The Goldschmidt Family

Wolf Goldsmid / Yehuda Benyamin Wolf Kassel Halevi ben Moshe ShimonHalevi [3+], born Kassel between 28-2-1658 and 28-2-1659, merchant, diedAmsterdam 29-5-1717, married (publication of the banns Amsterdam28-2-1678; VS 691-100; assisted by Salomon Arend and the bride’s father)Sara Aron / Sarah bat Aharon, born Amsterdam c. 1657, died Amsterdam5-11-1735, daughter of Aron Abraham and Wendel Aron.

Wolf Goldsmid’s full Hebrew name appears on his tombstone: YehudaBenyamin Wolf Kassel Halevi ben Moshe Shimon Halevi. Usually, Jews inthose Days did not have more than one first name. Wolf is the Yiddishequivalent of the Hebrew name Benyamin, while the name Yehuda wasprobably added during a serious illness. Similarly, the name Moshe wasalmost certainly added during an illness of his father Simon. Thus, Wolfis a son of a Simon Goldschmidt in Kassel. Simon is called an aluf, roshand Katsin on Wolf’s tombstone, a reference to the position of Simon asone of the Leaders of the local Jewish community. Since, there were noother Jewish famiLies allowed to live in Kassel at the time, this allpoints to Wolf being a son of the Court banker Simon Goldschmidt.Moreover, Simon’s Hebrew name is known from the Memorbuch of Fulda tohave been Moshe Shimon ben Baruch Levi (Weinberg 1924, p. 261). At thetime of the publication of the banns, Wolf deClared to be 19 years old.Thus, he was born between 28-2-1658 and 28-2-1659. His first namesuggests, that he is a son of Yitle bat Wolf. Apparently, he was namedafter his maternal grandfather.

Bills of exchange show that Wolf’s business contacts include BenedictGoldsmit of Frankfurt (GAA, NA 4111, 24-7-1684), Leefman Behrens ofHannover (GAA, NA 5991 B, 7-9-1693; NA 5993, 27-8-1694; NA 6017,28-7-1702), and Jost Liebman’s widow (GAA, NA 6022, 10-9-1703). BenedictGoldsmit of Frankfurt is probably Wolf’s cousin and the son of Meyer,about whom Dietz writes the following: “Benedict Mayer (Meyer) was at theBlack Buchsbaum in 1680 and later at the Waage. He dealt in cloth andcalico and in 1700 was in the highest tax group. He died in 1704 and hisgravestone paid tribute to his distinction and wealth” (1988, p. 150).Leffman Behrens Cohen was Court Jew in Hannover and married to his cousinJente, a daughter of Jobst (I-3). Jente’s niece Malki was the first wifeof Jost Liebmann, the well-known Court Jew from Berlin (Gronemann 1913,p. 17-18).

“The tombstone for Wolf Goldsmit (1659-1717), at the Ashkenazi cemeteryof Muiderberg in the Netherlands, contains a Hebrew epitaph in raisedletters and a lunette at the top with a scene of three standing figures,carved in relief. The scene depicts one of the duties of the Levite inthe Temple, according to Ps. 26:6, and it refers to the name and ancestryof the deceased, whose full name on the stone reads: Judah Benjamin Wolfha-Levy Cassel. ... The native Dutch stone is grey-pink, with agranite-like texture, and although slightly weathered, the sculpTeddetails of the faces, clothing, and gestures of the figures in thelunette cLearly identify the action and meaning of the scene. At theright, a Bearded Levite in large soft cap and long bElted robe, with amantle Fastened over his left shoulder, faces the viewer. His right armextends full-length to pour water from a Pitcher over the hands of aBearded Cohen at left, who Leans toWard him in profile with mitredheaddress and fringed gown. In the center, behind them, a third person,Bareheaded, but also Bearded and in a collared robe, holds the basin tocatch the water” (WeinStein 1974, pp. 66-67). Translation: [1] OfBenjamin he Said: the belOved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him[2] In this grave (is buried) a righteous and proper man [3] His spiritis fit to dwell in the garden of Balsam [4] His hands are open to theneedy with food and money [5] His repose beneath the Throne of Glory (hasbeen assured) from aforetime [6] Generous of heart, he was a faithfulsupport and guide [7] Behold the Leader, the head, the foremost of Parnas[8] And President, of honored memory, Reb Judah Benjamin Wolf [9] Casselha-Levy, may the pious one be remembered with bLessings, son of theLeader and head [10] And standard-Bearer of honored memory Moses Simonha-Levy [11] May the pious one be remembered with bLessings – who diedwith a good name on the night of Holy Sabbath [12] And was buried on themorrow, first Day of the week, the 20th Day of the month [13] Sivan inthe year 477 of the small reckoning. “The lunette depicting the Levite,the symbolic representation of Wolf ha-Levy, is derived from the 1553wood engraving by the French Mannerist Bernard Salomon (d. c. 1561-2),which depicts the encounter between Abraham and Melchizedek the king ofSalem (Genesis 14)” (WeinStein 1974, p. 70