Day 15

During Roman times Jews had moved north of the Alps establishing small settlements. In the ninth century, Charlemagne expanded his empire and granted various freedoms to the Jews which triggered a further shift into Northern Europe. However, a substantial Jewish population and culture only developed there a century later, when, at the invitation of local Christian rulers and in response to new economic opportunities along the Rhine, Jews settled in northern France and Germany. The term Ashkenazic11 evolved to describe the ethnic origins of Jews descending from these communities based in medieval France and Germany. These communities produced some outstanding scholars whose works include enduring and significant commentaries on the Talmud. A key rabbinic figuree was the 10th century leader called Rabbenu Gershom – often referred to as “the Light of the Diaspora” – Meor Ha-Golah who lived in Mainz (Mayence), which became a centre of Torah and Jewish study. He is known for impor- tant rulings that he issued including instituting a ban on polygamy. The most famous of the Ashkenazic medieval rabbis and commentators though was unquestionably Rabbi Shlomo ben Yitzcha, known by the acronym of Rashi, who was born in France in 1040 and studied in Germany under the leading Talmudists of the generation. He returned to his hometown of Troyes at the age of 25 to teach Torah and earned a living from growing and tending vineyards.

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