Editorial by: Rochel Feyga
Editors Location: Lyon, France
Images & Video by: lamaisonsblime.fr | YouTube
She visited the D-Day beaches, memorials, and American cemeteries as well as the graves of some Jewish soldiers. She came back with lots of questions about who were these soldiers, what really happened during the war, and so on. I tried to explain to her in simple terms about how Nazi Germany run by Hitler, a dictator, killed millions of people based on a ideology of race supremacy. Granted it wasn’t easy to make her understand the purpose of a dictator, a fanatic man, who wants to control the world and WHY he does that. Of course I tried to minimize the horror of the war because I think she is still too young and does not yet know World History; However, she does know the big role of Germany, France, England and America in this war and about the victims: the Jews, the non-Aryan people, the deficient, the civilians, the opponents, and the resistance.
After this conversation in History I kept thinking about it over and over again. After all this is my family heritage therefore it being my own history. I am French, Jewish and my father (born in 1932) is from Normandy. Furthermore, my father was there in Normandy when D-day happened. One thought lead to another and more questions appeared to be left unanswered.
I have for long thought about going back to visit Normandy and teach my child about history and family heritage. However, being that she is too young I thought it would be better for her to first learn a little bit of history at school and then she would be more open to and interested in her past heritage.
I guess it is too late now for it to happen in that order since she has already visited Normandy on her vacation. Therefore, I have decided it is time for her to know it all; The Second World War, the Shoah, the Jewish History, and the traditions of her ancestors.
The big question is WHERE TO START?
After thinking about it hard and thoroughly I came to the conclusion that the best way is to first get back to the historical teaching I myself have had all these long years ago at school and from what my father has taught me: back to Normandy!
Today I used the internet as a first step in my quest. Being that I was curious to see what my daughter saw and I almost automatically typed the word “Caen” in Google search. I continued by extending my research to all sites available that are related to World War 2 in Normandy. After some hours I came across the “Office du Tourisme de Normandie” website which is the official Normandy Tourist Board’s website. A few minutes later while I slightly overviewed some information about tourist interests of cities and sites and clicked on the section of “City of Rouen” the mention of “Hebrew remains” caught my attention. I found out about the archeological discovery nearly 4 decades ago of a Jewish monument during restoration work in the courtyard of Rouen’s Courts of Law. The Yeshiva of Rouen is now said to be a major and extraordinary discovery and a unique monument to the history of Jews in this part of Europe and in the entire world.
LA MAISON SUBLIME – THE SUBLIME ADOBE
Rouen's Court of Law
Built in 1508-1509, it originally served as the exchequer and then the meeting place for the Norman parliament. The Court of Law is an impressive gothic-architectural-style building, labelled in 1840 as a National Heritage Site and benefits from France's Architectural and Historical Cultural Heritage Protection.
The Court of Law building was badly damaged twice during bombings in World War II but was restored masterfully. When in 1976 workers restored the courtyard of the building they discovered a series of 12th century rooms. Archaeological and historical analysis revealed it to be of Jewish origin after they found Hebrew Scriptures saying “May the Torah reign for ever” and “This House is supreme” the later being the name given to the place after the discovery. It also appeared to be the oldest and only example of Rabbinical School from the medieval world ever to be found in Europe as it is presumed to have been built around 1100 just after the 1st Crusade.
The inhabitants of Rouen are very proud of “their” yeshiva and refer to it as “the most important Jewish discovery in Europe”. Many point out that the discovery proves that Rouen was a melting-pot city open to the world and especially to Jews as reported in a press article I have read on JSSNEWS.COM.
This great discovery led to the effervescence of the world of historians, archaeologists, and rabbis who hastened to seal what happened by exploring the Jewish life of Rouen in the middle-ages. Amongst them, Norman Golb, Professor in Jewish History and Civilization at the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, became a prominent key to researches done and to trace the path of the descendants of the greatest scholar Rashi of Troyes (1040-1105), author of all commentaries on the Tanach and the Talmud.
The establishment of Jewry in Normandy
Thanks to Professor Norman Golb a big part of Jewish history in the middle-age in France has been resurrected from the forgotten past and we are now aware of the presence of a Jewish kingdom in Normandy starting with the first Jewish settlements known as “Communities Judaeorum” under the Gallo-Roman Empire and the kingdom of William the Conqueror. The presence of the Rouen Jewish community remained continuously for a thousand years until their expulsion in 1306 directed by Philip the Fair (King Philip IV of France 1268-1314).
After the conquest of the Vikings the development of the territories in Normandy intensified thanks to the Jews and their considerable influence in the region. The Jews were chosen by the King of France to collaborate with the Ducks of Normandy after Pope Innocent II himself gave his support in their involvement and contribution to the enlargement and the success of the kingdom.
Years later William the Conqueror in his battle to win and run England brought Norman Jews together with him to become his special representatives and encouraged them to create a twin sister community to organize the existing Jewish presence in England. Jews became an established and recognized official community led by the son of Rabbi Yossi, the Director of the Rouen’s Rabbinical School, who later funded his own Jewish School in 1150 and in 1207 his own son became the Grand Rabbi of England.
The establishment of institutions of Jewish higher education
Bagdad and Jerusalem were central places of Jewish studies in Orient but the Western world critically missed the spiritual essence. It is known that though Jewish settlements all over Western Europe had small concentrations of Jewish learning organized in the private house of the spiritual leader in charge of his small congregation none of them ever had a master place for Jewish studies. Likewise, though more than dozen of Jewish schools existed in France all of them disappeared and no trace were found after the expulsion of Jews of France.
It is under the Carolingian kingdom that a great council was assembled to discuss and decide the creation of a Jewish higher education school as well as establishing the rules of the teaching of Torah. The European Jews were recommended to build the Rabbinical School in the city of Rouen particularly known to be the place of high potential for Jewish matters.
The Ancient Rules for the Study of Torah were compiled for the students of the Rabbinical School and summarized in 12 chapters. We also see that the school enjoyed an international reputation in the fact that the masters of the Talmud in Iraq and Palestine gave their approval on these rules.
Here is a sample of the Ancient Rules for the Study of Torah:
· All of the Aaronites , Levites, and "Elders of Israel" (Ziknei Yisrael) should "devote" one of their children in study of the Torah.
· A home study (Midrash) should be established for those who were "separated" from the whole community and "accepted the “Yoke of Torah" (Perushim); It should be situated near the synagogue and be referred to as "The Great Midrash".
· The Perushim should not leave "The House of Study" for seven years; they should eat and sleep within the confides of the Midrash.
· All Jews should pay a tax once a year to support these academies and their students, pay salaries of teachers and translators, and buy the books necessary for study.
· While the students are still in their original school a supervisor should be appointed to observe their behavior; Students who do not show either devotion or goodwill should be expelled during the initial period of studies.
· Teachers (Melammedim) should not accept more than ten children (Tinokot) at a time; Teachers should not teach in their home but only in the "little Midrash".
· Teachers should not teach "by mouth" (i.e., by heart or by automation) but only by using the texts.
· Aramaic texts are to be translated into the vernacular.
· Teachers should lead Students to ask questions in the evening on the relevant subjects during the day.
· A revision of the work of each semester should be done at each change of moon (The entire Nissan and Tishri which roughly corresponds to April and October.)
· Teachers should have courses for Students during the winter season - October to March- quarter of each evening; Students should pay a sum for essential lighting during this period.
· Teachers should not provide physical work or be used as scribes during the period of their service; "Inspectors" or "Supervisors" (Shoterim) should be established who shall supervise the teachers and ensure that they properly perform their duties.
It is known to have studied in this prestigious Yeshiva masters as famous as the Rashbam (grandson of the Rashi of Troyes), Vardimas Menahem (whose work on Tossafoth on the Bible and the Talmud was authoritative), and Andalusian Abraham Ibn Ezra.
The rise of persecution and the end of medieval Jewry in Normandy
Nevertheless history repeats itself in the world of the Jewish Diaspora. Norman Jews suffered the same fate as their coreligionists in medieval Europe despite their influence. After the death of William the Conqueror his successor decided to embark in the Crusaders’ cause and revoked all considerable privileges the Jews have obtained and enjoyed until then. The Crusaders launched persecution, pogroms and mass murders to those who refused to join the Christian faith. A few Jews took upon themselves to commit the terrible sacrifice to immolate themselves instead of embracing another religion. Some Jews escaped and sought refuge to the King's brother who agreed to nullify the forced conversion through a financial contribution.
During the decades of persecution against the Jews in Europe few of them had the means to settle elsewhere and during the invasion of France and England Jewish communities of Western Europe were forced to relocate in Rouen which soon after disseminated its entire Jewish population and thus sealed the end of medieval Norman Jewry in the 14th century.The future of the Sublime Adobe
The Jewish world has a right to know about this great discovery and it is our duty for our knowledge, our culture, and for the preservation of our history to inform about it.
The following is a short history of the Sublime Adobe in the last decade:
The "Sublime Adobe" was closed to the public in 2001 because it is was threatened by moisture, salts, and bacteria.
An association was created in 2007 for its preservation and it reopened to the public.
In 2007 the UNESCO declared it as a World Heritage status.
Some projects are still in process such as making of excavations in the old Jewish quarter, the organization of a symposium on intellectual life in the Middle Age, the creation of a museum,and a research center.
The book describing the research work of Jean Jacques Klein is available in English and can be purchased directly at this web page :
If you are interested in visiting the site or to make a donation please contact directly the association at the following address :
Association La Maison Sublime de Rouen 6 rue de la Cage |
76000 Rouen |
France Rochel Feyga ______________________________________________________________________________ Sources : Official Normandy tourist board http://www.normandie-tourisme.fr Article of Gili Mazza (Yediot Aharonot – JSSNews) http://www.jssnews.com Association of the Sublime Adobe official website http://www.lamaisonsublime.fr |
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