Judith Montefiore: A Pioneer of Jewish Philanthropy

Recently, many of us have passed under "Judith Bridge" that crosses over the Ayalon Highway. But who was Judith? And why is the bridge named after her?

The answer is quite simple: the bridge connects "Judith Street" to the B'Tzaron neighborhood. Judith Street is the main street in the Montefiore neighborhood of Tel Aviv, named after Judith Montefiore.

There's a saying that behind every great man stands a great woman, but Judith Montefiore, the wife of Sir Moses Montefiore, was a great woman in her own right. She was wealthy on her own and her actions for the Jewish people were no less significant than those of her illustrious husband. Moses and Judith Montefiore were a visionary couple who did extraordinary things for the Jewish community.

The deeds of Moses Montefiore are well-known and celebrated, especially in the neighborhoods he established. In "Yemin Moshe," you can find the famous windmill and Montefiore's carriage, which he used on his seven visits to the Land of Israel to encourage building and settlement. Four other neighborhoods in Jerusalem are named after him, even more than for King David: Kiryat Moshe, Mazkeret Moshe, Zikhron Moshe, and Ohel Moshe. Here, we will share a bit about the actions of his righteous wife.

Judith Barent-Cohen was born in England in 1784. Her father was one of the island's wealthiest individuals. Her older sister married Baron Nathan Rothschild. Her family was one of the pillars of the Ashkenazi community in England, originally from Germany.

Moses Montefiore belonged to the Sephardic community in England, with roots in Italy. His family was well-off but not as wealthy as the Cohen family. Moses was born in 1784 and was Judith's peer. Their acquaintance surprised both families, each considering themselves too distinguished for the other... The Barent-Cohen family was observantly religious and internationally wealthy, so they found it peculiar to connect with an Italian Sephardic family, especially since young Moses was not very observant at the time. The Montefiore family was a prestigious Sephardic family that viewed the German-descended people as rigid and snobbish.

However, the match proceeded because both Moses and Judith saw in each other a partner for their grand aspirations. The "Shaar Hashamayim" synagogue, the oldest and most renowned Sephardic synagogue in London, did not recognize memberships of Ashkenazi individuals and refused to accept inter-married couples. This problem was solved by the couple using money, which opens all doors... They established a dowry fund for inter-married couples: Ashkenazi and Sephardi.

Moses Montefiore was a broker on the stock exchange and founded a massive insurance company. In this way, he accumulated significant wealth, and by the age of 40, he became wealthier than his father-in-law and any other Jew living at that time. For the next sixty years, until his death at age 100, he no longer needed to engage in business, dedicating his activities to supporting Jews wherever they were.

Judith was a multi-talented artist. She engaged in literature, music, and art. Particularly, she had a talent for languages and picked up all the languages spoken around her during her many travels. She spoke with local people in their language, and the elders of Jerusalem still remember her Arabic, pronounced with a dignified English accent...

Alongside all this, Judith was a model housewife, and she published the first Jewish cookbook with kosher recipes. The cookbook also included advice and guidance for women, as was customary at the time. According to Judith in her book, soy sauce is inferior. It should not be cooked with; rather, a small dish should be placed on the table, allowing guests to take what they wish. One of the recipes is "Palestine Soup," which Judith documented during one of her visits to the Land of Israel.

During the travels with Judith, Moses Montefiore became very pious, observing even the smallest commandments meticulously. A shochet traveled with them to provide kosher meat, along with an entourage of observant Jews who prepared luxurious meals. Every evening, the distinguished couple studied a bit of Hebrew together, and Judith made sure her husband practiced a precise Hebrew pronunciation... She insisted on speaking Hebrew among Jews, even in England.

Judith kept a travel journal, richly and vividly detailing all her and her husband's activities around the world for the Jewish people.

During her visit to Jerusalem, she noticed there was no Jewish hospital, and in times of need, Jews had to resort to the missionary hospital. Consequently, she founded "Bikur Cholim" Hospital, the first Jewish hospital in Jerusalem. Today, there are more than ten hospitals in Jerusalem, and it's a shame that none of them are named after this great woman.

Judith passed away at the age of 78, and her husband established a mausoleum for her reminiscent of Rachel's Tomb in the yard of the Montefiore Synagogue in England. He was also laid to rest there upon his passing.