Berr Isaac Berr Of Turique

French manufacturer; born at Nancy in 1744; died at Turique, near Nancy, Nov. 5, 1828. He came of a rich and estimable family; received an excellent education, especially in Hebrew and rabbinical literature—in the latter from Jacob Perle, chief rabbi of Nancy. Inheriting the title of syndic of the Jewish community of Nancy, bestowed upon his father in 1753 by King Stanislaus, he took an active part in the direction of the affairs of the community.

In 1789 he was elected by the Jews of Alsace deputy to the States-General, where he was admitted to plead for Jewish emancipation before the Assembly. At about that time he published a pamphlet in which he refuted the anti-Jewish discourse delivered by De la Farre, bishop of Nancy. Berr was appointed successively member of the Assembly of Notables and member of the Sanhedrin; and he cooperated effectively in the organization of Jewish worship in France and in Italy. In his old age he retired, pensioned by the king, to one of his estates called "Turique"—the name of which he added to his own with the royal permission.

Berr was the author of the following works: (1) "Discours des Députés des Juifs des Provinces des Evêchés d'Alsace et de Lorraine, Prononcés à la Barre de l'Assemblée Nationale," Paris, 1789; (2) "Lettre du Sieur Berr Isaac Berr à Monseigneur l'Evêque de Nancy," Paris, 1790; (3) "Lettre d'un Citoyen," Nancy, 1791; (4) "Réflexions sur la Régénération Complète des Juifs en France," Paris, 1806; (5) "Lettre du Sieur Berr Isaac Berr à Grégoire, Sénateur," Nancy, 1806; (6) "Discours du Sieur Isaac Berr," Paris, 1806.

Bibliography:

  * Revue Orientale, ii. 62-63;
  * Grätz, Gesch. der Juden, xi. 184 et seq.;
  * Kahn, Les Juifs de Paris Pendant la Révolution, p. 27;
  * Tama, Recueil de Procés-Verbaux, pp. 19 et seq.



S. I. Br.