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Bible Encyclopedias
Belmonte, Jacob Israel
The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia
or One of the founders of the Portuguese-Jewish community of Amsterdam, his colleagues being Jacob Tirado and Solomon Palache; born on the island of Madeira in 1570; died at Amsterdam Dec. 4, 1629. He married Simḥah (Gimar) Vaz, whose picture by her son Moses is to be found in David Franco Mendes' "Memorias do Estabelecimento . . . dos Judeos Portuguezes," preserved in manuscript in the archives of the Portuguese congregation at Amsterdam. Jacob Israel came to Amsterdam on Jan. 13, 1614. He wrote a poetic account of the Inquisition in one hundred octaves, which he called "Job." Of this, De Barrios ("Rev. Et. Juives," 18:282) says:
"Contra la Inquisición Jacob Belmonte Un canto tira del Castalio monte Y comico la Historia de Job canta."
Together with Rahel Yeshurun and Joseph Israel Pereyra, Belmonte drew up the articles of incorporation for the newly acquired burial-ground of the community in Oudekerk, Jan. 13, 1614. At his death Morteira founded a yeshibah in his honor. He left ten children: Sarah , Sarah , Rachel, David, Rebecca, Joseph, Benjamin, Moses, Solomon, and Samuel.
- De Castro, in Nieuwe Isr. Weekblaad, 17 Jan., 1873, No. 26;
- idem, De Synagoge der Portug.-Israel.-Gemeente te Amsterdam, p. 7;
- idem, Keur van Grafsteenen, p. 53;
- Kayserling, Sephardim, pp. 289 (quotes an octave from his Job), 359;
- idem, Bibl.-Esp. Port.-Jud. p. 27.
These files are public domain.
Singer, Isidore, Ph.D, Projector and Managing Editor. Entry for 'Belmonte, Jacob Israel'. 1901 The Jewish Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tje/b/belmonte-jacob-israel.html. 1901.
