Treves Family

The following notes on the Treves family have been taken from various internet resources such as: Wikipedia, Encyclopedia Judaica, Geni, etc. None of what appears here is in any way original other than the various connections among the families that descend from Treves to Reis, and as a result we ignore most other references to that family most of which can be found on the internet.

It is said that no other family can boast such a continuous line of scholars as this one, branches of which have been known under the names: Treves, Tribas, Dreifuss, Trefouse, and Drifzan. There exist, however, no means of tracing the connection of these various branches, which even as early as the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries were scattered over Germany, Italy, France, Greece, Poland, and Russia.

It has been described as a ‘ramified family’ which produced scores of scholars, rabbis, and communal workers. Some have assumed that the family’s origins were in Troyes, France, Rashi’s birthplace, from where it spread throughout Italy and Germany.

Others hold that it came from Treviso near Venice, Italy, in the 14th century, while a third opinion is that it originated in Trier (Germany), called Trèves in French. In France, members of the family were called Triverzans and in Germany, Drifzan. As stated, branches of the family spread through the different countries of Europe from the 14th to the 20th centuries.

Johnathan, the founder of the family, lived in Germany in the second half of the 13th century. Not much is known about him. His son was:

Joseph B. Johnathan (the Great) Treves, rabbi of Paris or Marseilles in the first half of the 14th century. He is said to have been a native of the town of Troyes (a town some 80 miles east of Paris), and seems to have been the first to adopt “Treves” as a family name. He is also called also “the Great” (“ha-Gadol”), apparently owing to his erudition. In 1343 he was rabbi of Marseilles, where he was prominent in a decision concerning the marriage law (Isaac de Lattes, Responsa, ed. Vienna, p. 88). Isaac b. Sheshet (Responsa, Nos. 271-272) speaks of Joseph as “the ornament of the wise men, the crown of the ancients.” .
Joseph’s wife was also supposed to have been learned in the Talmud; and a decision by her has been preserved by Simeon b. Ẓemaḥ Duran (Responsa, iii., No. 78). In 1363, when as a widow she was living in Paris, where her son Mattathias (below) was rabbi, she was excused from wearing the Jewish badge (“Ordonnances des Bois de France,” v. 498).

Mattithiah / Mattathias (c. 1325–died c. 1385) of Provence, studied under his father Joseph, and was a pupil of Nissim b. Reuben Gerondi and Perez b. Isaac ha-Kohen. In Paris he founded a yeshivah which had a large number of students. He was given the title of honor Morenu, and in 1363 was appointed rabbi of Paris by Charles V. A responsum attributed to him is preserved in MS. No. 676, folio 147, in the Paris Bibliothèque Nationale.

Mattathias married Marian Spira whose mother was a daughter of Menassier de Vesoul.

Mattathias and the members of his family were among those exempted from wearing the Jewish badge decreed upon the Jews of France by Charles V

Mattathias had three sons, Johnathan, Abraham, and Joseph, the last apparently being ordained rabbi in Italy, where he died in 1429.

Mattathias also had several daughters including: Vergentlin Julia Minna Hanna Treves (ca. 1350 – 1427) who married Solomon Spira, another daughter who is not named but who married Yechiel Yehudah ‘pre-Luria, as well as one (also not named) who married Raphael Ballin, apparently.

The Reis family is also descended not only from Mattathias’ three daughters, but also his son Joseph.

Joseph ben Mattithiah Treves was a scholar and liturgical poet of the fifteenth century; he died on the Ninth of Ab, 1429. At an early age he emigrated to Italy, and there wrote the following liturgical poems: a yoẓer for the Sabbath preceding the New-Year; “Silluḳ,” consisting of three parts and containing exhortations to repentance; and “Tokaḥah,” a prayer written in the form of a dialogue between the living and the dead. In Italy he had copies made of several of his writings, of which one, the “Sefer ha-Nayyar,” written in 1392, is still extant.

Joseph’s brother was Johanan ben Mattithiah Treves who was the chief rabbi of France from about 1385 to 1394; died in Italy July 21, 1439. After having received his rabbinical diploma from his father, who was chief rabbi of France, he filled the position of rabbi in a provincial town.

On the death of his father (Mattathias), Jonathan returned to Paris and was appointed, by agreement of Charles VI and with the community, to the chief rabbinate. Johnathan was one of the most eminent rabbinical authorities of his time; and his halakic decisions were often cited.

FROM WIKIPEDIA:

Joseph’s great-grandson Naphtali Hirsch ben Eliezer Treves was the author of the kabbalistic commentary Dikduk Tefillah, on the prayer book Malah ha-Areẓ De’ah (Thuengen, 1560), and Naftulei Elohim, a super-commentary on the commentary of Baḥya b. Asher (Heddernheim, 1546). “Perush” or “Mala Ha’aretz Deah” (1560): A famous kabbalistic commentary on the Siddur (prayer book). Treves also wrote, a super commentary on Rashi, which is said to be still extant, but where exactly is hard to fathom.

He was cantor in Frankfurt on the Main and was renowned as “the great kabbalist.” Naphtali Hertz’s son Joseph together with his brother Eliezer (1495–1566) published their father’s commentary on the prayer book.

He was also a Rabbinic scholar who officiated as Hazzan and rabbinic judge in Frankfort-on-the-Main. Naphtali engaged in disputations with Christian scholars, and he made comments on the pronunciation of German language. He is especially important for his accounts of Jewish customs and ceremonies.

Napthtalis’ son, Eliezer eventually became the Chief Rabbi of Frankfurt. More on him follows:

ELIEZER BEN NAPHTALI HIRZ TREVES (known also as Eliezer Frankfurt):’German rabbi; born 1495; died 1567.

Eliezer ben Naphtali Hirz Treves was the son of the above Naphtali Hirtz and from whom the Reis family is descended. He officiated as rabbi in Frankfurt. Unfortunately he was an adherent of Asher Lemmlein, a pseudo-Messiah who appeared in the sixteenth century, and attributed the non-fulfilment of Lemmlein’s prophecy concerning the Messiah to circumstances other than fraud. Nonetheless this does not seem to have affected his career.

Eliezer held the Frankfurt rabbinate for twenty-two years taking office shortly after 1544; and during a ritualistic controversy which took place in 1550 he was called upon to render a decision. Treves lived in the Eichel house (German: Acorn) which was one of the largest in the Judengasse ghetto, and was located directly opposite to the synagogue. The property belonged to the Jewish community and served as the official residence of the community rabbis.

In 1558 he was a member of a committee appointed by Emperor Ferdinand I. to organize a system for registering the votes of the Jews of Prague. In 1561 he went for a time to Cracow, where he copied Solomon Molko’s commentaries. He was an enthusiastic collector of manuscripts, from which he prepared certain treatises. There are extant several decisions signed by Eliezer, pertaining to the community of Frankfurt, and extending over the period 1556 – 1566 with the exception of the time spent by him in Cracow. Eliezer served as rabbi of Frankfurt for 22 years.  

He was the author of Perush (1560), a famous cabalistic commentary on the prayer-book; and probably also of Naftule Elohim (Heddernheim, 1546), an index to Baḥya ben Asher’s commentary on the Pentateuch. He also wrote “Yesod Shirim” (Thuengen, 1559) on the Book of Ruth, providing both literal and kabbalistic explanations. He collected manuscripts and prepared certain treatises from them.

The preface to the Naftule Elohim consists partly of the result of private studies and partly of quotations from other cabalistic works. Treves also wrote a super commentary on Rashi, which is still extant. Naphtali Hirz engaged in disputations with Christian scholars; and he made comments on the pronunciation of German. He is especially important for his accounts of Jewish customs and ceremonies.

TREVES – SPIRA DESCENT ONE via Vergentlin Julia Minna Hanna Treves

Matityahu (III) Ashkenazi Treves (ca. 1325 – 1385) == Marianne Spira (Shapira Manecier) * >> Vergentlin Julia Minna Hanna Treves (ca. 1350 – 1427) == Solomon Spira (ca. 1345 – ) >> Miriam Spira (Rabbanit Miriam) == Aharon ben Nethanel Luria (ca. 1400 – 1478) >> Jehiel / Yechiel Luria (ca. 1420 – 1470) == Malka Lifshitz (ca. 1440 – 1480) >> Dreizel Miriam Zeisel Luria (ca. 1446 – 1559) == Eliezer Lipmann Schrentzel – 1558) >> Dinah Malka Schrentzel == Rabbi Israel Joseph / Yosef Ben Chaim Isserles (ca. 1490 – 1568) >> Kendel? Isserles == David Luria Drucker Rapaport >> Deborah Rivkah Luria Drucker (1545 – 1617) == Shaul Wahl Katzenellenbogen (ca. 1541 – 1616) >> Meir Wahl Katzenellenbogen (? – 1631) == Hinde Horowitz  >>  >>  Baila / Beila Katzenellenbogen == Jonah / Yonah I Frankel-Teomim (1596 – 1669)  >>  Ezekiel Joshua Feivel Teomim| (ca. 1637 – ca. 1726) == Pearl Leib (1640 – 1710)  >>  Chaim Jonah Frankel-Teomim == Sarah Oppenheim >> Magdelene Genendel Frankel-Teomim (1713 – 1778) ==  Simon Isaac Bondi (1711 – 1773) >> Jonas Bondi (1732 – 1765) == Bella / Belle Schifra  >>  Clara / Caroline Bondi (1760-1829)  == Koppel Loeb of Bamberg  >> Moises Loeb / Moritz Reis (1782 – 1855) == Émilie Bickartt (1784 ) >> Jonas Reis (1809 – 1877) == Marian Samuel (1825 – 1900) REIS FAMILY

Marianne Spira’s mother was a daughter of Manassier de Vesoul.

TREVES – SPIRA DESCENT TWO via “A Daughter of Treves” Luria Descent

Matityahu (III) Ashkenazi Treves (ca. 1325 – ca. 1385) == Marianne Spira (Shapira Manecier) >> A Daughter of Treves == Rabbi Yechiel Yehudah ‘pre-Luria I'[of Erfurt] (ca. 1370 – ca. 1450) >> Nathanel (Ben Yehiel) ‘pre-Luria’, [of Wurzburg] (ca. 1385 – ca. 1460) == N.N. >> Aharon (ben Nethanel) Luria (ca. 1400 – 1478) == Miriam Spira (Rabbanit Miriam)  >> Jehiel / Yechiel Luria (ca. 1420 – 1470) == Malka Lifshitz (ca. 1440 – 1480) >> Dreizel Miriam Zeisel Luria (ca. 1446 – 1559) etc.

[CONTINUED AS ABOVE: TREVES – SPIRA DESCENT ONE]

TREVES DESCENT THREE Via Yosef Treves > Naftali Hirsch Treves [ … ] Mordechai Yechiel Schrentzel …

Matityahu (III) Ashkenazi Treves (ca. 1325 – 1385) == Marianne Spira (Shapira Manecier) >> Jonathan Treves >> Yosef Treves (- 1435) == N.N. >> Shmuel ben Joseph Treves, of Alsace == N.N. >> Rabbi Eliezer Treves of Schlezstadt >> Naftali Hirsch Treves (ca. 1473 – 1540) == N.N. >> Eliezer ben Naphtali Hirz Treves == Jutta HaLevi Tausigg >> Chava Treves ( – 1559) = Rabbi Yitzhak ben Nachmann Schrentzel >> Mordechai Yechiel Schrentzel (1560 – 1616) == Rivka Katz >> Gittel Schrentzel (ca. 1600 – 1652) == Rabbi Ephraim Fischel of Lvov (ca 1570 – 1653) >> Yehudit (Jute) Leib Saba == Rabbi Arye-Leib Fishles / Fishls Kalusziner / Kloisner (ca. 1620 – 1671) >> Pearl Aryeh Leib Kloisner (ca. 1666 – 1722) == Ezekiel Joshua (Yechezkia / Yehoshua) Feivel Teomim (ca. 1637 – ca. 1726) >> Chaim Jonah Frankel-Teomim == Sarah Oppenheim >>

[CONTINUED AS ABOVE: TREVES – SPIRA DESCENT ONE]

TREVES DESCENT FOUR Via Yosef Treves > Naftali Hirsch Treves […] Nachman Schrentzel … Kendel Isserles

Matityahu (III) Ashkenazi Treves (ca. 1325 – 1385) == Marianne Spira (Shapira Manecier) >> Jonathan Treves >> Yosef Treves (- 1435) == N.N. >> Shmuel ben Joseph Treves, of Alsace == N.N. >> Rabbi Eliezer Treves of Schlezstadt >> Naftali Hirsch Treves (ca. 1473 – 1540) == N.N. >> Eliezer ben Naphtali Hirz Treves == Jutta HaLevi Tausigg >> Chava Treves ( – 1559) = Rabbi Yitzhak ben Nachmann Schrentzel >> Nachman Schrentzel == Rosa Altschuler (Eberles) >> Eliezer Lipmann Schrentzel (- 1558) == Dreizel Miriam Zeisel Luria (ca. 1446 – 1559) >> Dinah Malka Schrentzel == Rabbi Israel Joseph Isserles ( – 1568) >> Kendel Isserles == David Luria Drucker Rapaport >> Deborah Rivkah Luria Drucker (1545 – 1617) = Shaul Wahl Katzenellenbogen (ca. 1541 – 1616) >> Meir Moshe Wahl Katzenellenbogen (ca. 1565 – ca. 1630) == Hinda Halevi Horowitz (ca.1570 – ca.1617) >> Beila Wahl Katzenellenbogen (ca. 1610 – ca. 1669) == Jonah I Frankel Teomim (1596 – 1669) >>  Ezekiel Joshua Feivel Teomim| (ca. 1637 – ca. 1726) == Pearl Leib (1640 – 1710)  >>  Chaim Jonah Frankel-Teomim == Sarah Oppenheim >>

[CONTINUED AS ABOVE: TREVES – SPIRA DESCENT ONE]

TREVES DESCENT FIVE Via Yosef Treves > Naftali Hirsch Treves … Nachman Schrentzel … Miriam Beila Isserles

Matityahu (III) Ashkenazi Treves (ca. 1325 – 1385) == Marianne Spira (Shapira Manecier) >> Jonathan Treves >> Yosef Treves (- 1435) == N.N. >> Shmuel ben Joseph Treves, of Alsace == N.N. >> Rabbi Eliezer Treves of Schlezstadt >> Naftali Hirsch Treves (ca. 1473 – 1540) == N.N. >> Eliezer ben Naphtali Hirz Treves == Jutta HaLevi Tausigg >> Chava Treves ( –  1559) = Rabbi Yitzhak ben Nachmann Schrentzel >> Nachman Schrentzel == Rosa Altschuler (Eberles) >> Eliezer Lipmann Schrentzel (- 1558) == Dreizel Miriam Zeisel Luria (ca. 1446 – 1559) >> Dinah Malka Schrentzel == Rabbi Israel Joseph Isserles ( – 1568) >> Miriam Beila Isserles (ca. 1535 – 1617) = Pinchas Halevi Horowitz (1535 – 1618) >> Hinda Halevi Horowitz (ca.1570 – ca.1617) == Meir Moshe Wahl Katzenellenbogen (ca. 1565 – ca. 1630) >> Beila Wahl Katzenellenbogen (ca. 1610 – ca. 1669) == Jonah I Frankel Teomim (1596 – 1669)

[CONTINUED AS ABOVE: TREVES DESCENT FOUR]

TREVES – ALTSCHULER DESCENT SIX via Yosef Treves > Chana Treves == Moses Altschuler >> DAUGHTER Schprinze Altschuler …

Matityahu (III) Ashkenazi Treves (ca. 1325 – 1385) == Marianne Spira (Shapira Manecier) >> Jonathan Treves >> Yosef Treves ( ? – 1435) == N.N. >> Schmuel ben Joseph Treves, of Alsace == N.N. >> Rabbi Eliezer Treves of Schlezstadt >> Chana Treves == Moshe (Eberles) Altschuler (ca. 1520 – 1557) >> Schprinze (Eberles) Altschuler == Yosef HaCohen Katz, She’erit Yosef of Cracow >> Rivka Katz == Mordechai Yechiel Schrentzel (1560 – 1616) >> Gittel Schrentzel (ca. 1600 – 1652)

[CONTINUED AS ABOVE: TREVES DESCENT THREE Via Yosef Treves > Naftali Hirsch Treves].

TREVES -ALTSCHULER DESCENT SEVEN via Yosef Treves > Chana Treves == Moses Altschuler >> SON Yakov Eberles Altschuler …

Matityahu (III) Ashkenazi Treves (ca. 1325 – 1385) == Marianne Spira (Shapira Manecier) >> Jonathan Treves >> Yosef Treves (- 1435) == N.N. >> Shmuel ben Joseph Treves, of Alsace == N.N. >> Rabbi Eliezer Treves of Schlezstadt == N. N. >> Chana Treves = Moshe (Eberles) Altschuler (ca. 1499 – 1557) >> Rabbi Yakov Eberles Altschuler == Gittel Landau (? – 1596) [daughter of Rabbi Aryeh Leib HaKohen Rapaport] >> Rosa / Royzu Eberles ‘Golden Heart’ == Rabbi Nachman Schrentzel / Schrentzel >> Eliezer Lipmann Schrentzel ( – 1558) ==  Dreizel Miriam Zeisel Luria (ca. 1446 – 1559) >> A Daughter (Lipmann Schrentzel) == HaRav Yitzhak Klauber, of Posen (ca. 1475 – 1530) >> Dina Klauber == Schlomo Aschkenazi Luria >> David Luria Drucker Rapaport == Hinde Horowitz >> Deborah Rivkah Luria Drucker (1545 – 1617) = Shaul Wahl Katzenellenbogen (ca. 1541 – 1616) >>

[CONTINUED AS ABOVE: TREVES DESCENT THREE Via Yosef Treves > Naftali Hirsch Treves].

TREVES DESCENT EIGHT FROM TO BALLIN

Matityahu (III) Ashkenazi Treves (ca. 1325 – 1385) >> A DAUGHTER == Raphael Ballin (Sketchy) >> ?

Manessier de Vesoul was a prominent French Jewish communal leader in the 14th century. Originally from Vesoul, he was likely part of the family of Héliot de Vesoul, a banker from the same town. Manessier played a significant role in the Jewish community in France, particularly in Paris. Around 1358, he negotiated for the return of the Jews to France and was appointed by the king as “procureur général” of the Jews. This position allowed him to control the entry of Jews into France and manage their financial contributions to the treasury. He held this role until at least 1376.Manessier was involved in a notable conflict with Jacob de Pont St. Maxence around 1370, which led to accusations against him and his brother Vivant of misconduct, including establishing a synagogue without royal permission. Despite being imprisoned, Manessier eventually reconciled with Jacob and regained his standing at the royal court.He also secured a ten-year extension of the Jewish right of residence in France in 1374 and was exempted, along with his family, from wearing a distinctive badge that Jews were required to wear. After his death in 1375, his children, particularly his eldest son, inherited his functions and privileges, which included tax exemptions. The the wife of Matthias Treves was Marian, a daughter of Samuel Spira. Samuel married a daughter of Manassier de Vesoul.

1. ? Miriam (Treves) Spira == Aaron I Luria >> Jechiel Luria >>

2. Vergentlin Channa Treves == Samuel Schmuel Salomon Spira >> Solomon Spira …

3. Daughter Treves == Raphael Ballin