Stamped Book Cover of Haim Yisrael Romano

Stamped Book Cover of Haim Yisrael Romano

Romano, Haim Yisrael, -1912

This is the stamped book cover of Haim (also Hayim) Yisrael Romano, a wealthy grain merchant and philanthropist from Constantinople. He was affectionately called “Chilivi Mercado Romano” or “The Master Merchant Romano.” He had a yeshivah in his home in 1852/3 and paid expenses for students to stay there, including those of Rabbi Chaim Hezekiah Medini (who later lived in the Romano House in Hebron and served as Chief Rabbi there).

In 1876 Romano purchased land in Hebron and built a large and luxurious house known as “Beit Romano” or “Romano House” which served as his family’s home and a center to host elders from the Jewish community who came to Hebron from Turkey. A synagogue was also erected in the building and was called the “Istanbul Synagogue.” The original building consisted of three spacious floors, ten rooms, cisterns and toilet facilities. The Romano house was the first building erected outside of the old city (Kasbah) limits, and initiated the development of Hebron westward.

In 1891 Rabbi Medini moved into the Romano House in Hebron and established a yeshiva there. After Romano’s death in 1912 the building was purchased by Chabad and the yeshiva “Torat Emet” was established there. In 1914 with the outbreak of WWI, the Turks confiscated the Romano House and expelled the students from the Ottoman Empire. After WWI, the British appropriated the Romano House in 1917 and used it as a police and government center. In 1948, when Hebron came under Jordanian control, the building served as an Arab school. Today, this building houses the yeshiva “Shavei Hevron.”

Romano, Haim Yisrael, -1912

Hebrew Wikipedia

Moreshet

MyTzadik

Shavei Hevron

Wikipedia

Digital Image: Washington University in Saint Louis

Leather, Gold Ink

Hebrew

Stamped Book Cover

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