Physical Description

Detail Description

Moses Mocatta, broker, author, and communal worker; born in London February, 1768; died September, 1857. He was connected with the most influential Sephardic families of his day. His sister Rachel was the mother of Sir Moses Montefiore. For many years he was a partner in the firm of Mocatta & Goldsmid (bullion-brokers to the Bank of England), which had been founded by his father. He retired from business in middle life and devoted himself to study and to communal work. He was a diligent student of Hebrew, and well read in Biblical and Jewish literature. The "Hebrew Review" (1846) as well as the works of Grace Aguilar found in him a generous patron. Theological controversy was a subject which particularly interested him. His "Faith Strengthened" (1851) is a translation from the Hebrew of the famous "Ḥizzuḳ Emunah" of Isaac ben Abraham of Troki. His other translation, entitled "The Inquisition and Judaism" (1845), was a contribution to controversial literature, and comprised a sermon on Isa. xlii. 22 addressed to Jewish martyrs on the occasion of an auto da fé at Lisbon in 1705, and a reply to the sermon by E. Vero (a posthumous work of the author of the "Secret History of the Inquisition"). The sermon was translated from the Portuguese, and the reply from the Spanish. Moses Mocatta compiled also "The Wisdom of Solomon; a Selection from Proverbs and Ecclesiastes in Hebrew, with a Corrected Version on Parallel Lines" (1834).

As a communal worker Moses Mocatta rendered conspicuous service to the Shaaré Tikva schools and other institutions of the Spanish and Portuguese Congregation. When the schism of 1841 occurred Mocatta was one of those members of Bevis Marks who seceded from the parent community, and helped to establish the West London Synagogue of British Jews, his considerable knowledge of Hebrew and Jewish literature proving of great value to the new movement.

 

Hebrew Description

 

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