Shalom, Prof. Yosef Kaplan, a scholar on Dutch Jewry at Hebrew University confirmed that two different people are involved. (Incidentally, the other Sephardic Rabbi who offers his approbation is David Atias):
Dear Ms. Cohen Isaac Haim Abendana de Brito is not identical with Isaac Abendana. He was Haham of the Portuguese Community in Amsterdam since 1728 until his death in 1760. He was the most outstanding student of the former Haham, the famous Selomoh Aylon. He was appointed as Haham together with his senior fellow David Israel Atias who died in 1753. If this is important for you you can find more information about him in J. S. da Silva Rosa, Geschiedenis der Portugeesche Joden te Amsterdam 1593-1925, Amsterdam 1925, pp. 118, 125, 127. If you still need more information please let me know ----- Original Message ----- From: "Cohen Leah" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 2004 4:40 PM Subject: Isaac Abendana Boker Tov, I have been cataloguing Joseph ha-Kohen's Sefer Divre ha-yamim le-malkhe Tsarfat u-malkhe Bet Otoman ha-Togar, Amsterdam : Be-vet uve-defus Shelomoh ben Yosef Kats Prups, 493 [1732 or 1733].I am puzzled by the identity of the one of the Sefardic Rabbis who gave his approbation: "Yithak Hayim ibn Dana de Brito" It would appear that he is Abendana, Isaac, 1650-1720, for whom there is a LC authority record(n 84205336). However, this book was printed for a first time after many years in 1732 or 1733, twelve or thirteen years after the cited death date of Abendana. Similarly, in RLIN, a record was found for the following item, that would also indicate that Abendana was alive after 1720: SermaO exhortario [microform] /pregado no. K.K. de T.T. em Amsterdam por o doctissiimo senhor Haham Morenu A-Rab R. Ishac Haim Abendana de Britto, Ab-Bet-Din, y Ros-Yessiba do Kahal Kados de Talmud Tora ; em Sabat Echà, 4 Ab. Anno 5513 [1753] According to The Jewish Encyclopedia.com, Isaac Hayyim de Brito Abendana was the "Hakam of the Portuguese community in Amsterdam, where he died at the great age of one hundred year, April 5, 1760" Does anyone have any have any more information on this figure? Are there two people involved rather than one? How would you resolve these inconsistencies? Any thoughts on this matter would be appreciated! Leah Cohen Library and Archives Canada
