The Most Ancient Tombstones

The following is a sample of the most ancient tombstones of the Jewish cemetery of Rhodes. They were photographed by Aron Hasson and translated into English by Yitzhak Dekel (a member of the Joseph & Sarina Tarica family).

• Moshe Sidi (1593)
  Translation: Burial stone of the dear, the honor of our master, Moshe Sidi, departed to the house of his world, and was buried the 22nd day of the month of Av, the year 5353 (1593). May his soul be bound in the bond of life. (In Greek: MENΩ ΘPAΣYMHAEYΣ = I Live Thracimilefs)
• Nerassiah Hasson (1655)
  Translation: Burial stone, for a doe of beauty, Nerassiah, the daughter of the dear, and distinguished Avraham Hasson, her soul in paradise, died the 7th day of Adar, the year 5415 (1655). May her soul be bound in the bond of life.
• Moshe Nahmias (1662)
  Translation: I shall mourn with a bitter voice, I will not keep quiet over a righteous man, as a date tree, the man, Moshe… something was said about Moshe; Praise and cry in the bitterness of mourning Moshe,…after the death of Moshe, the torah cried in bitterness, the torah that gave without….and the torah of Moshe is the tombstone of wise and elevated, hassid and humble, chasing charity and the needy, Moshe Nahmias, the memory of a righteous man is a blessing, departed to the house of the worlds on the 5th day of the month of Elul, the year 5422 (1662) since creation.
• Yehudah HaCohen (1666)
  Translation: The death stone of the master, Yehudah HaCohen, may his soul be in Eden, died the beginning of the month of Elul, the year 5426 (1666). May his soul be bound in the bond of life.
• Dalessiah Nehemiah (1670)
  Translation: Burial stone of the dear daughter, Dalessiah… of the dear husband, Yekutiel Nehemiah, departed to the house of the worlds, the beginning day of the month of Tivet, the year 5430 (1670) since creation.
• Dona de Carmona (1671)
  Translation: Burial stone of the humble Mrs. Dona, wife of the honorable elder, Avraham de Carmona, departed on Tuesday, the 10th of the month of Sivan, 5431 (1671). May her soul be in Eden (paradise). (Carmona is a small city near Seville in the southern part of Spain.)
• Yaacov HaLevi (1727)
  Translation: Burial stone for the dearly departed of young age, Yaacov Halevi, departed on Wednesday, the 29th day of the month of Sivan, the year 5487 (1727), since creation. May his soul be bound in the bond of life.
• Shlomo Ashkenazi (1739)
  Translation: Burial stone to the dear, wise and elevated, honorable master, Shlomo Ashkenazi, he was taken to the house of the world, on the 14th day of the month of Tishreh, the year 5499 (1739), since creation. May his soul be bound in the bond of life.
• Yitzhak Surmani (1746)
  Translation: Burial stone for a dear student, the pleasant, Yitzhak Surmani, he was taken to the house of eternity on the 6th day of the month of Tivet, the year 5506 (1746).
• Hazdiah BenVeniste (1763)
  Translation: Look at this marker, which is the burial stone of the wise, and high as a mountain, Hazdai Veniste, he was taken to the house of eternity, on the 16th of the month of Tamuz, the year 5523 (1763). May his soul be bound in the bond of life.
• Yitzhak Franco (1766)
  Translation: Because of a jar (urn) of his remains was embedded here. Soul friend, youthful charm chosen and wise as a hill, Yitzhak Franco, his soul in paradise, was taken to the house of his world on the 24th day of Tamuz, the year 5526 (1766). May his soul be bound with God.
• Yaakov Codron (1768)
  Translation: On the death of a dear son, the young man and steady as a hill, Yaacov Codron, was taken to the house of his world on the 4th day of the month of Sivan, the year 5528 (1768). May his soul be bound in the bond of life.