Five of the letters were sent from the Mahamad of the Portuguese Jewish community of Hamburg to its Amsterdam counterpart: 1) Letter regarding the Hamburg Portuguese-Jewish community's plans to establish and organize an association, in light of the Amsterdam community's successful efforts to do the same. 1643. 2) A letter with a request for assistance in the matter of a certain individual by the name of Isaac Penso, accused of murder and wanted by the authorities, who was blackmailing the Hamburg community. 1658. 3) A letter with regard to the "Beth Din" (religious tribunal) constituted to adjudicate on a matter pertaining to the financial affairs of Dr. Benjamin Musaphia; the litigant was taking issue with the makeup of the tribunal, and the Mahamad was seeking assistance in its efforts to persuade him to come to an understanding in this matter. 1658. 4) Thank-you letter expressing gratitude for efforts to persuade one Isaac Calvo to desist from returning to Hamburg. 1670. 5) Letter of recommendation to the Mahamad of the Amsterdam community in the matter of Rabbi Jacob Sasportas who was leaving Hamburg and heading to the Levant on account of financial difficulties, and was in need of assistance. 1670.
The five additional documents are personal letters and legal documents dealing with trade, marriage, and other affairs: 6) Document wherein the undersigned testify that Rohiel Jesurum (Reuel Jesurun) of Hamburg has, in their presence, appointed his daughter, the wife of Moses Gideon Abudiente, as his heiress. 1664. 7) Letter dealing with the matter of the marriage of Abraham Abendana de Brito to Hannah Nahamias de Castro. Signed by Dr. Isaac Pimental and Joseph Abendana, uncles of the bridegroom's father, appointed by the father to mediate between him and the father of the bride; David De Nahamias, father of the bride; and Dr. Baruch (Benedict) Nahamias. 1671. 8) Letter of greetings and congratulations from David Abendana Mendes of Hamburg to his cousin Isaac da Costa of Amsterdam on the occasion of his marriage to Hannah Abendana Nahmias. 1749. Spanish. 9) Contract between Rabbi Solomon Salem and Abraham Jehisquia Bassan, according to which Bassan would become a licensed partner in a matzah-baking business venture accredited by the community, the license to which was entrusted to Salem's son, the minor Isaac Salem, for a period of 10 years. January 7, 1765. 10) Letter from Abraham Curiel Bueno of Maarsen, the Netherlands, to Moses Ricardo of Amsterdam, dealing with an apartment rental. 1787.
Enclosed: Two popular poems (a Sephardic Jewish romance and a love poem in Portuguese) handwritten on a folded sheet. Both poems have been documented in Jewish manuscripts miscellanies. In the present version, an additional verse has been added to the poem in Portuguese; this verse is not included in any of the other known sources. [Amsterdam, late 17th century or 18th century].
The community of Jews of Spanish and Portuguese origin in Hamburg, Germany maintained close ties with its larger and more established sister community in Amsterdam. The documents here present a clear picture of intimate and ongoing relations between the two communities, and of their intense involvement in one another's daily affairs.
The Hamburg community sought the advice of its Amsterdam sister regarding important milestones in its public affairs. Among Jews descended from the subjects of the Spanish and Portuguese Expulsions or from Spanish-Portuguese conversos, there was constant interchange between the two cities, in terms of family ties, marriages, trade, and more, and all these various relationships are dealt with in detail in the present documents.