Encyclopedia of Jews in the Islamic World

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Capsali, Moses ben Elijah
(567 words)

Moses ben Elijah Capsaliwas born in Candia (Heraklion), Crete, in 1420. Like his relative Elijah Capsali, Moses left Crete at a young age to further his education. He went to Germany, where he studied with major Ashkenazi rabbis such as Jacob Landau and Judah Mintz. Throughout his life, Capsali’s writings and actions were heavily influenced by his German-Ashkenazi background, even though he himself was a Romaniot. Some sources indicate that he also studied in Italy.

Capsali became the leader of the Romaniot congregation of Constantinople around 1445.According to some a…

Cite this page
Aksel Erbahar, “Capsali, Moses ben Elijah”, in: Encyclopedia of Jews in the Islamic World, Executive Editor Norman A. Stillman. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1878-9781_ejiw_SIM_0004960>
First published online: 2010



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