Belisha

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BELISHA

BELISHA , Moroccan family of merchants and financiers. In 1817 moses belisha (1788–1851) settled in Marseilles where he acquired a large fortune. He became "Merchant of the sultan of Morocco" and a benefactor of the Jewish community. His activities extended to Gibraltar and to Manchester. Moses was assisted by his son barrow who traded with India, Egypt, and Mogador, where the philanthropists jeshua and solomon had remained. Moses' nephew, isaac, merchant and industrialist, became president of the Manchester Sephardi community in 1872. Isaac's grandson was Leslie *Hore-Belisha.

bibliography:

J.L. Miège, Maroc, 1 (1961), 94, 144, 574; A. Hyamson, Sephardim of England (1951), 359, 397.

[David Corcos]