Wednesday, May 27, 2015

1000-year-old ketubah on display

MARRIAGE CONTRACT: Rare 1,000 Yr Old Ketubah on Exhibit in Jerusalem (Hana Levi Julian, The Jewish Press).
A rare, 1000 year old ketubah written in Aramaic in the town of Tzur by the scribe Yosef HaKohen son of Yaakov HaKoen.

An extremely rare 1,000-year-old ketubah inscribed in Aramaic is now on exhibit in the National Library in Jerusalem.

The Jewish marriage contract dates from November 28, 1023 (CE), according to Dr. Yoel Finkelman, curator for the National Library’s Judaica section.

Written by a scribe named in the ketubah as Yosef HaKohen, son of Yaakov, the document was inscribed in what once was the town of Tzur for a couple named Natan HaKohen, son of Shlomo, and Rachel. Both were from Tzefat (Safed.)

The document is especially significant as it provides concrete evidence of a Jewish community in the city of Tzefat (Safed) in the 11th century (CE).

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There is a photo in the article. More on Jewish marriage contracts (ketubot/ketuvot) here and links.