Jewish families as intercessors and patrons: the case of the Wertheimer family in the eighteenth century

Abstract

In early modern Western and Central Europe, shtadlanut (Jewish intercession) and tzedakah (righteousness/charity) were closely linked actions, mainly because they were in the hands of the same actors. As an example, I highlight the involvement of Jewish families in these activities. By examining two case studies in the eighteenth century, in which Samson and Wolf Wertheimer acted as main protagonists, I try to show how privileged Jewish families as the Wertheimers exercised and determined Western and Central European shtadlanut and tzedakah. Moreover, I argue that Shtadlanut should be seen in the context of the history of intercultural diplomacy.