The following text was translated from Hebrew to English using artificial intelligence (Ai), so it may contain errors.
The Integration of the Francos in Aleppo
Excerpted from the book The Jewish Community of Aleppo Through the Ages, published by the Center for the Heritage of Aram Zova, 1993
It is fascinating to observe how the Jewish community of Aleppo managed to integrate and assimilate within itself the distinct social group known as the Francos.
“The Francos were distinguishable and different both in their language and in their clothing” (p. 101). They were described as “people of knowledge, understanding in sciences, and educated in all fields of wisdom” (p. 102). Their economic position, generosity, and education elevated them to a prestigious status: “The noble sons of Israel, the Italian and French Francos” (p. 103) or “the distinguished, wise, and complete, the House of Jacob from among foreign peoples” (p. 104). Even the women of the Francos held a special, freer status. They were known for their attire and their habit of strolling through the city streets, gardens, and orchards, often accompanied by their husbands or even alone (p. 105).
The Francos were exempt from all community taxes, except for one levy known as the “guest tax” (gavila) (p. 106). Furthermore, they were not subject to the authority of the community, nor were they bound by the regulations and decrees imposed on the public. “To this day, it has not been heard that the Francos adhered to any regulation, and even the rabbis did not rebuke them for it” (p. 107).
Remarkably, despite their special status –economic, social, and legal–, the Francos managed to integrate into the community’s life and take root within it.
Rabbi Yehuda Kassin, writing in the second half of the 18th century, states: “Most of them were born here; some even married daughters of the city and had children and grandchildren, and they also purchased homes like any other resident” (p. 106).
The Francos never established a separate community. They prayed in the same synagogues as the Musta’arabim (indigenous Jews of Aleppo). Rabbi Haim Laniado recounts: “They regularly donate to the charity fund every Sabbath and holiday, and everything they contribute –whether for the Torah scroll, oil for lighting, or charity– is handed over to the community treasurers, like any other member. We all share a single fund. Additionally, in prayers, they follow our customs” (p. 109).
In education, too, they fully integrated. They did not establish separate schools but actively participated in managing the existing institutions (p. 110). Similarly, they were involved in organizations such as “Bikur Holim” (visits to the sick). Rabbi Laniado adds: “They are faithful administrators who dedicate their time and money to helping students, supporting Torah scholars, rabbis, and schools” (p. 111).
Even in other charitable institutions, such as “Gemilut Hasadim” (charitable acts related to burials) and “Kimha de-Pis’ha” (provision of flour for Passover), the Francos contributed generously (p. 112). They also made significant donations to the Land of Israel.
Despite their full integration, the Francos maintained a degree of autonomy in certain areas. They avoided serving as synagogue treasurers (p. 114) and refrained from deep involvement in communal decisions, focusing instead on their international trade and lacking the leisure to engage in communal affairs.
The spiritual, economic, and organizational strength of Aleppo allowed the city to absorb the Francos, just as it had absorbed the Sephardic exiles expelled from Spain two centuries earlier. Both the Sephardim and the Francos became integrated, despite their respective superiorities –spiritual in the case of the Sephardim, and economic and social in the case of the Francos.
Ultimately, their integration was so complete that, by the mid-18th century, the Scottish physician Dr. Alexander Russell, who lived in Aleppo for 14 years, did not distinguish between the Musta’arabim and the Francos in his book about the city. While he mentions the Francos, he does not describe them as a separate group.
Peace between the Francos and the community prevailed until Rabbi R.S. Laniado attempted to impose communal regulations and a mandatory tax on them. This led to tensions and a conflict that lasted 15 years, ultimately ending with the Francos’ victory, supported by several prominent rabbis, including Yehuda Kassin (p. 124).
Over time, the Francos fully merged into the Aleppine community, and their presence as a distinct group faded, especially after Aleppo’s commercial importance declined in the early 19th century.
Notes
(101) Rabbi Yehuda Katsin, “Machane Yehuda”, folio 26, column 2.
(102) Ibid., ibid., folio 24, column 1.
(103) “Machane Yehuda”, Second Notebook, folio 40, column 2.
(104) Ibid., ibid., folio 19, column 2.
(105) Ibid., ibid., Introduction, folio 1, column 2; see also Second Notebook, folio 37, column 1.
(106) A. Lutski, ibid., p. 69.
(107) “Machane Yehuda”, Introduction, folio 2, column 1.
(108) “Machane Yehuda”, folio 1, column 2.
(109) R. S. Laniado, “Beit Dino Shel Shlomo”, Choshen Mishpat, section 39, folio 206, column 2.
(110) It can be assumed they hired private tutors to teach languages to their children.
(111) Ibid., ibid., folio 227, column 1.
(112) Once, during a plague, they spent nearly a thousand grush on the burial of the poor, aside from the cost of the shrouds (Efraim Laniado, “Degel Machane Efraim”, Jerusalem, 1902, folio 12, column 2).
(113) R. S. Laniado, ibid., ibid., folio 227, column 2.
(114) “Machane Yehuda”, Notebook 2, folio 16, column 2.
(115) Isaac Shamush, “The Community of Aleppo in Syria”, Machaním, Issue 210, p. 35.
(116) Efraim Laniado, ibid., ibid.
(117) Abraham Sasson, in the introduction to his book “Mikra Kodesh”, Aram Tzova, 1873, writes: “A loyal city, mother in Israel, Li-Or-Na (Livorno), like the dawn and as beautiful as the moon, to receive the Aleph. Therefore, the sages call it the Jerusalem of Europe.” See also A. Yaari, “The Hebrew Printing in Eastern Countries”, Jerusalem, 1937, p. 33.
(118) A. Lutski, ibid., p. 78, in a footnote.
(119) Tzedaka Chutsin, “Tzedaka U’Mishpat”, Tel Aviv, 1975, in the introduction. It is also told that about ten years before his death, he sent some of his books with the caravan leaving Baghdad for Aram Tzova, to be taken to the printing press in Venice. He wrote to his friend, the author of “Beit Dino Shel Shlomo”: “… and send regards in my name to the wise and understanding Señor David Altras, to kindly send them to Venice to be printed…”. The books were never published; the reason remains unknown, perhaps they were stolen along with the caravan.
(120) Alexander Russell, The Natural History of Aleppo, London, 1794.
(121) In one instance, Russell notes that all Jews in Aleppo customarily grew beards, and even the Francos were compelled by the rabbi to follow this custom (op. cit., p. 59). In another, Russell comments that the Francos referred to the rabbi as “Rabbenu.” Nevertheless, they would say “Chacham Shmuel” instead of “Rabbi Shmuel,” and “Ben HaChacham” instead of “Ben HaRabbi” (op. cit., p. 64).
(122) “Beit Dino Shel Shlomo”, folio 227, column 1.
(123) “Machane Yehuda”, Introduction, folio 1, column 2.
(124) See letters of endorsement from rabbis of Aleppo, Damascus, and the Land of Israel at the end of Yehuda Katsin’s book, “Machane Yehuda”.
(125) *”Machane Yehuda
