Scroll of Esther from a Community of Jews Expelled from Spain Who Settled in Western Europe
Western Europe, early 16th century
Ink on parchment
Gift of the Mimran family, Yavne
Gift of the Mimran family, Yavneh
This ancient scroll bears witness to the history of the Jews expelled from Spain. The writing style and the method used to process the parchment are consistent with Spanish traditions and indicate the origin of the scribe. The Ashkenazi influences in the writing suggest that it was written after the expelled Jews settled in a Western Europe Ashkenazi community.
The scroll ended up in the city of Fes, Morocco, home to a large community of Jews expelled from Spain. It came into the possession of the Monsonego family, many of whom were eminent rabbis. The scroll was read on Purim in the ibn Danan synagogue.
