Born in 1583 (his exact date of birth is unknown), Natan Spira, an outstanding Kabbalist, preacher, expert in Talmudic and philosophical literature, chairman of the rabbinical court in Krakow, died on 20th July 1633. Interestingly, Spira was the son-in-law of a member of the Kraków kehilla, Mojżesz Jakubowicz, who provided him with support and resources to let him continue his studies. Natan Spira was considered a saint by his contemporaries. He preached that the dispersion of the Jewish nation (diaspora) and the transmigration of souls (gilgul neshamot), through successive incarnations, were the punishment for the contamination of Israel with sin. He dedicated all his fortune to charity and science.Acording to Henry Halkowski, starting from 1617, Spira was the rector of the Krakow yeshiva, where he taught Torah,…

Born on 15th July 1840 in Tarnow, Arnold Chaim de Porada Rapaport, son of Dawid and Karolina, née Herz, was a councilor of the city of Krakow (1872-1881), member of the National Parliament (1876-1907) and the Council of State (1879-1907), president of the Society for the Care of Neglected Jewish Boys in Krakow, founder of a craft school for the Jewish youth in Krakow, chairman of the Aid Committee for the Poor Jewish Population in Galicia. Founding member of the Polish Gymnastic Society “Sokół” in Krakow. Lawyer, industrialist, financier and philanthropist.A graduate of St. Anna’s gymnasium in Krakow (1858) and the Faculty of Law at the Jagiellonian University (1862). He defended his doctorate thesis in 1863. From 1870, he worked as a lawyer in Krakow and Vienna.…

Today we remember Eliezer Askenazy, son of Eliasz, a dotor and rabbi of Krakow between 1584-1585.Most likely born in Venice (although according to other sources he was born somewhere in the Ottoman Empire), he studied in Thessaloniki, at the Yeshiva of rabbi J. Taiłacak. At the age of 26, he became a rabbi in Cairo. During this period, several people asked his opinion, including rabbi J. Karo of Safed (Cfatu), who was developing his codes of Talmudic law, rabbi Moses Alshich, the famous commentator, rabbi M. Isserles (ReMU) from Krakow and S. Luria (Maharshal) from Lublin. After 22 years, in circumstances which remain unknown ,he left Cairo, while in 1561, took the position of rabbi in Famagusta, Cyprus. Over there, he was visited by Eliahu of Pesaro,…

Born on 2nd July 1864 in Drohobych, Leon Sternbach, son of Jozef , was a professor of Classical Philology at the Jagiellonian University, Byzantineist, member of the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences.A Drohobych gymnasium graduate, who later studied at the universities in Leipzig and Dresden (1882-1883) and in Vienna (1883-1885), where he obtained his doctorate. He obtained his habilitation and doctorate at the University of Lviv in 1889. However, for all his life, Leon Sternbach remained professionally and scientifically associated with the Jagiellonian University. He received the title of associate professor in 1892, and full professor in 1897. He retired in 1935 having received the title of honorary professor. In the academic year 1904/1905 he was the dean of the Faculty of Philosophy. In 1893, Leon…