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Picciotto, Haim Moses

The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia

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Communal worker; born at Aleppo 1806; died at London, England, Oct. 19, 1879. He was a member of an ancient Eastern family; his immediate ancestors were engaged in the Russian consular service. He went to England about 1843, and soon after his arrival there became active in communal affairs. He advocated the founding of Jews' College, and was a member of its council until his death. He was one of the founders of the Society for the Diffusion of Religious Knowledge, and wrote many of its tracts. A good Hebrew scholar, he wrote several odes for recitation on public and festive occasions.

Picciotto was for a considerable period a member of the Board of Deputies, and was conspicuous in the deliberations of that body for his indefatigable zeal and his experience in Eastern affairs. He acted as commissioner for the board at the time of the war between Morocco and Spain in 1859-60. He visited Gibraltar and Morocco to distribute relief and wrote a report, as a result of which the Jewish schools at Tetuan, Tangier, and Mogador were founded.

His son James Picciotto (born in 1830; died in London Nov. 13, 1897) was for many years secretary to the council of administration of the Morocco Relief Fund. He retired in 1896, failing health compelling his resignation. He is known as the author of "Sketches of Anglo-Jewish History," London, 1877, a reprint of articles which originally appeared in the "Jewish Chronicle."