim'. Hacham Refael Aharon ben Shimon built on this book when he composed his comprehensive sefer on Egyptian customs entitled 'Nehar Misrayim'.
