Falaise (Hebrew, or ):

By: Richard Gottheil , S. Kahn

Capital of the arrondissement of the department of Calvados, in Normandy, France, and till 1206 under English rule. It seems to have had a considerable Jewish community in the Middle Ages. Jacob and Morellus of "Falesia" were among the Jews authorized (1204) to live at the Ch?^telet at Paris. A decree of the Court of Exchequer of Falaise, issued in 1220 to avenge the murder of a Jew of Bernai, made all the citizens responsible, excepting those who had responded to his cries for help. In 1299 the taxes paid by the Jew Abraham and his coreligionists of Falaise amounted to seventy-five livres.

The following Jewish scholars of Falaise are known: Simson ben Joseph, the tosafist; Samuel ben Solomon, called also "Sire Morel"; Ḥayyim Paltiel; Moses of Falaise; Yom-Ṭob of Falaise.

Bibliography:

Delisle, Catalogue des Artes do Philippe-Auguste, p. 890;
Brussel, Usage des Fiefs, vol. i., book ii., ch. 39;
comp. Bedarride, Les Juifs en France, etc., p. 217;
Depping, Les Juifs dans le Moyen Age, p. 120, Paris, 1834;
Zunz, Z. G. pp. 35, 56 et passim;
Renan-Neubauer, Les Rabbins Français, pp. 444 et passim;
R. E. J. xv. 255.

G. S. K.