Rabbi Dr. Abba Mari Chalfan (c.1520-1585)

Abba Mari Chalfan was the son of Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu Menachem Chalfan and Fioretta Kalonymos. He likely grew up in the ghetto in Venice, and later moved to Prague, where he practiced as a doctor. His wife was Rachel Krava Kuh. He died in Prague in 1585-86.

Dr. Alexandr Putik of the Jewish Museum of Prague believes that a daughter of Abba Maria Chalfan was the wife of the famous historian and astronomer David Gans (1541-1613), who in 1600 took part in astronomical observations with Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler at the Prague observatory. Gans named one of his sons Abba Mari, which is a given name that is unknown in Bohemia except for the family of Abba Mari Chalfan.

https://www.geni.com/people/Rabbi-Dr-Abba-Chalfan/6000000003495148225

Home

Jewish man and woman from Worms, illustrations by Markus zum Lamm, 16th century. The bulb of garlic in his hands indicates that the Jewish man is from Worms. http://cojs.org/jews_from_worms-_16th_century/
Elieser Ashkenazi ben Dr. Elia. Possibly brother of Abba Maria Chalfan. Wrote first statutes of the Prague burial society in 1560.

Leave a Reply