Marriages in Aleppo, Syria

This database contains information about 1,354 marriages in Aleppo, Syria, covering 1847-1934.

Introduction

Jews have lived in Syria for over 3,000 years.  Most lived in one of the two main centers along the caravan routes: Damascus or Aleppo (Aleppo is also known as "Aram Soba" or, in Arabic, as حَلَب "Haleb").  As is typical of other regions of the Ottoman Empire, Aleppo had no official birth, marriage, or death records.  Some records were kept by various rabbis, and a few of these have survived and are located either in manuscript or on microfiche in the National Library of Israel (NLI) in Jerusalem.  To examine these records, please visit or contact:

Institute of Microfilmed Hebrew Manuscripts
Jewish National and University Library
POB 34165
Jerusalem 91341
ISRAEL
Tel: 972-2-6586233
Fax: 972-2-6511771

This Aleppo Marriages Database includes 1,354 records, consist of marriages in Aleppo, Syria, covering sporadic entries from periods as early as 1847 to 1934.

For more information about the Jewish community of Aleppo, see "The Jews of Aleppo" page.

Transliteration

These records have been translated and transliterated as part of the Sephardic Heritage Project, with donations from members of Brooklyn's Syrian Community, under the supervision of Sarina Roffé (Brooklyn, NY).  The original records were written in a Hebrew Rashi special Aleppoan script as well as Judeo-Arabic.  They were translated to Modern Hebrew by Rabbi Abraham Ades of Bnei Brak, Israel.  Then under the supervision of Galit Mizrahi (Jerusalem, Israel), the records were translated into English and converted into a database.  Then they were edited by Sarina Roffé.  Since the records have been through so many versions, it is possible mistakes were made.  Original versions of these records can be accessed in the sources provided in Israel.

Sources

Original versions of these records can be accessed in the sources provided in Israel.  The records are not inclusive of all marriages and are from the following sources:

• Eulogies from Hedaya's Collection.

• Manuscript 43766: notes from various Eulogies.

• National School Manuscript 72038: Sermons and Eulogies of Rabbi Yeshaya Dabbah from Aleppo.

• List of names from register of Hevra Kadisha [burial society] of Sephardim in Jerusalem (a copy is in Rabbi Efraim Laniado's collection).

• Manuscript 72024: Historical List from Haleb (in Arabic), Leaf 3-16.

• The collection of Prof. Meir Benayahu.  We thank Prof. Benayahu for his kind permission to copy, translate, and make searchable on the web the Aleppo marriage records marked in the search results as "National Library and Benayahu Library, 43737-43739".

• Ketubot manuscript 57255.

• Register 43741 of the Aleppo Community.

• List of Marriage Records in Jerusalem.

Sarina Roffé
November 2011

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