Albany
THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA
Albertus Magnus
11, IHOO, and. Imvinfr sovcntyscvpn nicmThis coiifircgiilkm iippointfil liijii ils nil)l)i. purclmst'il a pioic cif i>ro|HTt_v i>ii Smitli I'carl strict, formerly used as ii eliunli, and coiivciied it into a synagogue. Dr. Wise continued here until April I'W. 1854. when he accepted the jiosition of rabbi of the line Yesliurun Congrcgulion at Ciiieinnati, O. It was (luring his last year at Albany that Wise
Ortobor lifis.
published the tirst voluine of "The History of the Israelilish Nation from Abraham to he I'nsmt Time. Derived from the Original Sources." He was sue cceded bv the Uev. Elkau C'ohu. who remained until In 18C4 the 1863, and was followed by Dr. Jlyer. Rev. Jlax Schlesiuger succeeded the latter. With Dr. Schlesinger as iis rabbi the Anshe Emelli Congregation continued until 1880, when it consolidated with that of Beth-Kl, the united congregation being named Hie Beth Kmelli. This merging of the two congregations necessilating a larger place of worship, a handsome synagfigue. costing S14").U()0, was built at the corner of Lancaster and Swau streets, and it was dedicated on May 24, 1889. The members of the old Heth-El Congregation who would not follow Dr. Wise, nor adopt the reforms advocated by him, remained in IlerUimer street until 180.1, when they built a .synagogue at the corner of South Fi'rryand Franklin streets. There they continued until 188o, when they joined with the Anshe Emeth Congregation as stated above. During that time their religious services were conducted by Kevs. S. Falk, Gotthold. 11. Birkenthal. Son, and Friedman. The principal charitable societies of the Jewish community of Albany aie: The Hebrew Benevolent Society, a general charity, organized September 20, 185.5, and incorporated April 5. 1809; two clicrnin. or societies one for men and the other for women being nuitual aid associations, givEleemosy- ing aid in cases of sickness and death nary In- the J^adies' Sewing Society also a stitutions. general charity; the Jewisli Home, having a permanent fund, and caring mainly for the aged poor by p.-iying their board in faiuilies whose ciieumstances are such that they also need aid, thus helping both the Albany Branch of I
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the Alliance Israelite I'niverselle, established in 180,5; the local branch of the C'otuicil of Jewish Women, which raised a fund to be devoted to defraying the expenses of establishing and maintaining a school for the education and training of children. Although in the Jewish conuuunit}' of Albany merchants ])redominate, a great many persons are engaged in the manufacture of anilin dyes, potash, and clothing. In the legal and medicd professions the Jewish community of Albany has had many distinguished representatives. Joseph Lewi practised medicine for many years in the city, and exerted a wide influence in the comnumity. The population of Albany (lODU) is about 100,000, of of 4.000 are Jews.
which upward G.
II.
C.
ALBARGELONI, ABRAHAMBEN HI YYA. See Ani;AU ANT r.KN llivi
.
ALBARGELONI, ISAAC BEN REUBEN.
See Isaac iu;n
I{i;i iii;N.
ALBARGELONI, JTJDAH BEN BARZILAI.
See Juu.ii bex Bauzh.ai.
ALBAS, MOSES BEN MAIMON
Cabalist of the sixteenth centiry lived in northwest Africa, lie was the author of the cabalistic work "llekal ha-Kodesh " (The Holy Temi)le). which he began in 1575. It is a commentary on the prayer-book, compiled from the Zohar and other cabalistic works, and was published with an introduction by Jacob Sasportas, in 1653, at Amsterdam. 31. K.
322
ALBAS, SAMTTEL:
Habbi
at
Fez; born
lfi!)T;
died 17411 He was well read in the Talnuid and in rabbinical literatiu'e. and was highly esteemeil by Hayyim ibn Atar and other of his contemporaries. He composed novella' on the treatise 'Abochih Zarall of the Babjdonian Talmud, which still exist in luuuuscript.
UiULXxiKAI'nv: Azului,
Shcm
/i(i-(i'c(l»Iini,
11.
No.
fiS.
JL
AL-BATALJUSI.
ALBELDA( formerly
IC.
S(c Batat,.iisi, Al-.
Albeilda)
Castile, in the vicinity of Logrofio,
A town of Old which was in-
habited by Jews as early as the eleventh (entury. The Jewish congregation there was subject to the authority of the bishop of Calahorra, and by order of Alfonso X. il jiaid taxes either to the bishop or to the chajitcr. In the thirleenlh century the conirregation, consisting of thirty-live families, was obliged to deliver to the chajiter thirteen hens three days before each Ash Wednesday; and to the bishop, whenever he vi.sited the city, a sullicient (|uanlily of linen for himself and his suite. The clia]iter, to whom belonged all tines imposed upon the Jews, occasionally had them imprisoned. The Jewish congregation of Albelda. togellier with that of Alfaeel. was obliged to pay an anniud lax of 11.04M silver maraveilis. Several Jewish scholars bore the name of Albelda. BiBi.rocRAiMiv liiiXelin delaReaX Academiade laHMitria,
xxvitl. 4SU ct SCO.
M. K.
ALBELDA
(sometimes
erroneously written Albilda and Albeylda), A Bible commentator (died 1.54!)) who took his name from the town of Albelda, whence it is thought he or his ancestors must have come. Alxnit the beginning of the sixteenth century he settled al .Saloniea, Turkey, where he resided until his death at an advanced age. A supereommentary upon Kashi's Pentateuch commentary was written by him and )iublished. jiresumably at Constantinojde, about 1.52.5, though neither place nor dale of publication is mentioned in the work. M. K.
MOSES
ALBELDA, MOSES BEN JACOB:
Preacher
and philosopher, grandson of the preceding; nourished in Turkey in the sixteenth century. He was a distinguished preacher, first at Valona, Turkey, and afterward at Salonica. After ten years of service in the community at Valona, one of his pupils disreS])ectfidly demanded permission to deliver a religious disconrse in one of the four syna,i;ogues not occui)ieil al the lime by Albelda; the latter refused. The congregation, which revered its rablii, thereupon referred the matter to Abraham <le Boion at Salonica, and he advised that the young man shoidd not be jicrmitted lo preach (see Abraham d(! Bolon's responsa " I.ehem Bab," Xo. 73). Albelda. who as a preacher was rather verbose, with a marked inclination to philosophizing, was al.so a very jirolific writer.
He
]uiblished a.seriesof theological treati.seson
providence, repentance, and similar themes (Venice, 1.583). rnxler the title "Reshit Da'at" (Beginning of Knowledge); and an ethical work, entitled " Sha'are Dini'ah " (The Gates of Tears), on the vanity of the world and the sulTerings of human beings, together with a <'ommentary on Lamentations (Venice, 1586). After his death his sons. Judab and Abraham Albelda. published under the title " Olat Taraid " (The Perpetual Offering) his commentary upon the Pentateuch (Venice, 1001); and one year later his only surviving son, Judah, published under the title "Darash Mosheh" (What Jloses Preached) his '
