JEWISH MALTA YOK 2nd Edition by MEIR Hal PDF

MEIR Halevi GOVER
__________
JEWISH MALTA
YOK?
Second Generation publication

Front Cover:
Menorah carved in the Jewish Catacombs of Malta.
Cover Design and Photography:

© Meir Halevi Gover 2019

I

II

III

MEIR HALEVI GOVER
JEWISH MALTA YOK?
ONLINE EDITION
SECOND GENERATION publication

IV

Copyright © 2019 by Meir Halevi Gover
All rights reserved.
a Second Generation publication
Permission: Any part of this publication may be reproduced,

stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by
any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or
otherwise, provided it is for non-commercial and non-profit
purposes only and remains identical in content, format and
wording with this publication and provided that full credit is
attributed to MEIR HALEVI GOVER as sole author and
publisher of this publication.
Author’s Email address: mggover@gmail.com
ISBN 978-965-92660-8-1
Product of Israel
Book and Cover Design by Meir Halevi Gover

I

CONTENT

CHAPTER
# CHAPTER NAME PAGE

01 Jewish Malta YOK?..………………………. 1
02 The Mdina Catacombs….………………… 18
03 Kalkara Jewish Cemetery….…………… 36
04 Tashbish Jewish Cemetery...………….. 54
05 Marsa Jewish Cemetery.……………….. 75
06 Malta Jewish Necrology………………… 120
07 Marlowe 'Jew of Malta'..………………. 131
08 The 'Maltese Falcon'……………………… 134
09 PICTURE INDEX………………………………. 139
10 NAME INDEX……………………………… 145
154

II

1

01.
Jewish Malta YOK?
IF YOU WISH TO TRACE SPECIFIC NAMES CONNECTED WITH JEWISH MALTA,
YOU MAY WANT TO START WITH THE NAME INDEX @ THE END OF THIS
BOOK.
In 1645 a second attempt to conquer Malta was made by Ottoman Sultan Ibrahim I “the Mad”.
He ordered his fleet to attack Malta. The Turkish Fleet Admiral Kapudan Pasha1 sailed
towards Malta. Perhaps knowing his Sultan mental condition, the Admiral, accidently or on
purpose placed a candle over the Mediterranean Sea map he was investigating in his ship
chamber. The candle’s wax dripped onto the map and created a blank spot over the small islands
of Malta. The historical expression “MALTA YOK” – “Malta does not exist” was born. The
Ottoman fleet proceeded instead to besiege the Venetian harbor in the isle of Crete, a siege
which lasted for the next 24 years2…
Well, Malta does exist and its history goes hand by hand with the Jewish people since the 8th
Century BCE.
This book is a different classification history book. It points to a specific small geographical
location. The purpose of this book is to cover the life and death of the Jews in Malta. This was
obtained through the Jewish Maltese Necrology of three of five Maltese Jewish cemeteries:
The ancient Jewish Gozo Cemetery. (No lists, no stones);

1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kapudan_Pasha

2
https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100905/opinion/disappearing‐act.325506

2

The Jewish Catacombs of Mdina. (No lists, no stones. Present day (2019) Menorot 3are
presented. One stone discovery is reported);
The Kalkara Jewish cemetery. Full list and stone pictures of present day (2019) are presented;
The Tashbish Jewish Cemetery. Full list and stone pictures of present day (2019) are presented;
The Marsa Jewish cemetery. Full list and stone pictures of present day (2019) are presented.
In 2019 I was able to compile the 122 available names, details and take pictures of the stones in
the Kalkara, Tashbish and Marsa Jewish cemeteries. In addition I photographed the various
carved Menorot in the caves of the Jewish cemetery section in the St. Paul Catacombs of Mdina.
All the data appears in this book.
In a peculiar way or not, both modern states of Malta and Israel invest enormous efforts to
preserve a single common goal. Both are small countries within the Mediterranean Basin striving
to maintain their modern western cultures in spite being surrounded by intimidating Moslem
cultures and in spite the fact that majority of their populations originated in Moslem countries.
Malta being located in close proximity to North-Africa is intimidated by Moslem cultures on its
south and the west (Tunisia and Libya), while Israel being located in the Near-East is intimidated
by 4 Moslem countries surrounding it (Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt). In both Malta and Israel
over 50% of the populations originated in Moslem cultures.
Thus a common denominator between the two countries is to preserve their European cultures.
Both countries are democracies so this burden is to be achieved by democratic agenda.
A main difference between the two countries is that Malta’s neighbors across the Mediterranean,
Sunni Tunisian and Libya, express no wish to destroy it while Israel needs to stay armed to its
teeth in order to survive in a hostile the Sunni middle –East fueled in recent decades by hostile
Iranian Shiites.
Yet an additional common denominator is that both countries are the product of English ruling.
The British rule over Malta lasted for long 164 years (1800-1964) until Malta gained its
independence, while British rule over Israel lasted short 31years (1917-1948), until Israel gained

3
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menorah_(Temple)

3

its independence. Non-the-less, British influence on both countries modern cultures and
infrastructures was vast.
A 1240 CE report of Abbot Gilbert to King Fredrick II of Sicily4 lists 33 Jewish families
(about 250 persons) in the islands of Malta and Gozo, compared with 247 Christian families and
an unknown number of Muslims5. It is a surprisingly large number of Jews to be found in this
out of the way forsaken location on the 13th century CE Mediterranean Basin.
The first Jew whom we know by name who landed in Malta is Paul of Tartus (Hebrew: ‫שאול‬
‫ )התרסי‬in the year 62 CE, in a group of Jewish prisoners on their way from Israel to Sicily.6
The second Jew whom we know by name landed in 1285, some 1,200 years following St. Paul
on the desolated Maltese tiny isle of Comino between the Isles of Malta and Gozo, was Kabbalist
Abraham Abulafia of Saragossa, Spain7. He died on this secluded island in 1291.
Following Paul (Saul) of Tartus of 1st Century CE and Abraham Abulafia of 13th century CE
landings, we know by specific names Samuel Inglisi, head of the Jewish community in 1484 and
his family members David and Chananiah Inglisi8, whose surname indicates that they came
from England. They were refugees of the 1290 English Expulsion Decree of all Jews from
England9.
In 1390 the Tunisian king captured few Jewish Gozo prisoners. Their surnames were: Saadun,

4
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_II,_Holy_Roman_Emperor

5
Cecil Roth – The Jews of Malta. Page 191. March 28, 1929 addressing in London the Jewish historical Society of
England.

6
Acts of the Apostles 28; 1‐11

7
Book of Letters, in Hebrew Sefer HaOt Introduction.

8
Journal of the Malta Historical Society. IV; 9

9
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edict_of_Expulsion

4

Sabbetai, Machluff, Jacob, Caffura and David10. Ultimately they were released through a
ransom raised by a Jewish Sicilian named Moses Sason
Roth estimates the number of Jews in Malta and Gozo by the end of the 15th century CE at a total
of 850. This was a considerable Jewish community.
The composition of present day small Malta Jewish community is a mix of Jews from ancient
Israel (Middle East Mizrahi Jews), North African (Sephardic Jews), Sicilian (Sephardic), Italian
(Sephardic), British (Ashkenazi) and South-African (Ashkenazi Jews) ancestries.
This seems like a very unique and healthy Jewish mix.
Leone Maltese of Polizzi was registered as a Medical Doctor in Malta in 1398. Simon Maltese
his son was an MD as well. Lia Sabbat of Malta registered at Catania. Braccone Safardi,
Abraham Safaradi and Abraham Saba practiced medicine in Malta and Gozo in the 15th
century. Abraham Safardi practiced law and medicine in Gozo at the end of the 15th century up
until Jews were forced out of the Maltese islands in 1492 following the Iberian kings Decree of
Expell. Zemah Girbu, possibly Gerba from the Tunisian isle of Gerba, is mentioned as a barber
and chirurgic. Both professions were closely related back then. In fact Jews monopolized the
medical profession in 15th century Malta and Gozo11.
In the 15th Century both Malta Gozo and the Sicily Jewish communities were under the Sicilian
Crown. Head of community titled Captains or Proti received their orders from the Sicilian/
Aragon Viceroy. Under the Captain/ Proti there was a body of dozen Jewish representatives who
decided on the Jewish community affairs. The Proti was elected by a council of Memunim.12 The
council main task was tax collections for the king.
A 15th century Gozo Jew named Joseph Messina was excommunicated from the community by
Protis Samuel Inglisi and Semah Levi for rolling over a debt of a fellow Jew into gentile
hands13. Such debt rolling was forbidden and punishable heavy by excommunication.

10
Roth, P193.

11
https://vassallohistory.wordpress.com/?s=jewish

12
Hebrew word for Nominators.

13
Roth P199.
5

Only the cost of production of kosher meat and kosher wine14 were tax exempt. All other
products purchased specifically by Jews were heavily taxed. The 15th Century Jews of Malta
suffered from personal taxation imposed solely due to their race.
On the other hand, the Sicilian Monarchy did allow the Jewish community to practice Jewish
religion rules and beliefs allowing certain exemptions from the work and commerce during the
Sabbath and Jewish holidays.
An ancient Jewish cemetery was established in a location named “Kibir-el-Lahud” - Jewish

Burial Place near the town of Rabat not too far from the St. Paul Catacombs. One stone of this
ancient up ground Jewish cemetery survived. The stone is displayed in the Roman villa Museum
at Notabile15 between Rabat and Mdina. The stone reads:
[‫זה ק]בר‬
[‫שלמה ב]ן‬
‫יהושע הלוי‬
.‫ה‬.‫ב‬.‫צ‬.‫נ‬.‫הה ת‬
English:
“This is the grave of Solomon son of Joshua Halevi
May His soul be Bundled with the Living”
The Jew Raphael Cheti was nominated in 1485 to be the Notary of the Jews of Gozo and Malta.
In 1446 the Jewish Maltese Reuben of Marsala was allowed by the king to marry a 2nd wife16
over his 1st wife still living but far away in Jerusalem.

14
Roth P200.

15
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casino_Notabile

16
Roth P204.
6

Wearing of the Jewish Badge:
The Lateran Council prescribed in 1215 the wearing of the Jewish Badge of Infamy upon all
Jews. This was strictly enforced upon the Jews of Sicily and Malta. Other than the badge,
relations between Jews and gentiles on the Maltese islands remained mostly amicable in spite
restrictions imposed solely upon the Jews. In 1431 a Jew named Xilorum17 was nominated as a
diplomatic envoy to assist the Viceroy ruling the Maltese islands from the isle of Sicily.
At the end of the 15th century, as a result of the Jewish expulsion from Spain and Portugal,
Crypto Jews18 appeared on the Maltese islands. Sicily and Malta exercised as well the Jewish
expel upon their Jewish citizens, forcing many of them to convert into Catholicism, hide their
real religious identity and practice Jewish beliefs secretly.
The board of three Jews who was handling the vast seized property issues aroused by the
Expulsion decree: Hefez Levi, Samuel Cagliaris and David Inglisi, was later replaced by a new
body.
The 1492 Expel Decree was extended to 1493. Thereafter the Jews of the last decade of the 15th
century in Sicily and in Malta had to find refuge elsewhere in the Mediterranean: North-Africa,
Israel, Greece, Turkey and Egypt were preferred destinations. Some carried with them the
surname Malta. Maltese congregations and synagogues were established across the east
Mediterranean basin away from the Catholic governed territories.
The Inquisition19 system was organized in Malta in the very same Spanish model. It imposed
death sentences on those Jewish converts who adhered secretly to Judaism.
The Knights Hospitaller of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem appears in Malta in 1530 CE and
stayed there to 1798. During those 268 years most all Maltese islands Jews changed to slaves,
with very few exceptions. The Knights were very particular on which Christian men may join
them. No Christian Maltese whose line was ‘tarnished’ with previous Jewish blood, even if

17
Obviously a Greek influenced name.

18
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crypto‐Judaism

19
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inquisition

7

presently he was an avid Catholic could join the Order20.
This Knights Order preyed the seas pirating for slaves and making their livelihood of slave
trafficking. Slaves were used mainly to operate knights’ galleys lurking for booty in the center of
the Mediterranean high seas. Most slaves were infidel Africans and Moslem Turks or Moslem
Moors. However considerable amounts of slaves were Jews of the Levant21.
The 1549 Jewish traveler Joseph Ibn Lev listed 70 Jewish slaves in Malta22
Jewish Turkish captives Samuel Mugnon Munhau, Moses Abdalif of Jerusalem and Samuel
Cafsut of Monastir were captured on high seas at 155823.
In 1565 following his win over the Knights of Rhodes, Ottoman Sultan Suleiman I ordered his
fleet to take the Knights stronghold in Valletta. During the 1565 Turkish Fleet Siege24 on the St.
Elmo Fort at the north-east edge of Valletta, two Jews volunteered the death mission to relief the
doomed fort as Turkish cannons targeted every Maltese boat attempting to break the siege25.
English traveler Philip Skippen was in Malta in 1663 and recorded about 2,000 slaves under the
Knights26. If we estimate 10% of them being Jewish, it brings us to a staggering number of 200
Jewish slaves in Malta in the middle of the 17th century. Such numbers may partially fit the
necrology of the 18th Century Kalkara Jewish cemetery east of Valletta.
Skippen mentioned the case of a rich Jewish Venetian merchant who was incarcerated by the
knights who shaved his beard as an act of intimidation.

20
Roth P213.

21
Roth P214.

22
Roth P215.

23
Roth P243.

24
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Siege_of_Malta

25
Claire-Eliane Engel; History of the Order of St. John.

26
Roth P214.

8

Similarly to the 13th century, the 17th century Jewish slaves were forced to carry a Yellow Badge
on their caps in order to distinguish them from the infidel and Muslim slaves. The knights
considered the Jewish slaves smart and thus more dangerous.
Similar Jewish ID badges will re-surface 300 years later down History Lane, in the 20th century
German 3rd Reich occupied Europe.
The Turkish fleet failed their 1565 siege of Valletta. One source writes that Jewish Turks
financed the attack in order to free Maltese Jewish slaves. Alas, the Turks failed to penetrate the
massive fortifications of Valletta and had to withdraw from the islands. 377 years later down
History Lane in 1942, the German Kriegsmarine and the Italian Navy remembering the Turkish
Navy defeat, avoided altogether invasion of Malta by sea and retreated to heavy air raid
bombardments.
The principle of “Redemption of the Captives” runs high in the Bible. Many examples for this
principle, from King David releasing Jewish captives from the hands of the Amalekites (Samuel
A, 30) and releasing Jewish captives from the King of Arad (Numbers 21;01) and to the post-
bible Jewish scripts. “Redemption of the Captives” was raised to the level of a Jewish religious
duty27. In modern time examples of Captives Redemption run from captive soldier Gilad
Shalit28 to spy Jonathan Pollard29.
In the 17th Century CE the wealthy and affluent Jewish Community of Venice, established by
Jewish refugees from the end of the 15th century Spanish and Portuguese Expulsion, men and
women who knew themselves the meaning of expel and enslavement, established a Venetian
Benevolent Associations to free Jewish men enslaved elsewhere in the Polish and Ukraine
Pogroms and on the Mediterranean and the Caribbean Seas.

27
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pidyon_Shvuyim

28
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilad_Shalit

29
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Pollard

9

A constant influx of Jewish slaves arrived in Malta due to the Venice-Turkey wars of the 1690s.
They were redeemed by donations of various Jewish Italian foundations.
Famous Jewish contributors in Venice were Zaccharias Porto of Florence, Letizia wife of
Giolio Morosini, Abraham Texeira of Sweden, and Moses Pinto of Hamburg30. The Leghorn
Slave Redemption Association of Livorno, Italy which contributed in 1784 to establish the
Kalkara, Malta Jewish cemetery, levied 0.25% voluntary Slave Redemption Tax over the value
of all goods sold through Jewish merchants.
In 1666 Isaac Da Fano31 enslaved in Malta with his son, was released in order to raise and bring
back ransom money for him and for his son who stayed in captivity. He traveled with
recommendation to free him letters written in Algiers, Salee and Italy. The Amsterdam Jewish
community then contributed 80% towards their release. The Hamburg Jewish community added
the last 20%.
One of Isaac Da Fano descendants may have been the Isaac Fano who was interned in the
Kalkara Jewish Cemetery32.
Rabbi Jacob son of Israel Halevi from Morea was kidnapped and kept in Malta against his will.
He died on the island in 1634. Moses Azulai of Morocco was incarcerated in Malta in 1671.
Rabbi Isaac Moreno, wife and 3 children, Abraham Perez and Joseph Levi of Smyrna were
captured in 1673. Jewish Pole Isaac Ashkenazi was captured in 1685.
Old slave Judah Surnago was worth noting no more to his Maltese master. The master locked
him up in a basement for two months feeding him small amounts of bread and water. Old
Surnago came out of his confine blind and sick. The Leghorn Livorno Association paid for his
release and recovery.
Maltese slaves Rabbi Haham Joseph Cohen Ashkenazi and Samuel Even Mayor were
released in 1699 in Ferrara, Italy.

30
Roth P220.

31
Roth P228.

32
See the chapter about the Kalkara Cemetery, stone #18.
10

Aaron Afia of Rhodes was enslaved in Malta in 1703.
18 Jewish slaves were captured by the Knights fleet in 1725 aboard a ship sailing from
Thessaloniki to Smyrna. One of them was famous: Jacob Fonseca brother of Daniel Fonseca
friend of French writer Francois Voltaire33. He was released fast by way of French diplomatic
pressure. The others were released later.
A Jewish prisoner was worth actually nothing but the ransom that could have been extorted from
his brethren in order to accommodate his release.
This extortion process found parallel in 20th and 21st centuries of certain Arab countries and Arab
terrorist organizations that extort high sums and privileges from Israel in order to return home
living or remains of Israeli soldiers.
Prisoners Isaiah Orefice and Abraham Ajet stayed on the island in 1716. Orefice was caught
stealing personal articles from Ajet34. Moses Messini and Mordechi Maio survived due to the
synagogue articles being used for their ransom. Rabbi Jacob son of Israel Halevi from Morea
was incarcerated on the island in the 1620s.
In 1749 the Turkish Rhodes subject Mustafa Pasha was incarcerated in Malta and plotted with
the aid of other Turkish slaves to catch control of the island. A Jewish convert born in Libya,
Joseph Antony Cohen who became baptized in Valletta, came to know about the plot and
notified promptly to the Grand Master Emmanuel Pinto (possibly of a Portuguese Converso
family himself). As a reward Joseph Cohen35 received from the Grand Mastery the house on 46
Merchants Street in Monte di Pieta in Malta.

33
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voltaire

34
Roth P235.

35
A commemoration plaque was affixed on Joseph Cohen’s home in Valletta until he died. The plaque is kept in the
Malta National Museum.

11

Fig. 01: 1749. This house on 46 Merchants Street in Monte di Pieta was granted by
Grand Master Emmanuel Pinto to convert Joseph Cohen for saving the Grand Master
from a Coup d’état. Photo: Wikipedia
A 20th Century descendant of this Joseph Cohen, Michael Cohen became the Mayor of the
town of Kalkara and in 2003 made a governmental visit and supported the Kalkara Jewish
Cemetery restoration36.
The French, immediately followed by the English seized control of the Maltese islands by the
year 1798, but slavery was fully abolished in Malta only 100 years thereafter, at the end of the
19th century.

36
Roth P246.
See about Joseph’s descendant Kalkara Mayor Michael Cohen in the chapter about the Kalkara Cemetery.

12

The last case on the records of the Jewish Redemption of Captives association in Venice is the
1752 payment for the release of Jewish Maltese Daniel son of Benjamin and his wife Judith
Silva, but this was certainly not the last case of redemption. A 1768 case of releasing 14 Jewish
captives is on record in London and the Livorno, Italy Leghorn Society.
Those Jews released from slavery during the 16th to 18th centuries usually found refuge in the
downtown Valletta Jewish Ghetto in and around Jewish Sally Port.
As of the 1800 English rule, the Jewish community of Malta received full emancipation.
General Maitland Governor of Malta in the years 1813-1824 awarded the Jewish community of
Malta formal recognition. Rabbi Joseph Mazliah of Ottoman Jerusalem visited in 1821 in
order to collect funds. Large numbers of Jews moved into the island from Tunis. Mentioned by
name are Samuel ben Malea and Jacob Zarfati.
Benjamin Disraeli37 visited the island in 1830 coming from London on his way to Jerusalem.
Sir Moses Montefiore visited the island in 1838 but found merely 6 Jewish families. Together
with random visiting Jews from Morocco they were able to gather three times the amount of
males required for a Minyan38. 30 Jewish males showed up for that Shabbat Services in the
Valletta 155 Strada Reale Synagogue.
The synagogue resided in a downtown Valletta building since the early 19th century. Obviously,
the interior architecture was Sephardic39 as most all the community consisted of Sephardic Jews.

37
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Disraeli

38
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minyan

39
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synagogue_architecture

13

Fig. 02: 1856. Valletta Strada Reale (Today: Republic Street).

South-west to north-east view. Photo by James Robertson
th
The old Malta 18 century synagogue was located at 155 Strada Reale on the upper
end of this major street in Valletta.
In the 15th Century the Sicilian monarchy appointed chief Rabbis over Sicily and Malta: the first
was Joseph Abenasia the Sicilian king’s physician, thereafter Moses Bonavoglia of Messina,
Joshua Banartini, Braccone Safaradi, Abraham Saba and Abraham Safaradi.
Last 4 Rabbis in Valleta were: Rabbi Joseph Tajar from Tripoli, Libya 1846-1863. Rabbi
Abram Masliah from Tripoli, Libya succeeded him. Following was Rabbi Sion Attias from
Tripoli, Libya. Rabbi Frangi Nimni officiated during 1878-1893. Rabbi Solomon Hazan of
Alexandria served shortly and died in Malta in 1852. Chaplin Major Michael Adler of the
British forces officiated in the synagogue during the WWI period. Rabbi Nisim Ohayon born in
Marrakesh, Morocco arrived from Lisbon and officiated in the years 1934-1956. He was the last
official Rabbi.
14

Fig. 03: 1875. Valletta Strada Reale (Today: Republic Street)

Photo: Horatio Agius.
Same view as the former photo. Photo taken from the bridge near the old Opera House.
Note the new buildings on the right and left which appeared within a period of 20 years.
An 1881 census counted 145 Jews in Malta by nationality: 79 British (including Gibraltar), 48
Turkish (Ottoman Empire, Israel included), 9 Italians, 4 Portuguese, 3 Tunisians and 2 Germans.
A 1892 Census counted 120 Jews in Malta most of north-Africa and the Middle East.
A 1904 Census counted merely 60 Jews.
During WWI England kept Turkish and Bulgarian POWs in Malta. 150 of them were Jewish.
Most of them returned after the war to their countries of birth but some stayed on the island. By
the 1920s mere 6 Jewish families remained on the island40.

40
Roth P251.
15

Achille Tayar was the president of the Maltese Jewish community from WWI to 1944 when he
expired. Following him Fortunato Habib held the position to 1963 when he expired. George
Tayar took the position to 1994 when he expired. Abraham Hayim Ohayon, son of Rabbi
Nissim Ohayon, took the position of community head in 1994.
The 155 Strada Reale Synagogue in Valletta crumbled and was demolished in 1979. The
congregation moved to an old building in 182 Strada San Ursola. This location was demolished
as well in 1995.
The present day synagogue was established in an apartment in the Valletta suburb of Tashbish
(Maltese: Ta Xbiex). Naturally the compact synagogue architecture is Sephardic. Reuben
Ohayon, grandson to the last Rabbi Nissim Ohayon serves as the leader of the congregation,
Shaliach Tzibur41since 2000. The Chabad House was established in Malta in the suburb of St.
Julian in 200542. The Chabad Rabbi Chaim Shalom Halevi Segal serves as the community
Rabbi.
By 2019 about 150 are members in the Maltese Jewish Community. The Maltese government
liberal and loose taxation decrees and low profile bureaucracy attracted a small permanent
residents group of Israeli and American business men, computer analysts and programmers who
maintain and operate Foreign Exchange43, future commodities, gaming and adult websites.
Quite a few present day Maltese surnames point to their Jewish patronymic ancestry, an ancestry
which was lost do to assimilation, introgression and forced conversions44. Some examples:
Mejlaq (Melech), Micallef (Machluff), Buruchus (Baruch), Messina, Faro, Ferraru (Ferara),

41
https://www.halachipedia.com/index.php?title=Shaliach_Tzibur

42
https://www.chabad.org/centers/default_cdo/aid/2015539/jewish/Chabad‐
Malta.htm?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1o35jZvC4QIV4bvtCh1qWAtHEAAYASAAEgJv5vD_BwE

43
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_exchange_market

44
Godfrey Wettinger, The Origin of Maltese Surnames;
https://vassallohistory.wordpress.com/vassallo/the‐origin‐of‐the‐maltese‐surnames/comment‐page‐7/

16

Mifsud, Azzopardi (Sefaradi), Hellul (Ellul), Muxi (Moshe), Parnis (Parnas), Refalo (Refael),
Sansuni (Samson), Episcopu (convert Jew), Zamit (Zamir) , Muscat, Attard, Salamone (Shlomo),
Mamo, Meli, Buttigieg (Ben-Gigi), Borg (Castle), Farrugia (chicken), Xerri, Xilorum, to name
only few.
It is estimated said that as many as 200,000 persons of the 500,000 Maltese citizens could
account as Conversos, descended from a cadre of few hundreds of Jewish Maltese who forcibly
converted from Judaism into Catholicism in the 16th century CE at the peak of the Catholic
Inquisition terror regime in Sicily and Malta, a regime which followed the Inquisition rules of the
1492-1492 CE Jewish Expulsion from the Iberian Peninsula.
In the town of Birgu just east of Valletta there exists “Jewry Street”. In the town of Zejtun, 5KM
south east of Valletta, there is the “Jewry Squere”. At Bin Gemma north of Rabat and in Xatt il-
Qwabar in Marsa wharf we have the “Jewish Caves”. On the island of Gozo, the Jews
concentrated in the Citadella, the narrow streets near the fortress of the town of Victoria.
Fig. 04: Isle of Gozo, town of Victoria. The Jewish Ghetto of the Citadella near the
fortress. Photo: Google Earth
17

On the south west corner of the island of Gozo we find “Ghajn Lhudi” – Jew’s Cave and “wied
Sansun” – Samson’s valley, “Ghajn Lehudin” – Jewish Fountain, and “Misrah Lhudi”-Jew’s
Squere.
The evidence for past Jewish presence and strong influence in the Maltese islands runs strong.
Meir Halevi Gover

Tel-Aviv
Pesach 2019
18

02.
The Mdina Jewish
Catacombs
The Mdina-Rabat, Malta catacombs are a Pagan and Judeo-Christian burial grounds near the
ancient Greek town Melite1 in the center of the isle of Malta. In ancient times, water carved
caves into the soft Maltese limestone creating a maze of underground tunnels. Once the caves
become dry, ancient humans and later on the Greeks were using the caves for human doweling,
for livestock barns and as an early pagan underground cemetery later known as the St. Paul
Catacombs2. The ancient Greeks used the caves from the 4th century BCE to the 1st Century CE.
The fortress of Mdina3 and Rabat4 was erected on top and nearby the town of Melite remains
during the 1st to 5th centuries CE.
A small Jewish community, traditionally of the Jewish seamen of the biblical tribes Zebulon and
Asher doweled in islands of Malta and Gozo when they joined the Phoenicians5 on commerce
trips across the Mediterranean Basin as of the 8th Century BCE, the timeline of biblical

1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melite_(ancient_city)

2
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Paul%27s_Catacombs

3
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mdina
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortifications_of_Mdina

4
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabat,_Malta

5
https://www.visitmalta.com/en/early‐inhabitants

19

Phoenician Queen Jezebel6. It is said that those early Jewish settlers on Malta’s island of Gozo
even had their own synagogue equipped with an eternal flame, in the Ggantija Temple complex7
from the 9th Century BCE onwards.
Fig. 05: Remains of the possible synagogue at the Ggantija Temple complex on Gozo
Island. One Inscription was deciphered as “To the love of our father YAHWE”8.
The Phoenicians erected the city and kingdom of Cartage in 480 BCE in North Africa (today’s
Tunisia) and controlled the Maltese islands and North-Africa.
The Romans took over Malta following the 2nd Punic War in 218 BCE9. By the second half of
the 1st Century CE, following their win over Jerusalem and the destruction of the Second Jewish
Jerusalem Temple, the Romans delivered some 200 Hebrew Slaves from mainland Rome to
Malta via Sicily. Early Jewish cemeteries were traced on the islands of Gozo and Comino but
following the dwindling of the Jews on those islands those cemeteries were vandalized and
destroyed.

6
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jezebel

7
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%A0gantija

8
https://vassallohistory.wordpress.com/?s=jewish

9
Cecil Roth – The Jews of Malta. Page 188. March 28, 1929 addressing the Jewish historical Society of England.

20

The Mdina Fortress grew in power following the decline of the Western Roman Empire10 during
the 6th Century CE. Jews had their Ghetto within the Mdina fortress walls. They were known of
course as merchants and specifically in Malta as silk merchants.
Fig. 06: Aerial of the Mdina fortress. The Jewish Ghetto and Synagogue were located
on the east side, near the Cathedral, facing Jerusalem. Photo: Wikipedia
Fig. 07: 2018. Mdina fortress doorpost ancient Mezuzah11 niche. Photo: Jacob Maor

10
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_the_Western_Roman_Empire

11
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mezuzah

21

Fig. 08: 2019. The author within the Mdina fortress. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 09: The 4th to 15th Centuries CE Mdina Fortress Jewish Ghetto on Fosos Street.
© Photo: Meir Gover 2019
22

Fig. 10: 4th to 15th Centuries CE. The Jewish Silk Market within the Mdina Walls.
The Jews of Mdina had their own cemetery and burial undergrounds in the nearby St. Paul
Catacombs as of the 2nd Century CE.
Burial in Catacombs was part of the Jewish tradition in Israel as of the 1st to 3rd Centuries CE.
The practice of Jewish burials in Catacomb stone coffins and sarcophagus initiated in Jerusalem
and in the Israeli Catacombs of the Beit-Shearim National Park12, east of the city of Haifa during
the 1st to 4th Centuries CE. Rabbi Judah Nasi13, editor of the Mishnah was interned in the Beit-
Shearim Israeli Catacombs.

12
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beit_She'arim_National_Park

13
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judah_ha‐Nasi

23

Fig. 11: 2nd Century CE carved Menorah in the limestone of the Israeli Beit-Shearim
Catacombs east of Haifa14. Photo: Wikipedia
Fig. 12: 2nd Century CE Lions carved motif coffin of a wealthy Jewish family @ the Beit-
Shearim, Israel Catacombs. Photo: Wikipedia

14
https://www.touristisrael.com/beit‐shearim/8877/
https://www.parks.org.il/en/reserve‐park/bet‐shearim‐national‐park/
https://biblewalks.com/sites/beitshearimcatacombs.html

24

The Malta National Museum of Natural History in Mdina15 displays a Jewish coffin of the St.
Paul Jewish section catacombs.
The Jewish cemetery in the Mdina, Malta St. Paul Catacombs Burial Undergrounds is a
distinguished section separated by an on-ground stone fence. Jewish Catacombs #10-#11-#12-
#13-#14 lies on the north side of the catacombs site. As of early 2019, Jewish Catacomb #11
was closed to the public but Jewish Catacombs #10, 12, 13 and 14 are open and easily accessible
each by its own staircase leading underground. The Jewish Catacombs are marked on the outside
with English sign erected just before one enters the stairway tunnel leading down into the
catacomb. In spite of the internal lighting system which operates through motion sensitive
sensors, a flashlight will be most useful in order to identify the stone carved Jewish Menorahs
and a flash camera or a flash equipped cell phone high resolution camera is recommended in
order to catch a reasonable photo of the carved Menorahs on the catacomb stone walls.
Fig. 13: The stone fence surrounding the Jewish section cemetery of the Mdina
(St. Paul) Catacombs. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019

15
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Museum_of_Natural_History,_Malta
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review‐g190324‐d1959491‐Reviews‐
National_Museum_of_Natural_History‐Mdina_Island_of_Malta.html
25

Fig. 14: Catacomb #10. Jewish Burials. Maximal capacity: 6 visitors. 15 steps down
Caveat! Ceiling height varies 0.5-1.76 Meter. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 15: Catacomb #10. Solely Jewish Burials. Entrance. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
26

Fig. 16: Catacomb #10. Menorah #1. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 17: Catacomb #10. Same Menorah #1. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
27

28

Fig. 20: Catacomb #10. Carved Hebrew letters? © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 21: Catacomb #12. Solely Jewish burials. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
29

30

Fig. 24: Catacomb #13. Solely Jewish burials. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 25: Catacomb #13. Menorah #1 within a burial basin of a Jewish couple.
31

32

Fig. 28: Catacomb #13. Menorah #2. © 2019 Selfi of the author with this Menorah
within Catacomb #13.
33

Fig. 29: Catacomb #14. Solely Jewish burials. Note the wall differentiating the Jewish
cemetery premises. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 30: Jewish Catacomb #14. Entrance. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
34

Fig. 31: Catacomb #17. The boat which brought over the engraver to Malta.
Fig. 32: Catacombs. The Jewish rite museum room. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
35

Fig. 33: Catacomb #17. Non-Jewish burials. The wall within the storage room on which
the chiseling and working tools hung and the window through which the tools were
issued to workers. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
36

03.
The Kalkara Jewish
Cemetery
The Hospitaller Crusader knights1 of the Order of the Jerusalem St. John Hospital arrived from
Europe to Jerusalem, following a series of holy wars and conquests and controlled Jerusalem
from 1099 CE to 1244 CE. By 1244 CE they were defeated by the Turks, had to retreat to town
of Acre up in north Israel and later on fled by boats over the east Mediterranean Sea to the isle of
Rhodes. On October 26, 1530, under grandmaster De I’lse Adam the Knights arrived in the isle
of Malta byway the isles of Sicily and Rhodes and took over the 3 adjacent Maltese islands2.
Under their control of Malta, same as under their control of Jerusalem, the whole Jewish
population became slaves. The young and able Jewish were deployed as rowers of the Knights
fleet. The Jewish Maltese population count was 500 in the 1530s.
By 1784 the wealthy Jewish community of Livorno Italy contributed large sums in order to free
Jewish slaves and to purchase a piece of land east to Valletta in order to establish a Jewish
cemetery. East of the Valletta, across the Grand Harbor waters on the bare hills of the territory
named then Calkara (today Kalkara), a piece of land of about 1,000 Square Meters was
purchased and appropriated for a Jewish cemetery. The area around the cemetery was desolated.
By the 19th century the town of Kalkara erected buildings encircling the cemetery, cannibalizing
some 50% of its original perimeter.
The St. John Order ruled Malta for 268 years, their fortifications surviving the Turk siege of
1565 CE. By 1798 CE the Knights Order was expelled by the French and consequently in 1800

1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusades

2
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Malta

37

the Brits took over and Malta became a British colony, until it gained independence in 1964.
Fig. 34: 1823. Malta Valetta map. Note the heavy fortifications which became the
capital’s symbol. Source: Wikipedia
38

Fig. 35: 1823. Kalkara Jewish cemetery (Blue circle). The cemetery was there much
earlier than the first streets and the dwelling buildings. Source: Wikipedia
39

Fig. 36: 15th Century CE Jewish Sally Port Gate at the entrance to the then Valletta
Jewish Ghetto. © Photo Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 37: 15th Century CE Jewish Sally Port wall at the entrance to the then Valletta
Jewish Ghetto. © Photo Meir Gover 2019
40

Fig. 38: 15th Century CE Jews’ Street in the then Valletta Jewish Ghetto
© Photo Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 39: 2019. Present day Kalkara old Jewish Cemetery location.
Source: Google Maps
41

Fig. 40: 2019 South side cemetery gate on Rnella Street.

© Photo Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 41: 1784 Latin dedication plaque on top of the gate of the Kalkara Jewish cemetery
at Rnella & Santa Filumena streets, near the St. Joseph Church.
©Photo: Meir Gover 2019
The Latin reads: “This cemetery established 1784 by the Leghorn Fund (Livorno Italy
Jewish Benevolent Fund) which extends ransom for Hebrew slaves and funds for
cemeteries for the Jewish people”.
42

Fig. 42: 1784. Map of the Kalkara Jewish Cemetery in the bare sandy hills of Kalkara.
Note the TAHARA Room on the north-west corner. North, east and south side land
strips, including the Tahara Room, were cannibalized by the Maltese when erecting the
19th century residential buildings in very close proximity surrounding the cemetery.
Fig. 43: 2019. Present day gate of Kalkara Jewish Cemetery @ Rnella Street.
43

Fig. 44: 1981. South to North view. © Photo Derek Davis. Titles Meir Gover
Fig. 45: 2019. South to North view. Left: Caretaker Mrs. Sarah Azzopardi, Ph.D
(history)3. Gravestone #8 is missing in 2019. © Photo Meir Gover

3
Azzopardi (the Saffardi) is a Jewish Converso surname.
44

Fig. 46: 1981. West to East view.

© 1981 Photo Derek Davis
2019 subtitles by Meir Gover

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Converso

45

Fig. 47: 1981 Cemetery Blueprint stone positions © 1981 photo by Derek Davis
Gate and entering steps from Rnella Street are down south. Surrounded by buildings
walls on the west, north and east sides and the Rnella Street wall on the south side, the
Kalkara cemetery is merely 12 Meter wide east to west and 9 meter long south to
north and contains 18 stone graves4.
Adaptation and Measurements: Meir Gover
#3, #6 to #16 stones are identified

#1, #2, #4 and #5 stones are possible graves
#17 stone is a loose gravestone
#18 and #19 stones are stone fragments
#8 stone has on it inscriptions in Hebrew
#10 and #16 stones are best preserved
#7 and #13 stones are in a coffin shape
#11 stone is the only marble tomb. #13 and #17 stones are marble panels.

4
Blueprint and data: ‘The Jewish Cemetery at Kalkara, Malta’. 1981 by Derek Davis © Transactions & Miscellanies,
volume 28, The Journal of the Jewish Historical Society of England – JHSE XXIIX pages 145‐170

46

#9 stone was badly cracked during the construction at the erection of the 118 Rnella St. building
(in the 19th Century).
#18 stone fragment may belong to the #16 stone.
Cemetery actual Area measurements:

12 Meter x 9 Meter. 108 Square Meters
Cemetery identified stones:

5 men and 3 women (1 girl included) are mentioned by name.
It seems that this cemetery contained a total of about 30 Jewish graves.
Cemetery Timeline:
The Kalkara cemetery was used for a period of 50 years extending from 1784 to 1830+.
Stones Style:
All graves are in the Sephardic flat pedestal style. All the pedestals are positioned in the east-
west position according to the Jewish belief of “Resurrection of the Dead”5 at the time when
the Jewish Messiah will arrive6.
Thus, according to the orthodox Jewish rituals, all Jewish dead worldwide are laid to rest in a
position where their feet heels are pointed towards Temple Mount in Jerusalem, so when
resurrected, they will know which direction Jerusalem is and will head there.
#1.
Flat rectangular stone. Possibly remains of a grave.
#2.
Flat rectangular stone.
#3.
Three stone pedestal.
#4.
Stone, part of a pedestal.

5
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurrection_of_the_dead

6
Book of Ezekiel 37; 01‐12
Book of Isaiah 26; 19
Book of Daniel 12; 02
Talmud, Sanhedrin 90; 02

47

#5.
Either part of a double gravestone or part of the Cemetery’s Tahara Room basis.
#6.
Pedestal made up of two stones.
#7.
October 14, 1831. 7 Heshvan 5592. Old man Jacob Lucena. ‫יעקב לוצינה‬
Coffin shape flat stone on a pedestal.
Came to Malta from Raguza-Dobrovnik in the 1820s7.
#8.
Broken pedestal. This pedestal was removed by 2019.
#9.
May 21, 1833. 03 Sivan 5593. Old man Rafael Elieser Sarfati. ‫רפאל אליעזר צרפתי‬
Horizontal stone.
Probably husband of Rachel de Joseph Cortissos. They married at the London Bevis Marks
Synagogue on May 16, 1802. Rachel died in Malta in 1863.
#10.
Raised rectangular grave.
#11.
January 21, 1820. 12 Shvat 5580. Age 44. Hannah Anna Saa De Silva. ‫חנה לבית סאא דה סילוה‬
Was a Marrano/ Converso8 possibly of the Maltese neophytes. Married to Abraham Borges De-
Silva. Was the Mother of Aron and Jacob. She Came to Malta with husband and her two boys
circa 1915 from Lisbon, Portugal. Yearned for children, had eventually few sons but then died at
childbirth in the age 44 (possibly due to her late age birth).
#12.
C1823. Judah Lxxxa. ... ‫יהודה‬
Horizontal stone.

7
Convert Joseph Wolf 1860 book “Travels and Adventures” page 166
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Wolff

8
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marrano
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Converso

48

#13.
February 11, 1825. Age 70. Menachem Ben Adi. ‫מנחם בן עאדי‬
Coffin shape flat stone.
Fig. 48: 11 February 1825. Menachem Ben Adi. Age 70.

© 1981 photo by Derek Davis.
Menachem Ben Adi (1755-1825) came to Malta from British Gibraltar. His father Meshod
Benadi had moved to Gibraltar from Morocco C1735. A Gibraltar census lists his profession as a
shoemaker. It seems that he came to the isle of Malta via the isle of Minorca and made a solid
livelihood by supplying boots to the British Royal Army.
The epitaph suggests his involvement in the British Jews Benevolent Committee. His two sons
moved to the isle of Corfu. Nothing is known about the whereabouts of his daughters. No later
trace to the Benadi family in Malta.
‫‪49 ‬‬
‫‪ ‬‬
‫‪ ‬‬
‫‪Fig. 49: February 11, 1825. Menachem Ben Adi. At age 70.‬‬
‫‪© 2019 photo by Meir Gover‬‬
‫‪Note the cracks added since 1981 due to the elements or due to vandalism.‬‬
‫]‪[Hebrew on the Benadi stone:‬‬

‫נודו וספדו בקול בכייה ואנייה בלב חמרמר וקי]נה[‬
‫על מות איש ישר ירא אלוהים זקן ונשוא פנים‬
‫וישר ויראת ה' אוצרו ועומד בפרץ לימין האיבי]ם[‬
‫כי נדכא ונחלה בחולי מר וקשה וה' חפץ דכאו עד ישכון תחתי]ות[‬
50

... ‫תנים הניס ובניו ובנותיו עלי תולע אמונים אחריו בנהי ודמע בבכי‬
[‫ ואף כי נדכא ונחלה בסובלי חולאים לא מנע עצמו לש]מור‬:‫מרוב אונים‬
‫ לפני קהילתו אץ כצבי רץ לכבד את ה' בחינם האמין‬:‫מזוזות פתחיו ברננים‬
‫נשמתו תעלה לשמי מרומים למקום גדודי חיות ושרפים ואופנים ושמו הרחום‬
[‫ נלב"ע ]נלקח לבית עולמו‬:‫נקרא מנחם לבית בן עאדי נפשו תנוח בגן אלוהים שומר אברהם‬
:‫ביום שישי עש"ק ]ערב שבת קודש[ כ"ב לחודש שבט שנת ה'תקפה ליצירה‬
[‫תנצבה ]תהי נשמתו צרורה בצרור החיים‬
[English:]
Mourn and grief with a bitter heart
the departure of a honest God fearing old respectful man
stricken by a hard disease by which God decided to kill him
Jackals are howling, his sons and daughters blush in cry.
Although he fell sick he watched
The Mezuzot at his door steps. Ran like a gazelle to respect God,
was sure that his soul will reach heaven, where the Seraphim dwell.
His merciful name was Menachem household of Ben Adi may he rest in peace. Died
on 22 to the [Jewish] month of Shvat [the Jewish year] 5585 [February 11, 1825];
MAY HIS SOUL BE BUNDLED WITH THE LIVING
51

Fig. 50: January 29, 2003. Malta Infrastructure and Resources Minister Francis
Zammit Dimech at the 1825 stone of Menachem Ben Adi, accompanied by Kalkara
Mayor Michael Cohen9. Cohen’s ancestor Joseph Cohen a Moroccan Jew converted
and was baptized in Valletta in 1740. Photo: Times of Malta 2003

9
https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20030130/local/jewish‐cemetery‐in‐kalkara‐being‐
refurbished.157825

52

#14.
Pedestal
#15.
August 25, 1831. 16 Elul 5591. Age 22. Rika daughter of Abraham Abiaziz.
‫ריקה בת אברהם אביעזיז‬
Flat rectangular stone.
Photo 51: August 25, 1831 Rika daughter of Abraham Abiaziz. Age 22
© 1981 photo by Derek Davis.
Moses Abiaziz came to Malta from Gibraltar, similarly to the Borges Da Silva family. It seems
that they divided their livelihood between few Mediterranean harbors. One child was born in
Tunis and another in Tripoli, Libya. Rika’s husband may have been Shalom Abiaziz, son of
Moses, who later married Esther. Her father may have been Abraham Borges Da Silva.
53

#16.
Remains of pedestal
#17.
December 24, 1831. 20 Tevet 5592. Child Rivka Abiaziz. ‫רבקה לבית אביעזיז‬
Cousin to older Rebecca Abiaziz. Niece of Moses Abiaziz.
Rectangular flat stone.
#18.
April 25, 1834. 16 Nisan 5594. Young man […. possibly Isaac] Fano. ‫פאנו‬
Rectangular flat stone, possibly detached from #6.
This man may have been a descendant of salve Isaac Da Fano released circa 167010.
#19.
Loose fragment.

10
See the introductory chapter “Jewish Malta”.
54

04.
Tashbish (TaBraxia)
Jewish Cemetery
The Jewish cemetery ta Braxia (Maltese), pronounced in English: ‘Tashbish’ was established in
1830 just outside the Floriana Line of fortifications1 of the Valletta city south-west side. The
British had established there their civil cemetery in 18552 and the Pieta military cemetery in
18663.
The Jewish Cemetery in Tashbish operated from 1830 to 1879 and contains about 30 graves.
The then chief Maltese Rabbi Joseph Tajar arrived in Malta from Tripoli, Libya mainland
north-Africa in 1846 and was interned in the Tashbish Jewish cemetery in 1862. The writings
and verses on many Tashbish stones from that era and are attributed to his mastering the Hebrew
language and biblical and post-biblical Jewish writings.
The Tashbish Jewish cemetery is in a form of a rectangle. The west side of this Jewish small
cemetery was cannibalized by the Maltese government Taxation Department building and its
wall mounted piping. The government building was erected in the 20th century along the west
side of the cemetery with little or no appreciation to the veteran Jewish cemetery bordering it.

1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floriana_Lines

2
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ta%27_Braxia_Cemetery

3
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piet%C3%A0_Military_Cemetery

55

Fig. 52: 2019 Tashbish Jewish Cemetery general view #1. Note the Maltese
government Department of Taxation on the left side, cannibalizing a long slice of this
190 year old cemetery. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 53: 2019 Tashbish Jewish Cemetery general view #2. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
56

57

Fig. 56: 2019 Tashbish Jewish Cem. Levite Jar(?) © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 57: 1834. Luna Beasmot © Photo: Meir Gover 2019

58

Fig. 58: February 01, 1834. Iulia Messin © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 59: July 16, 1848. Sol Lea Da Silva. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
59

Fig. 60: 1850. Isaac son of Jacob © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 61: February 24, 1860. Aron da Silva. Died young. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
‫‪60 ‬‬
‫‪ ‬‬
‫‪ ‬‬
‫‪Fig. 62: June 01, 1862. Rabbi Joseph Tajar‬‬ ‫‪© Photo: Meir Gover 2019‬‬
‫‪Renovated Stone. Following is probably his own written eulogy as marked on the above‬‬
‫‪matzeva:‬‬
‫מה רב טובך אשר צפנת ליראיך פעלת לחוסים בך נגד בני אל‬
‫עין תדמע‬
‫עורו נא‬
‫איכה יועם‬
‫במר אבכה‬
‫קול תנו‬
‫על חמדת לבב‬
‫מכניס אורחים‬
‫צדק לפניו ואור פניו‬
‫צועקים במר ובשר סמר‬
‫ימתיק ימליץ מלאך מליץ‬
‫‪61 ‬‬
‫‪ ‬‬
‫‪ ‬‬
‫הלוא זה החי"ש‬
‫לסיון שנת כי ידבר שלום ]ג' סיון ה'תרכ"ב[‬ ‫]‪[03 Sivan 5622‬‬
‫לקול נשמע‬
‫ושא קינה‬
‫זהב אופיר‬
‫בלב נדכה‬
‫והתאוננו‬
‫מבני חובב‬
‫יצאו שמחים‬
‫ישר ועניו בכל חקותיו‬
‫אשתו וגם בניו ובנותיו‬
‫לשמר חקיו ומצותיו‬
‫ר' יוסף טייאר‬

‫אל עמו יבוא שלום ינוחו‬
‫על איש‬
‫העם בוכה‬
‫חשך אור‬
‫ואהנה תחת‬
‫גם אהבת‬
‫נא ספרו‬
‫מור מרקחים‬
‫פרי מעבדיו הן הן עדיו‬
‫אשאל מצור שוכין אביון‬
‫על איש צדיק ישר פעולו‬
‫נשמתו צרורה עם משרתיו‬
‫על משכבותם הולך‬
‫ישרו נעימותיו‬
‫וכל משפחתו‬
‫‪62 ‬‬
‫‪ ‬‬
‫‪ ‬‬
‫וכל מעלותיו‬
‫מרגלותיו‬
‫כלולותיו‬
‫את נפלאותיו‬
‫נוטפות שפתותיו‬
‫אמרות טהורות אמרותיו‬
‫שרפי עליון יעמדו סביבותיו‬
‫אשח אתו על תהלותיו‬
‫שנפטר ביום חמישי שלושה‬
‫נכואו הו"ב יה"ע בקו"א‬
‫‪Fig. 63: April 21, 1864. Asher Anselmo Meir Natino.‬‬

‫‪© Photo: Meir Gover 2019‬‬
63

Fig. 64: July 09, 1864. Joseph Hacohen Taiugi. Age 33. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 65: July 23, 1864 Abraham Sedbon. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
64

Fig. 66: April 20, 1866. Chana Borges Da Silva. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 67: October 30, 1867. Moshe son of Rafael Osmo. Age 12.
65

Fig. 68: December 16, 1871. Gershom Isaac Ciacomo Bescinsky.

Fig. 69: November 20, 1874. Lamiruda Tajar. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
66

Fig. 70: November 28, 1874. Esmeralda Tajar. Age 60. Widow of Rabbi Joseph
Fig. 71: December 11, 1874. Jacob Borges Da Silva. Age 75.
President of the Malta Jewish Community. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
67

Fig. 72: August 06, 1875. Benjamin Attila Levy. Age 15. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 73: January 23, 1877. Miriam Borges Da Silva. Age 14.
68

Fig. 74: July 20, 1877. Aron Borges Da Silva. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 75: April 23, 1879. Chaim Abiaziz. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
69

Fig. 76: 1880. Abiaziz © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Most all Stones in the various Malta Jewish cemeteries were deciphered by the
author. The 6 following stones, all in the Tashbish Jewish cemetery, remain un-
deciphered as of yet. The author requests readers’ help in deciphering the
writings on the following 6. Deciphers credit will be posted in the following
editions.
Thank You.
70

Fig. 77: Tashbish Cem. Unknown #1. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
71

72

Fig. 81: Tashbish Cem. Unknown # 5. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 82: Tashbish Cem. Unknown # 6. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019

73

Fig. 83: Present day only Maltese Synagogue in an apartment in the Tashbish, subarb
of Valletta. On Shabbat a Minyan4 usually can be gathered. Photo: Wikipedia
The 2019 Malta Jewish community holds about 150 persons. A direct Air Malta line operates
regularly between Valletta and Tel-Aviv bringing on each flight from Tel-Aviv twice that
number Israeli tourists. At any given day of the year there are estimated 300 Israeli tourists
roaming the islands of Malta and Gozo, twice the headcount of the local Jewish community.

4
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minyan

74

75

05.
The Marsa Jewish
Cemetery
The Jewish Ta’ Sammat, Marsa Cemetery1 was inaugurated on December 08, 1879 and is the
only active Jewish Maltese cemetery. It is adjacent to the Turkish War Cemetery. The gates to
the Marsa Jewish Cemetery were designed by architect Webster Paulson2.
Funds for purchasing the land and erecting this cemetery came through the support of Jewish
English Sir Moses Montefiore3

1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Cemetery,_Marsa
https://web.archive.org/web/20181209152221/https://www.cwgc.org/find‐a‐cemetery/cemetery/11207/marsa‐
jewish‐cemetery/

2
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webster_Paulson

3
Cecil Roth – The Jews of Malta. Page 245. March 28, 1929 addressing in London the Jewish historical Society of
England.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses_Montefiore

76

Fig. 84: 2019. Gate of the Marsa Jewish Cemetery. © Photos: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 85: December 08, 1879. Plaque in Italian on top of the gate at the public
Inauguration of the “Israeliti” Cemetery by the Maltese Government4.

4

https://web.archive.org/web/20170729222529/http://melitensiawth.com/incoming/Index/Proceedings%20of%20
History%20Week/PHW2009/09s.pdf

77

Fig. 86: 1291. Abraham son of Samuel Abulafia5. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Kabbalist Abulafia (not of the Halevi Abulafia line) was born in 1240 in Zaragoza, Spain
and traditionally, died 1291 in voluntary isolation on the smallest inhabited isle of
Comino, Malta6. Zadikim.com7 claim that Abraham Abulafia’s remains together with
other of Jewish Maltese of the 1st Century CE era were exhumed in 2003 by them and
reburied under this specific stone in the Marsa cemetery.
Meir Gover 2019: This is a symbolic grave.

5
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Abulafia

6
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comino

7
http://www.zadikim.com/

78

Fig. 87: April 04, 1887. Esther Paz. Age 75. ©: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 88: March 03, 1890. Sima Pelischki. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
79

Fig. 89: November 10, 1890. Raffael Achille Arbib. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 90: June 03, 1891. Obtensia Bismot. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
80

Fig. 91: May 12, 1893. Abram Tammam. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 92: March 14, 1895. Haim Hima Ghiefalino. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
81

Fig. 93: February 26, 1899. Joseph DiClemente Tayar. Age 26.
Fig. 94: 1900. Miriam Benjamin. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019

82

Fig. 95: 1900. Moshe Kreif. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 96: September 21, 1902. Mordechai Moshe Ibo Toledano. Age 19.
83

Fig. 97: February 02, 1907. Fortuna Coen. Age 57. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 98: August 11, 1909. Yafa Hazan. Age 17. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
84

Fig. 99: March 05, 1910. Esther Tayar. Age 15. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 100: September 29, 1910. Sara daughter of Yafa Hazan.© Photo: Meir Gover 2019
85

Fig. 101: August 04, 1912. Yaakov Tayar. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 102: August 17, 1912. Rebecca Tayar Age 72. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
86

Fig. 103: July 05, 1914. Bernard Figlio son of Rahmin Lopovitz. Age 1 year.
Fig. 104: December 07, 1915. Owen Stirling Melhado. Age 23. Officer from Jamaica
87

Fig. 105: December 22, 1916. Karl Sessler. Age 36. From Austria.
Fig. 106: February 25, 1917. Moise Hasson of Saloniki. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
88

Fig. 107: August 24, 1917. Rabbi Kalifa Halevi Haddad. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 108: September 28, 1918. Perez Schmatnik. Age 25. Born in Cairo.
89

Fig. 109: April 26, 1919. Chaim Pelischki. Age 75. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 110: May 15, 1922. Aron Hazan. Age 47. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
90

Fig. 111: November 02, 1922. Esther Mizrahi. Child. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 112: October 07, 1929. Diamantina Tayar Pelischki. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
91

Fig. 113: January 10, 1930. Mose Hazan. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 114: November 30, 1930. Miriam Corina Coen Tayar. Age 65.
92

Fig. 115: June 04, 1931. Zalman Reuben Hachoen Criger. Age 40.
Fig. 116: February 11, 1932. Isaac Tajar. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
93

Fig. 117: December 16, 1936. Beril Barnett Greenberg © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 118: July 28, 1941. Kamus Quintino son of Abraham Reginiano.
94

Fig. 119: January 06, 1942. Sarina Sabine Tand wife of Perec Opoczynski.
Fig. 120: February 15, 1942. Menasse son of Kamus Reginiano. Born Tripoli.
Died at age 16. Photo: Meir Gover 2019
95

Fig. 121: September 24, 1942. Philip Kanter British soldier. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 122: January 09, 1944. Joshua Nissim Achille Tayar. Age 66.
Head of the Jewish Community. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
96

Fig. 123: May 09, 1945. Aron Arnold Simon Goodman. Age 1.5 years
Fig. 124: November 19, 1945. Norman Mandelson Age 26. RAF Pilot from Liverpool.
97

Fig. 125: January 09, 1947. Perez Paul son of Samuel Opoczynski.
Fig. 126: January 15, 1949. Rahamim son of Jacob Tayar. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
98

Fig. 127: December 23, 1950. Diamanta Irene wife of Joshua Nissim Tayar.
Fig. 128: January 22, 1955. Hamus son of Klafo Reginiano. Age 57.
99

Fig. 129: November 16, 1956. Rabbi Nissim Ohayon.

The last active rabbi of Malta. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 130: April 12, 1959. Joseph Ohayon. Age 41. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
100

Fig. 131: July 30, 1959. Alan Stephen Comm. Age 27. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 132: January 26, 1968 Leon son of Shena and Joshia Lewinsohn Levson. Age88
Born Rogovo, Lithuania. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
101

Fig. 133: April 14, 1968. Fortunato son of Abraham Habib. Age 78.
Fig. 134: 1969. Solomon Epstein. Age 64. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
102

Fig. 135: April 23, 1970. William G. Rose. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 136: March 07, 1973. Josef Herman Gilbert. Age 72. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
103

Fig. 137: November 22, 1973. Daphne Agnes Morris. Age 60 © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 138: 1977. Victor Landau. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019

104

Fig. 139: March 10, 1977. Zvi Herman son of Melech Eder. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 140: July 29, 1977. Ernest Ulman. Age 69. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
105

Fig. 141: 1980. Arthur Noskwith. Age 81. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 142: 1980. Judah Ben Samuel. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
106

Fig. 143: August 11, 1980. Hanna Reginiano. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 144: October 30, 1980. Martha Tannen. Age 82. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
107

Fig. 145: March 01, 1981. Messoda Ohayon. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 146: December 26, 1981. Lino Reginiano. Age 58. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
108

Fig. 147: December 30, 1982. Naphtali Berthold Strauss Stratton. Age 83.
Fig. 148: 1983. Adalbert Bela Weisz. Age 85. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
109

Fig. 149: August 11, 1984. Rachel Tayar. Age 98. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 150: December 03, 1985. Chaia Beila daughter of Perec Eder. Age 91.
110

Fig. 151: January 31, 1986. Rachel Ohayon. Age 60. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 152: 1987. Bernard Sado. Age 69. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
111

Fig. 153: November 17, 1988. Beila Cusirinzon © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 154: February 22, 1991. Rudolf Bruce Edler. Age 88.
112

Fig. 155: 1994. Emanuel George son of Zalman Tayar. Age 76.
Fig. 156: January 24, 1994. Bela Lowinger. Age 88.

113

Fig. 157: 1996. Leslie Freedman. Age 75. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 158: August 13, 1996. Lisl Berger. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
114

Fig. 159: 1997. Ruby Miller. Age 71. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
Fig. 160: September 29, 2001. Basha Rachel daughter of Israel Halevi Davis. Age 77.
January 29, 2003. Leib Stanley son of Moshe Davis. Age 86.
115

Fig. 161: January 20, 2002. Chana Netty Eder daughter of Daniel
Fig. 162: 2006. Oscar Tayar. Age 96. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019
116

Fig. 163: Februar 03, 2008. Pearl Caruana Bloom. Age 95.
Fig. 164: April 14, 2008. Daniel Denis son of David Isaac Miller.
117

Fig. 165: 2009. Israel Ian son of Mordechai Halevi Shandler.

Fig. 166: 2011. Helen Krasner De Yong. Age 81.

118

Fig. 167: June 09, 2011. Vito son of Hannah and Hammus Reginiano. Age 82.
Fig. 168: 2014. Rabbi Chaim Herbert Richer. Age 91.

119

Fig. 169: January 08, 2018. Robert Eder. Age 99.

© Photos: Meir Gover 2019
120

06.
Malta Jewish
Necrology
Following are two Jewish Maltese necrology databases1. The lists are made of deciphered names
in 3 Maltese Jewish cemeteries: Kalkara (active during the years 1784-1830), Tashbish (active
during the years 1830-1879) and Marsa (active from 1879 to present day). I photographed on
February 2019 most all stones to which I could obtain access. I was prevented from
photographing a number of stones due to vegetation issues2.
The first Malta Jewish necrology database listed here is alphabetized by Surnames. The second
Malta necrology Jewish database listed here is sorted by Death Dates. The lists contain details of
122 Jewish stones in three Malta Jewish cemeteries.
7 stones in the Tashbish cemetery remain un-deciphered. Hebrew and Italian unclear wording
prevented proper identification. Readers help is requested and appreciated in order to decipher
the blur writings on those stones.
The earliest stone on the combined lists is dated 1291 CE. It is the renovated stone located in the
Marsa cemetery of Kabbalist Abraham Abulafia (1271 Saragossa – 1291 Maltese isle of

1
© Spreads adaptation, statistics and sorts by Meir Gover 2019.

2
My thanks for access guidance and hospitality go to Mrs. Sarah Azzopardi caretaker of the Kalkara and the
Tashbish Jewish cemeteries, Mr. Reuben Ohayon head of the Malta Jewish Community and caretaker of the Marsa
Jewish cemetery and to the Chabad of Malta Rabbi Chaim Shalom Halevi Segal.

121

Comino)3 who died at age 20. It is claimed that in 2003 some of his remains were discovered in
the desolated isle Comino, the smallest of the Maltese island where he died.
The last stone presented in this Malta Jewish necrology is the 2018 headstone of Robert Eder
who died in Malta at age 99.
On the A to Z necrology note the family groups:
Abiaziz family who came from Gibraltar in the 1820s and spread to Tripoli, Lybia and Tunis.
Bismot family who came from Tunis in the 1820s.
Coen/ Cohen/ Hacohen families
Levi/ Lewinson/ Lowinger families.
Borges Da-Silva family who came from Lisbon, Portugal in the 1850s. Jacob Da Silva became
head of the Valletta Jewish Community.
Eder family (formally, possibly Adler)
Hazan/ Chazan family.
Ohayon family of Marrakesh, Morocco and Lisbon, Portugal. Nissim Ohayon was the
community rabbi in the 1950s.
Reginiano family who came from Italy in the 1930s.
Tammam family who came from Tunis in the 1880s.
Tayar/ Tajar family who arrived from Tripoli in 1846 upon the nomination of Rabbi Joseph
Tajar as the Maltese community rabbi.

3

122

Fig. 170: 20th Century Ketubah4 from Malta. The groom on it is possibly Abraham
Tayar. The groom promises a dowry5 of 1,000 Gold English Pounds. A Maltese 3 Pence
revenue stamp is attached to notarize the agreement. Photo: Wikipedia

Fig. 171: The Marsa Cemetery Tahara room6. © 2019 Photo: Meir Gover

4
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketubah

5
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dowry

6
https://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/2004/02/06/february‐6‐2004‐jewish‐burial‐practices/1794/

123

Fig. 172: Malta Jewish A to Z Necrology
Adaptation and statistics: © Meir Gover 2019

DEATH
SURNAME NAME DATE AGE CEMETERY FROM
Abiaziz Rika daughter of Abraham 18310825 22 Kalkara Gibraltar
Abiaziz Rivka 18311224 6 Kalkara Gibraltar
Abiaziz Chaim 18790423 Tashbish Gibraltar
Abiaziz ? 18800101 Tashbish Gibraltar
Abulafia Abraham 12910101 51 Marsa Saragossa
Arbib Raffael 18901110 Marsa
Ben Adi Menachem 18250211 70 Kalkara
Benjamin Miriam 19000101 Marsa
Ben‐Shmuel Judah 19800101 Marsa
Ben‐Yaakov Itzhak 18500101 Tashbish
Berger Lisl 19960813 Marsa
Bescinsky Gershom Itzhak Ciacomo 18711216 Tashbish
Bismot Luna 18340101 Tashbish Tunis
Bismot Obtensia 18910603 Marsa Tunis
Bloom Pearl Caruana 20080302 95 Marsa
Coen Fortunata 19070202 57 Marsa
Coen Miriam Corina 19301130 65 Marsa
Comm Alan Stephen 19590730 27 Marsa
Criger Hacoen Zalman Reuben 19310604 40 Marsa
Cusirinzon Beila 19881117 Marsa
Da Silva Sol Lea 18480716 Tashbish Lisbon
Community
Da Silva Borges Abraham 18490101 95? Tashbish Head
Community
Da Silva Borges Aronne Cesare 18600224 Tashbish Head
Da Silva Borges Chana 18660420 Tashbish Lisbon
Da Silva Borges Jacob son of Hannah 18741211 75 Tashbish Lisbon
Da Silva Borges Miriam 18770123 14 Tashbish Lisbon
Da Silva Borges Aron 18770720 Tashbish Lisbon
Da Silva Saa Hannah 18200121 44 Kalkara Lisbon
Batia Rachel daughter of Israel
Davis 20010929 77 Marsa
Halevi
Davis Leib Stanley son of Moshe 20030129 86 Marsa
De‐Yong
Krasner Helen widow of Simon 20110101 81 Marsa
Hirsh Herman Zvi son of
Eder Melech 19770310 93 Marsa
Eder Chaia Beila daughter of Perec 19851203 91 Marsa
124

Chana Netty daughter of
Eder Daniel 20020120 Marsa
Eder Robert 20180108 99 Marsa
Edler Rudolf Bruce 19910222 88 Marsa
Epstein Solomon 19690101 64 Marsa
Fano ? 18340425 18 Kalkara
DEATH
Freedman Leslie 19960101 75 Marsa
Ghiefalino Hima Chaim 18950314 Marsa
Gilbert Joseph Herman 19730307 72 Marsa
Goodman Shimon Arnold 19450509 1 Marsa
Greenberg Berl Barnet 19361216 Marsa
Community
Habib Fortunato son of Abram 19680414 78 Marsa Head
Haddad Halevi Rabbi Kalifa 19170824 Marsa
Hasson Samuel Moise 19170225 23 Marsa
Hazan Yafa 19090811 17 Marsa
Hazan Sara daughter of Yafa 19100305 Marsa
Hazan Aron 19220525 47 Marsa
Hazan Mose 19300110 Marsa
Kanter Philip 19420924 Marsa London
Kreif Moshe 19000101 Marsa
Landau Victor 19770101 67 Marsa
Levi Benjamin Attila 18750806 15 Tashbish
Lewinsohn
Levson Leon 19680126 88 Marsa Lithuania
Lopovitz Bernard Figlio son of Rahmin 19140705 1 Marsa
Lowinger Bela 19940124 88 Marsa
Lucena Jacob 18311014 Kalkara
Lxxxa Judah 18230101 Kalkara
Mandelson Norman 19451119 26 Marsa Liverpool
Melhado Owen Stirling 19151207 23 Marsa Jamaica
Messin Iulia 18340201 Tashbish
Miller Ruby 19970101 71 Marsa
Miller Daniel Denis son of David 20080414 Marsa
Mizrahi Ester 19221102 Marsa
Morris Daphne Agnes 19731122 60 Marsa
Natino Asher Meir 18640421 Tashbish
Noskwith Arthur 19800101 81 Marsa
Ohayon Rabbi Nissim 19561116 63 Marsa Marakesh
Ohayon Joseph 19590412 Marsa Marakesh
Ohayon Messoda 19810301 64 Marsa Marakesh
Ohayon Rachel 19860131 60 Marsa Marakesh
125

Opoczynski Perez Paul on of Shmuel 19470109 77 Marsa Lodz
Opoczynski
Tand Sarina Sabine wife of Perec 19420106 72 Marsa
Osmo Moshe son of Rafael 18671030 12 Tashbish
Paz Ester 18870404 75 Marsa Livorno
Pelischki Sima 18900303 Marsa
Pelischki Chaim 19190424 75 Marsa
DEATH
Pelischki Tayar Diamantina 19291007 Marsa
Reginiano Kamus Quintino son of Abram 19410728 Marsa Italy
Reginiano Menasse son of Kamus 19420215 16 Marsa Italy
Reginiano Hammus son of Klafo 19550122 57 Marsa Italy
Reginiano Hannah 19800811 Marsa Italy
Reginiano Lino 19811226 58 Marsa Italy
Reginiano Vito ben Hammus 20110609 82 Marsa Italy
Richer Chaim Herbert son of Isaac 20110609 91 Marsa
Rose William G. 19700423 Marsa
Sado Bernard 19870101 69 Marsa
Sarfati Rafael Eliezer son of Jacob 18330521 Kalkara
Schimatnik Perez 19180928 25 Marsa Cairo
Sedbon Abraham 18640723 Tashbish
Sessler Karl 19161222 36 Marsa
Israel Ian son of Mordechai
Shandler 20090101 47 Marsa
Halevi
Strauss Stratton Naphtali Berthold 19821230 83 Marsa
Taiugi Hacohen Joseph 18640709 33 Tashbish
Tammam Abram 18930512 Marsa
Tammam Hai 20011223 80 Marsa
Tannen Martha 19801030 82 Marsa
Tayar Rabbi Joseph 18620601 Tashbish Tripoli
Tayar Lamiruda 18741120 Tashbish Tripoli
Tayar Esmeralda 18741128 60 Tashbish Tripoli
Tayar Joseph DiClemente 18990226 26 Marsa
Tayar Ester 19100305 15 Marsa
Tayar Yakov 19120804 Marsa
Tayar Rebecca 19120807 72 Marsa
Tayar Isaac 19320211 60 Marsa
Joshua Nisim Achille son of Community
Tayar Jacob 19440109 66 Marsa Head
Tayar Rahamim son of Jacob 19490115 Marsa
Tayar Diamamta Irene wife of Joshua 19501223 Marsa Tripoli
Tayar Rachel 19840811 98 Marsa
Tayar Emanuel George son of 19940101 76 Marsa Community
126

Zalman Head
Tayar Oscar 20060101 96 Marsa
Toledano Mordechai Moshe Ibo 19020921 19 Marsa
Ulman Ernest 19770729 69 Marsa
DEATH
unknown1 ? 18500101 Tashbish
Weisz Adalbert Bela 19830101 85 Marsa

Fig. 173: 1285 Kabbalist Abraham Abulafia7.(1271 Saragosa, Spain-1291 Isle of
Comino, Malta) on his book binding “Lights of Intellect”. Note the Tefillin8 box on his
forehead and the Teffilin strips coming down his shawl. Photo: Vatican Library

7

8
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tefillin
127

Fig. 174: Malta Jewish Necrology by Timeline 1820‐2018
DEATH
#
SURNAME NAME DATE AGE CEMETERY
1 Abulafia Abraham 12910101 51 Marsa
2 De Silva Saa Hannah 18200121 44 Kalkara
3 Lxxxa Judah 18230101 Kalkara
4 Ben Adi Menachem 18250211 70 Kalkara
5 unknown6 ? 18300101 Tashbish
6 Abiaziz Rika daughter of Abraham 18310825 22 Kalkara
7 Lucena Jacob 18311014 Kalkara
8 Abiaziz Rivka 18311224 6 Kalkara
9 Sarfati Rafael Eliezer 18330521 Kalkara
10 Bismot Luna 18340101 Tashbish
11 Messin Iulia 18340201 Tashbish
12 Fano ? 18340425 18 Kalkara
14 Da Silva Sol Lea 18480716 Tashbish
15 Da Silva Borges Abraham 18490101 95? Tashbish
21 Ben‐Yaakov Itzhak 18500101 Tashbish
22 Da Silva Borges Aronne Cesare 18600224 Tashbish
23 Tayar Tajar Rabbi Joseph 18620601 Tashbish
24 Natino Asher Meir 18640421 Tashbish
25 Taiugi Hacohen Joseph 18640709 33 Tashbish
26 Sedbon Abraham 18640723 Tashbish
27 Da Silva Borges Chana 18660420 Tashbish
28 Osmo Moshe son of Rafael 18671030 12 Tashbish
29 Bescinsky Gershom Itzhak Ciacomo 18711216 Tashbish
30 Tayar Tajar Lamiruda 18741120 Tashbish
31 Tayar Tajar Esmeralda 18741128 60 Tashbish
32 Da Silva Borges Jacob son of Hannah 18741211 75 Tashbish
33 Levi Benjamin Attila 18750806 15 Tashbish
34 Da Silva Borges Miriam 18770123 14 Tashbish
35 Da Silva Borges Aron 18770720 Tashbish
DEATH
#

128

36 Abiaziz Chaim 18790423 Tashbish
37 Abiaziz ? 18800101 Tashbish
38 Paz Ester 18870404 75 Marsa
39 Pelischki Sima 18900303 Marsa
40 Arbib Raffael 18901110 Marsa
41 Bismot Obtensia 18910603 Marsa
42 Tammam Abram 18930512 Marsa
43 Ghiefalino Hima Chaim 18950314 Marsa
44 Tayar Joseph DiClemente 18990226 26 Marsa
45 Benjamin Miriam 19000101 Marsa
46 Kreif Moshe 19000101 Marsa
47 Toledano Mordechai Moshe Ibo 19020921 19 Marsa
48 Coen Fortunata 19070202 57 Marsa
49 Hazan Yafa 19090811 17 Marsa
50 Hazan Sara daughter of Yafa 19100305 Marsa
51 Tayar Ester 19100305 15 Marsa
52 Tayar Yakov 19120804 Marsa
53 Tayar Rebecca 19120807 72 Marsa
54 Lopovitz Bernard Figlio son of Rahmin 19140705 1 Marsa
55 Melhado Owen Stirling 19151207 23 Marsa
56 Sessler Karl 19161222 36 Marsa
57 Hasson Samuel Moise 19170225 23 Marsa
58 Haddad Halevi Rabbi Kalifa 19170824 Marsa
59 Schimatnik Perez 19180928 25 Marsa
60 Pelischki Chaim 19190424 75 Marsa
61 Hazan Aron 19220525 47 Marsa
62 Mizrahi Ester 19221102 Marsa
63 Pelischki Tayar Diamantina 19291007 Marsa
64 Hazan Mose 19300110 Marsa
65 Coen Miriam Corina 19301130 65 Marsa
66 Criger Hacoen Zalman Reuben 19310604 40 Marsa
67 Tayar Tajar Isaac 19320211 60 Marsa
68 Greenberg Berl Barnet 19361216 Marsa
69 Reginiano Kamus Quintino son of Abram 19410728 Marsa
Opoczynski
70 Tand Sarina Sabine wife of Perec 19420106 72 Marsa
DEATH
#
71 Reginiano Menasse son of Kamus 19420215 16 Marsa
72 Kanter Philip 19420924 Marsa
Joshua Nisim Achille son of
73 Tayar Jacob 19440109 66 Marsa
74 Goodman Shimon Arnold 19450509 1 Marsa
129

75 Mandelson Norman 19451119 26 Marsa
76 Opoczynski Perez Paul on of Shmuel 19470109 77 Marsa
77 Tayar Rahamim son of Jacob 19490115 Marsa
78 Tayar Diamamta Irene wife of Joshua 19501223 Marsa
79 Reginiano Hammus son of Klafo 19550122 57 Marsa
80 Ohayon Rabbi Nissim 19561116 63 Marsa
81 Ohayon Joseph 19590412 Marsa
82 Comm Alan Stephen 19590730 27 Marsa
Lewinsohn
83 Levson Leon 19680126 88 Marsa
84 Habib Fortunato son of Abram 19680414 78 Marsa
85 Epstein Solomon 19690101 64 Marsa
86 Rose William G. 19700423 Marsa
87 Gilbert Joseph Herman 19730307 72 Marsa
88 Morris Daphne Agnes 19731122 60 Marsa
89 Landau Victor 19770101 67 Marsa
90 Eder Hirsh Herman Zvi son of Melech 19770310 93 Marsa
91 Ulman Ernest 19770729 69 Marsa
92 Ben‐Shmuel Judah 19800101 Marsa
93 Noskwith Arthur 19800101 81 Marsa
94 Reginiano Hannah 19800811 Marsa
95 Tannen Martha 19801030 82 Marsa
96 Ohayon Messoda 19810301 64 Marsa
97 Reginiano Lino 19811226 58 Marsa
98 Strauss Stratton Naphtali Berthold 19821230 83 Marsa
99 Weisz Adalbert Bela 19830101 85 Marsa
100 Tayar Rachel 19840811 98 Marsa
101 Eder Chaia Beila daughter of Perec 19851203 91 Marsa
102 Ohayon Rachel 19860131 60 Marsa
103 Sado Bernard 19870101 69 Marsa
104 Cusirinzon Beila 19881117 Marsa
105 Edler Rudolf Bruce 19910222 88 Marsa
106 Tayar Emanuel George son of Zalman 19940101 76 Marsa
107 Lowinger Bela 19940124 88 Marsa
108 Freedman Leslie 19960101 75 Marsa
109 Berger Lisl 19960813 Marsa
110 Miller Ruby 19970101 71 Marsa
Batia Rachel daughter of Israel
111 Davis 20010929 77 Marsa
Halevi
112 Tammam Hai 20011223 80 Marsa
113 Eder Chana Netty daughter of Daniel 20020120 Marsa
114 Davis Leib Stanley son of Moshe 20030129 86 Marsa
115 Tayar Oscar 20060101 96 Marsa
130

116 Bloom Pearl Caruana 20080302 95 Marsa
117 Miller Daniel Denis son of David 20080414 Marsa
Israel Ian son of Mordechai
118 Shandler 20090101 47 Marsa
Halevi
De‐Yong
119 Krasner Helen widow of Simon 20110101 81 Marsa
120 Reginiano Vito ben Hammus 20110609 82 Marsa
121 Richer Chaim Herbert son of Isaac 20110609 91 Marsa
122 Eder Robert 20180108 99 Marsa

The online Geni World Family Tree Project of Jewish Families of Malta9 keeps a constantly
updated list of Jewish persons, alive and deceased who lived during a period of their live on the
islands of Malta. Many of the surnames in the list appear on stones in the Jewish Maltese
cemeteries presented in this book.

9
https://www.geni.com/projects/Jewish‐Families‐of‐Malta/18627
Geni Curator Jacob Marrache is doing important voluntary work of maintaining the Jewish families of Malta
genealogical trees.
131

07.
1589 Marlowe’s‘Jew of
Malta’
“The Famous Tragedy of the rich Jew of Malta” is a play written 1589 by English playwright
Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593 England)1. Marlowe greatly influenced his era mate William
Shakespeare (1564-1616 England)2.

1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Marlowe

2
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Shakespeare

132

Fig. 175: The 1630 edition of Marlowe’s 1589 “Tragedy of the Rich Jew of Malta.
Photo: Wikipedia
It is doubtful that both Marlowe and Shakespeare ever saw even one a single Jew during their
live spans in England. All Jews were expelled from England by the 1290 King Edward I
Expulsion Edict3. This Expel occurred 300 years before Marlow and Shakespeare wrote their
plays depicting Jews in a derogatory way.
The English expulsion was strictly enforced for over 360 years up to the 1650s. What Jewish
imaginary visions both Marlowe and Shakespeare had in their writings of the 1590s may be
attributed to embedded anti-Semitic conventions remaining within the English public during the
13th to 17th centuries. The isle of Malta was to become British only 225 years thereafter, in 1814.
Marlowe and Shakespeare raise the world phenomena spread in many countries: Anti-Semitism
absent Jews.
It is said about certain nations that Anti-Semitism there is being breast fed there through their

3
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edict_of_Expulsion

133

mothers’ milk4.
Marlowe’s play’s plot5 is about the Jewish Maltese merchant Barabas, his daughter Abigail and
his slave Ithamar. The Governor of Malta seizes the full wealth of the isle Jewish community.
Barabas and Ithamar then trick the governor’s son and his friend into a duel over Abigail. Both
die in the duel. Abigail runs away and becomes a nun. Betrayed by his own daughter, Barabas
poisons her and the nunnery. The plot twists and twists, Barabas switches his support back and
forth between the Christians and the conquering Turks leading himself to his unavoidable demise
burning in his own cauldron trap.
A typical 16th century Marlowe’s anti-Semitic image of Barabas, was quite similar to
Shakespeare’s image of Shylock in “The Merchant of Venice”6, written in 1599, mere 10 years
following Marlowe’s ‘Jew of Malta’.

4
See the 2019 British Labor Party position on Anti‐Semitism:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antisemitism_in_the_UK_Labour_Party

5
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jew_of_Malta

6
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Merchant_of_Venice

134

08.
The ‘Maltese Falcon’
‘The Maltese Falcon’ is a 1930 detective novel by American writer Dashiell Hammett.
Hammett published it chapter by chapter in the American Magazine ’Black Mask’ from the year
1929 and onwards1. The main character was fictitious detective Sam Spade.
Fig. 176: 1930 First edition of “The Maltese Falcon” by Dashiell Hammett
Photo: Wikipedia

1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Maltese_Falcon_(novel)

135

The fictitious characters include Jewish names like Joel Cairo and Casper Gutman.
Hammett’s novel had been filmed 4 times from 1930 to 19752.
The story goes about the ‘Maltese Falcon’, a black falcon figurine presented by 16th century
Templar Knights of Malta to Charles V the King of Spain. It was encrusted with gold and
Jewels. Pirates seized the galley carrying it from the isles of Malta to England. The fate of the
Maltese Falcon remains a mystery since.
Fig. 177: 1941. The Maltese Falcon figurine used in the third and best known film
adaptation staring Humphrey Bogart and Jewish actors Peter Lowenstein Lorre and
Sydney Greenstein Greenstreet. Photo: Wikipedia

2
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Maltese_Falcon_(1931_film)

136

The Knights of Malta belonged to the Order of Hospitaliers3, a Catholic military order which fled
in the 12th Century from Jerusalem to the Isle of Rhodes and thereafter spread across the
Mediterranean to the Isles of Malta.
George Beurling a Canadian fighter pilot during WWII was named “The Falcon of Malta”4. He
was credited with intercepting 31 German Luftwaffe combat plans. Beurling crashed in 1948
over Italy when delivering a plan from Europe to the just born Israeli Air-Force.
Mainly flying a Spitfire VC, Beurling played a critical role in defending the isle of Malta from
the air raids during the German-Italian air and sea siege of Malta and their heavy bombardments
of the then British Malta5. The Royal Air Force deterred the German-Italian Axis fleets from
invading Malta.
The isle of Malta was the only WWII Allied Mediterranean Sea stronghold cutting the Axis
sovereignty in the Mediterranean between the Cape of Gibraltar and the Middle-East.
Fig. 178: 1943. Canadian pilot George Beurling “Falcon of Malta”.

Photo: Wikipedia

3
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_Hospitaller

4
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Beurling

5
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Malta_(World_War_II)

137

Fig. 179: The Italian-German Siege of Malta 1940-1942. Valletta’s main street
Kingsway, today’s Republic Street Triq ir-Repubblika, the principle street in the Maltese
capital, following an Italian Royal Air Force bombardment. 3,000 bombing air-raids
against Malta were carried out during a period of two years.
Photo: Wikipedia
138

Fig. 180: September 09, 1940 the Italian Royal Air-Force bombed Tel Aviv6 in addition
to bombing Malta. 137 Jewish citizens in Tel-Aviv were killed. Few dozens of air raids
were conducted by the Italian Royal Air-Force during the years 1940-1942 flying from
the Italian occupied isle of Rhodes air-fields, mainly over the Haifa industrial area and
the strategic Haifa port in the then British controlled Israel.
Photo: Haaretz Daily 2009

6
https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/1940‐italy‐bombs‐tel‐aviv‐in‐wwii‐1.5331556

139

09.
Picture
Index

CHAPTER # PIC. # PICTURE PAGE
Chapter 1 1 Joseph Cohen's home 1
2 1856 Valletta Strada Reale 13
3 1857 Valletta Strada Reale 14
4 Citadella Ghetto in Gozo 16

Chapter2 5 Ggantija Temple 19
6 Mdina Fortress 20
7 Mdina Mezuzah 20
8 Mdina Fortress Meir Gover 21
9 Mdina Jewish Ghetto 21
10 Jewish Silk Market 22
11 Beit‐Shearim, Israel Catacombs 23
12 Beit‐Shearim, Israel Catacombs 23
13 St. Paul Jewish Catacombs 24
16 Catacomb 10 Menorah 26
20 Catacomb Hebrew Writings 28
21 Catacomb 12 28
24 Catacomb 13 30
140

28 Catacomb 13 Menorah selfi 32
29 Catacomb 14 33
30 Catacomb 14 33
31 Carved boat 34
32 Jewish Rite room 34
33 Tool room 35

Chapter 3 34 1823 Valletta Map 37
35 1823 Valletta Map 38
36 Jewish Sally Port Gate 39
37 Jewish Sally Port Gate 39
38 Jewish Street Valetta 40
39 Kalkara Cem. Map 40
40 Kalkara Cem. Gate 41
41 Kalkara Cem. Plaque 41
42 Kalkara cem. Old map 42
43 Kalkara Cem. Gate 42
44 1981 Kalkara Cem. Graves 43
47 1981 Kalkara cem. Blueprint 45
48 1825. Menachem Ben Adi stone 1981 48
51 1831. Rika Abiaziz stone 52

Chapter 4 52 2019. Tashbish cem. General view 55
53 2019. Tashbish cem. General view 55
56 Tashbish cem. Levite Jar 57
57 1834. Luna Beasmot stone 57
58 1834. Iulia Messin stone 58
59 1848. Lea da Silva stone 58
60 1850. Isaac son of Jacob stone 59
61 1860. Aron da Silva stone 59
62 1862. Rabbi Joseph Tajar dtone 60
63 1864. Asher Meir Natino stone 62
64 1864. Joseph Hacoen Taiugi stone 63
141

65 1864. Abraham Sedbon stone 63
66 1866. Chana Borges da Silva stone 64
67 1867. Moshe son of Rafael Osmo stone 64
68 1871. Gershom Isaac Bescinsky stone 65
69 1874. Lamiruda Tajar stone 65
70 1874. Esmeralda widow of Rabbi Joseph Tajar 66
71 1874. Jacob Borges da Silva stone 66
72 1875. Benjamin Attila Levy stone 67
73 1877. Miriam Borges da Silva stone 67
74 1877. Aron Borges da Silva stone 68
75 1879. Chaim Abiaziz stone 68
76 1880. Abiaziz stone 69
77 unknown #1 70
78 unknown #2 70
79 unknown #3 71
80 unknown #4 71
81 unknown #5 72
82 unknown #6 72
83 Tashbish cem. 73

Chapter 5 84 Marsa cem. Gate 76
85 Marsa cem. Gate 76
86 1291. Abraham son of Samuel Abulafia 77
87 1887. Esther Paz stone 78
88 1890. Sima Pelischi stone 78
89 1890. Raffael Achille Arbib stone 79
90 1891. Obtensia Bismot stone 79
91 1893. Abram Tammam stone 80
92 1895. Haim Hima Ghiefalino stone 80
93 1899. Joseph DiClemente Tayar stone 81
94 1900. Miriam Benjamin stone 81
95 1900. moshe Kreif stone 82
96 1902. Mordechai Moshe Ibo Toledano ston 82
97 1907. Fortuna Coen stone 83
98 1909. Yafa Hazan stone 83
99 1910. Esther Tayar stone 84
100 1910. Sara daughter of Yafa Hazan stone 84
101 1912. Yaakov Tayar stone 85
102 1912. Rebecca Tayar stone 85
103 1914. Bernard son of Rahmin Lopovitz stone 86
104 1915. Owen Stirling Melhado stone 86
142

105 1916. Karl Sessler stone 87
106 1917. Moise Hasson stone 87
107 1917. Rabbi Kalifa Halevi Haddad stone 88
108 1918. Perez Schmatnik stone 88
109 1919. Chaim Pelischki stone 89
110 1922. Aron Hazan stone 89
111 1922. Esther Mizrahi stone 90
112 1929. Diamantina Tayar Pelischki stone 90
113 1930. Mose Hazan stone 91
114 1930. Miriam Corina coen Tayar stone 91
115 1931. Zalman Hacohen Criger stone 92
116 1932. Isaac Tajar stone 92
117 1936. Beril Barnett Greenberg stone 93
118 1941. Kamus son of abraham Reginiano stone 93
119 1942. Sarina Tand Opoczynski stone 94
120 1942. Menasse son of Kamus Reginiano stone 94
121 1942. Philip Kanter stone 95
122 1944. Joshua Achille Tayar stone 95
123 1945. Aron Simon Goodman stone 96
124 1945. Norman Mandelson stone 96
125 1947. Perez son of Samuel Opoczynski stone 97
126 1949. Rahamim son of Jacob Tayar stone 97
127 1950. Diamanta wife of Joshua Nissim Tayar 98
128 1955. Hamus son of Klafo Reginiano stone 98
129 1956. Rabbi Nissim Ohayon stone 99
130 1959. Joseph Ohayon stone 99
131 1959. Alan Stephen Comm stone 100
132 1968. Leon son of josia Lewinsohn Levson 100
133 1968. Fortunato son of Abraham Habib 101
134 1969. Solomon Epstein stone 101
135 1970. William Rose stone 102
136 1973. Josef Herman Gilbert stone 102
137 1973. Daphne Morris stone 103
138 1977. Victor Landau stone 103
139 1977. Zvi son of Melech Eder stone 104
140 1977. Ernest Ulman stone 104
141 1980. Arthur Noskwith stone 105
142 1980. Judah son of Samuel stone 105
143 1980. Hanna Reginiano stone 106
144 1908. Marthan Tannen stone 106
145 1981. Messoda Ohayon stone 107
143

146 1981. Lino Reginiano stone 107
147 1982. Naphtali Strauss Stratton stone 108
148 1983. Adabert Weisz stone 108
149 1984. Rachel Tayar stone 109
150 1985. Chaia daughter of Perec Eder stone 109
151 1986. Rachel Ohayon stone 110
152 1987. Bernard Sado stone 110
153 1988. Beila Cusirnzon stone 111
154 1991. Rudolf Bruce Edler stone 111
155 1994. Emanuel son of Zalman Tayar stone 112
156 1994. Bela Lowinger stone 112
157 1996. Leslie Freedman stone 113
158 1996. Lisl Berger stone 113
159 1997. Ruby Miller stone 114
160 2001. Basha Davis. 2003. Leib Davis stone 114
161 2002. Chana Eder stone 115
162 2006. Oscar Tayar stone 115
163 2008. Pearl Carusana Bloom stone 116
164 2008. Daniel Miller stone 116
165 2009. Israel Shandler stone 117
166 2011. Helen Krasner de Yong stone 117
167 2011. Vito son of Hammus Reginiano stone 118
168 2014. Rabbi Chaim Richer stone 118
169 2018. Robert Eder stone 119

Chapter 6 170 c1970. Ketubah of Abraham Tayar 122
171 Marsa cem. Tahara room. 122
172 Malta Jewish Necrology A to Z 123
173 1285. Abraham Abulafia 126
174 Malta Jewish Necrology by Timeline 127

Chapter 7 175 1589. Marlowe's 'Jew of Malta' 132

Chapter 8 176 1930. Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett 134
177 1941. Maltese Falcon figurine 135
178 1943. Pilot George Beurling 'Maltese Falcon' 136
1942. Italian Royal Airforce bombing of
179 Valletta 137
1940. Italian Royal Airforce bombing of Tel‐
180 Aviv 138
144

145

10.
Surname Index

SURNAME PAGES

a
Abdalif, Moses 7
Abenasia, Joseph 13
Abiaziz, (unknown) 69 121 128
Abiaziz, Abraham 45 52
Abiaziz, Chaim 68 123 128
Abiaziz, Esther 52
Abiaziz, Moses 52 53
Abiaziz, Rika Rivka 43 45 52 53 123 127
Abiaziz, Shalom 52
Abulafia, Abraham 3 77 120 123 126 127
Adam, De I'sle 36
Adler, Michael 13
Afia, Aaron 10
Agius, Horatio 14
Ajet, Abraham 10
Arbib, Raffael Achille 79 123 128
Asher, (Tribe) 18
Ashkenazi Hacohen, Joseph 9
Ashkenazi, Isaac 9
Azulai, Moses 9
Azzopardi, Mr. 16
Azzopardi, Sarah 43 120

b
Banartini, Joshua 13
Baruch, Mr. 15
146

Ben Adi, Menachem 43 45 48 49 50 51 123 127
Benadi, (family) 48
Benadi, Meshod 48
Ben‐Gigi, Mr. 16
Benjamin, Miriam 81 123 128
Ben‐Shmuel, Judah 123 129
Ben‐Yaakov, Itzhak 123 127
Berger, Lisl 113 123 129
Bescinsky, Gershom Isaac Ciacomo 65 123 127
Beurling, George 136
Bismot, (family) 121
Bismot, Luna 57 123 127
Bismot, Obtensia 79 123 128
Bloom, Pearl Carusana 116 123 130
Bonavoglia, Moses 13
Borg, Mr. 16
Borges, see Silva De
Buruchus, Mr. 15
Buttigieg, Mr. 16

c
Caffura, Mr. 4
Cafsut, Samuel 7
Cagliaris, Samuel 6
Castle, Mr. 16
Charles V, (King) 135
Cheti, Raphael 5
Coen Tayar, Miriam 91
Coen, Fortuna 83 123 128
Coen, Miriam Corina 123 128
Cohen, (family) 121
Cohen, Admor Adbara 122
Cohen, Joseph Antony 10 11 51
Cohen, Michael 11 51
Comm, Alan Stephen 100 123 129
Cortissos, Joseph 47
Cortissos, Rachel 47
Criger Hacohen, Zalman Reuben 92 123 128

Cusirnzon, Beila 111 123 129
147

d
Da Silva Borges, Abraham 123
Da Silva Borges, Aronne Cesare 123
Da Silva Borges, Chana 123
Da Silva Borges, Jacob 123 127
Da Silva Borges, Miriam 123
Da Silva Saa, Hannah 123
Da Silva, also see: Silva
Da Silva, Sol Lea 123
Daniel, (Prophet) 46
David, Mr. 4
Davis, Bahsa Rachel 114 123 129
Davis, Derek 43 44 45 48 52
Davis, Leib stanley 114 129
Davis, Moshe 114 123 129
De Yong Krasner, Helen 117 123 130
De Yong, Simon 117
Disraeli, Benjamin 12

e
Eder, (family) 121
Eder, Chaia Beila 109 123 129
Eder, Chana Netty 115 124 129
Eder, Lynn 119
Eder, Melech 104 129
Eder, Perec 109 123 129
Eder, Philip 119
Eder, Robert 119 121 124 130
Eder, Vivien 119
Eder, Zvi Herman 104 123 129
Edler Adler Rudolf Bruce 111 124 129
Edward, (King) 132
Ellul, Mr. 16
Engel, Claire Eliane 7
Episcopu, Mr. 16
Epstein, Solomon 101 124 129

Ezekiel, (Prophet) 46
148

f
Fano da, Isaac 9 53
Fano, (stone) 44 45 53 124 127
Faro, Mr. 15
Farrugia, Mr. 16
Ferara, Mr. 15
Ferraru, Mr. 15
Foseca, Daniel 10
Foseca, Jacob 10
Fredrick II, (King) 3
Freedman, Leslie 113 124 129

g
Ghiefalino, Haim Hima 80 124 128
Gilbert, Abbot 3
Gilbert, Josef Herman 102 124 129
Gilbert, Winifred 102
Girbu Gerba, Zemah 4
Goodman, Aron Arnold Simon 96 124 128
Gover Halevi, Meir 17 21 22 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31 32 33 34 35 39
40 41 42 44 45 49 55 56
57 58 60 62 63 65 66 67
68 69 70 71 72 76 77 78
79 80 81 82 83 85 88 96
100 103 109 112 119 120 122 127 130

Greenberg, Beril Barnett 93 124 128
Greenstreet
Greenstein, Sydney 135

h
Habib, Abraham 101 124 129
Habib, Fortunato 15 101 124 129
Haddad Halevi, Rabbi Kalifa 124 88 128
Halevi, (family) 121
Halevi, Batia Rachel 123
Halevi, Israel 9 10 123 129
149

Halevi, Joshua 5
Halevi, Rabbi Jacob 9 10
Halevi, Shlomo 5
Hammett, Dashiell 134
Hasson, Moise 87 124 128
Hatarsi, Saul see Paul of Tartus
Hazan, (family) 121
Hazan, Aron 89 124 128
Hazan, Mose 91 124 128
Hazan, Rabbi Solomon 13
Hazan, Sarah 84 124 128
Hazan, Yafa 83 84 124 128
Hellul, Mr. 16
Hellul, see Ellul

i
Inglisi, Chananiah 3
Inglisi, David 3 6
Inglisi, Samuel 3 4
Isaac, (stone) 59
Isaiah, (Prophet) 46

j
Jacob, (stone) 59
Jacob, Mr. 4
Jezebel, (Queen) 19 127
Judah, L. 43 45 47 124

k
Kanter Kantor Philip 95 124 128
Kreif, Moshe 82 124 128

L
Landau, Victor 103 124 129
Lev ibn, Joseph 7
Levi, (family) 121
Levi, Benjamin Attila 67 124 127
150

Levi, Hefez 6
Levi, Joseph 9
Levi, Semah 4
Levson Lewinsohn, Joshia 100
Levson Lewinsohn, Leon 100 124 129
Levson Lewinsohn, Shena 100
Lopovitz, Bernard Figlio 86 124 128
Lopovitz, Rahmin 86
Lorre Lowenstein, Peter 135
Lowinger, Bela 112 124 129
Lucena, Jacob 124
Lucerna, Jacob 43 45 47 127

m
Machluff, Mr. 4 15
Maio, mordechai 10
Maitland, (General) 12
Malea ben Samuel 12
Maltese, Leone 4
Maltese, Simon 4
Mamo, Mr. 16
Mandelson, Norman 96 124 129
Maor, Jacob 20
Marlowe, Christopher 131 132
Masala, Reuben 5
Mayor Even Samuel 9
Mazliach, Abram 13
Mazliach, Joseph 12
Mejlaq, Mr. 15
Melech, Mr. 15
Melhado, Owen Stirling 86 124 128
Meli, Mr. 16
Messin, Iulia 58 124 127
Messina, Joseph 4
Messina, Mr. 15
Messini, Moses 10
Micallef, Mr. 15
Mifsud, Mr. 16
Miller, Daniel Denis 116 124 130
Miller, David Isaac 116 124 130
Miller, Ruby 114 124
Mizrahi, Esther 90 124 128
Montefiore, Moses 12 75
151

Moreno, Rabbi Isaac 9
Morosini, Giolio 9
Morosini, Letizia 9
Morris, Daphne Agnes 103 124 129
Moshe, Mr. 16
Munahu Mugnon, Samuel 7
Muscat, Mr. 16
Muxi, Mr. 16

n
Nasi, Judah 22
Natino, Asher Anselmo Meir 62 124 127
Nimni, Frangi 13
Noskwith, Arthur 105 124 129

o
Ohayon, (family) 121
Ohayon, Abraham Hayim 15
Ohayon, Joseph 99 124 129
Ohayon, Messoda 107 124 129
Ohayon, Rabbi Nissim 13 15 99 121 124 129
Ohayon, Rachel 129
Ohayon, Reuben 15 120
Opoczynski Tand, Sarina Sabine 125
Opoczynski, Perec Paul 94 97 125 128 129
Opoczynski, Samuel 97 125 129
Orefice, Isaiah 10
Osmo, Moshe 64 125 127
Osmo, Rafael 64 125 127

p
Parnas, Mr. 16
Parnis, Mr. 16
Pasha, Kapudan 1
Pasha, Mustafa 10
Paulson, Webster 75
Paz, Esther 78 125 128
152

Pelischki Tayar, Diamantina 90 125 128
Pelischki, Chaim 89 125 128
Pelischki, Sima 78 125 128
Perez, Abraham 9
Pinto, Emmanuel 10
Pinto, Moses 9
Pollard, Jonathan 8
Porto, Zaccharias 9

r
Refalo, Mr. 16
Reginiano, (family) 121
Reginiano, Abraham 93 125 128
Reginiano, Hanna 106 118 125 129
Reginiano, Kamus Quintino 93 94 98 118 125 128 129 130
Reginiano, Klafo 98 125 129
Reginiano, Lino 107 125 129
Reginiano, Menasse 94 125 128
Reginiano, Vito Victor 118 125 130
Richer, Isaac 125 130
Richer, Rabbi Chaim Herbert 118 125 130
Robertson, James 13
Rose, William G. 102 125 129
Roth, Cecil 3 4 5 7 9 10 11 14 19 75

s
Saadun, Mr. 3
Saba, Abraham 4 13
Sabbat, Lia 4
Sabbetai, Mr. 4
Sado, Bernard 110 125 129
Safardi, Abraham 4 13
Safardi, Braccone 4 13
Safardi, Mr. 16
Salamone, Mr. 16
Samson, Mr. 16
Samuel Ben, Judah 105
Samuel, (Seer) 8
Sansuni, Mr. 16
Sarfarti, Rafael 43 45 47
Sarfati, Jacob 12 125 127
153

Sarfati, Rafael Eliezer son of Jacob 125 127
Sason, Moses 4
Schimatnik, Perez 88 125 128
Sedbon, Abraham 63 125 127
Segal Halevi, Rabbi Chaim Shalom 15 120
Sessler, Karl 87 125 128
Shakespeare, William 131 132
Shalit, Gilad 8
Shandler Halevi, Israel Ian 117 125 130
Shandler Halevi, Mordechai 117 125 130
Shlomo, Mr. 16
Silva Da Borges, Abraham 47 52 127
Silva Da Borges, Aron 47 59 68 127
Silva Da Borges, Jacob 47 66 121
Silva Da Borges, Miriam 67 127
Silva Da Saa, Hannah 127
Silva Da, (family) 52 121
Silva Da, Hana 43 45 47 64 127
Silva Da, Sol 58 127
Silva, also see: Da Silva, Silva Da
Silva, Benjamin 12
Silva, Daniel 12
Silva, Judith 12
Skippen, Philip 7
Stratton Straus Naphtali Berthold 108 125 129
Surnago, Judah 9

t
Taiugi Hacohen, Joseph 63 125 127
Tammam, (family) 121
Tammam, Abram 80 125 128
Tammam, Hai 125 129
Tannen, Martha 106 125 129
Tannen, Sidney 106
Tartus, Paul of 3
Tayar Coen, Miriam 91
Tayar Tajar, Esmeralda 66 125 127
Tayar Tajar, Isaac 92 125 128
Tayar Tajar, Lamiruda 65 125 127
Tayar Tajar, Rabbi Joseph 54 60 61 121 125 127
Tayar, (family) 121
Tayar, Achille 15
Tayar, Diamanta 98 125 129
154

Tayar, George 15 112 125 129
Tayar, Joseph DiClemente 81 125 128
Tayar, Joshua Nissim Achille 95 98 125 128 129
Tayar, Oscar 115 126 129
Tayar, Rachel 109 125 129
Tayar, Rahamim 97 125 129
Tayar, Zalman 112 125 129
Tayar, Abraham 122
Tayar, Esther 84 125 128
Tayar, Jacob 85 97 125 128 129
Tayar, Rebecca 85 125 128
Texeira, Abraham 9
Toledano, Mordechai Moshe Ibo 82 126 128

u
Ulman, Ernest 104 126 129

v
Voltaire, Francois 10

w
Weisz, Adalbert Bela 108 126 129
Wettinger, Godfrey 15
Wolff, Joseph 47

z
Xerri, Mr. 16
Xilorum, Mr. 6 16
Zamir, Mr. 16
Zamit, Mr. 16 51
Zammit Dimech, Francis 51
Zebulon, (Tribe) 18

155

156

Books by Meir Halevi Gover:
Book of Levi
From the 1st Jewish Temple Levite Cadre to PM Netanyahu
The Radzyner Rebbe Dynasty (1840-2005)
YIZKOR for Jewish Dlugsiodlo, Poland
YIZKOR for Jewish Konstantynow Podlaski
Ordinary Jews
The Thessaloniki Lost Jewish Cemetery
The Tabuk Blueprints
‫כוח ישקה‬ The Yashka Force (Hebrew)
‫מצעד איוולת שיפוטית‬ March of Judicial Folly (Hebrew)
‫יהודים רגילים‬ Ordinary Jews (Hebrew)
‫שרטוטי טאבוק‬ The Tabuk Blueprints (Hebrew)
Zwykli Zydzi – Ordinary Jews (Polish)

JEWISH MALTA YOK?
covers the necrology
of the 5 Jewish cemeteries in Malta:
The ancient Gozo Jewish cemetery;
The ancient Mdina Jewish Catacombs;
The old Jewish cemetery in Kalkara;
The old Jewish cemetery in Tashbish;
and the present Jewish cemetery in Marsa.
ISBN 978-965-92660-8-1
Full book free PDF file downloadable @:

https://buffalo.academia.edu/MeirGGover

JEWISH MALTA YOK 2nd Edition by MEIR Hal PDF

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MEIR Halevi GOVER

Second Generation publication

Cover Design and Photography:

MEIR HALEVI GOVER

JEWISH MALTA YOK?

SECOND GENERATION publication

Copyright © 2019 by Meir Halevi Gover

All rights reserved.

a Second Generation publication

Permission: Any part of this publication may be reproduced,

Book and Cover Design by Meir Halevi Gover

An ancient Jewish cemetery was established in a location named “Kibir-el-Lahud” - Jewish

Fig. 02: 1856. Valletta Strada Reale (Today: Republic Street).

Fig. 03: 1875. Valletta Strada Reale (Today: Republic Street)

Meir Halevi Gover

Fig. 40: 2019 South side cemetery gate on Rnella Street.

Fig. 46: 1981. West to East view.

#3, #6 to #16 stones are identified

Cemetery actual Area measurements:

Cemetery identified stones:

Fig. 48: 11 February 1825. Menachem Ben Adi. Age 70.

‫]‪[Hebrew on the Benadi stone:‬‬

Fig. 57: 1834. Luna Beasmot © Photo: Meir Gover 2019

‫ר' יוסף טייאר‬

‫‪Fig. 63: April 21, 1864. Asher Anselmo Meir Natino.‬‬

Fig. 68: December 16, 1871. Gershom Isaac Ciacomo Bescinsky.

Fig. 76: 1880. Abiaziz © Photo: Meir Gover 2019

Fig. 81: Tashbish Cem. Unknown # 5. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019

Fig. 82: Tashbish Cem. Unknown # 6. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019

Fig. 94: 1900. Miriam Benjamin. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019

Fig. 95: 1900. Moshe Kreif. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019

Fig. 129: November 16, 1956. Rabbi Nissim Ohayon.

Fig. 138: 1977. Victor Landau. © Photo: Meir Gover 2019

Fig. 156: January 24, 1994. Bela Lowinger. Age 88.

Fig. 165: 2009. Israel Ian son of Mordechai Halevi Shandler.

Fig. 166: 2011. Helen Krasner De Yong. Age 81.

Fig. 168: 2014. Rabbi Chaim Herbert Richer. Age 91.

Fig. 169: January 08, 2018. Robert Eder. Age 99.

Fig. 178: 1943. Canadian pilot George Beurling “Falcon of Malta”.

From the 1st Jewish Temple Levite Cadre to PM Netanyahu

The Radzyner Rebbe Dynasty (1840-2005)

YIZKOR for Jewish Dlugsiodlo, Poland

YIZKOR for Jewish Konstantynow Podlaski

The Thessaloniki Lost Jewish Cemetery

The Tabuk Blueprints

‫כוח ישקה‬ The Yashka Force (Hebrew)

‫מצעד איוולת שיפוטית‬ March of Judicial Folly (Hebrew)

‫יהודים רגילים‬ Ordinary Jews (Hebrew)

‫שרטוטי טאבוק‬ The Tabuk Blueprints (Hebrew)

Zwykli Zydzi – Ordinary Jews (Polish)

Full book free PDF file downloadable @:

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