Abraham ben Joseph (Yoske) of Lissa
ABRAHAM BEN JOSEPH (Yoske) OF LISSA
ABRAHAM BEN JOSEPH (Yoske) OF LISSA (Leszno ; d. 1777), communal leader in Poland. Abraham, son of the rabbi of Zlotow, was apparently wealthy and engaged in trade. In the 1730s he represented *Great Poland on the *Councils of the Lands. He presided over the Council as parnas in 1739–43 and 1751–53. He also served as ne'eman ("treasurer") of the Council during his last term as parnas and later in the 1750s and 1760s. While parnas, Abraham attempted to arbitrate the dispute between Jonathan *Eybeschuetz and Jacob *Emden (to whom he was related by marriage). The Council of the Four Lands was drawn into this controversy which stirred the Jewish world. Abraham, who was then serving his second term as parnas of the Council, tried to settle the dispute without taking a definite side. His brothers, especially Moses, lived in Lissa and also took part in the leadership of the community. The family was renowned for its wealth, its strong principles, and its charitableness. The sources do not indicate their means of livelihood but it is likely that they were merchants.
add. bibliography:
Halpern, Pinkas; Y. Trunk, "Leberur Emdato shel Abraham ben Yoske, Parnas Va'ad Arba Araẓot, be-Maḥloket bein Yonatan Eybeschuetz ve-Ya'akov Emden," in: Zion, 33 (1968), 174–79.
[Israel Halpern]