Obj. ID: 35470
Jewish printed books  Takanot me-Chevrah Kedisha, Amsterdam, 1814

This text was prepared by William Gross:

This is one of a group of small pamphlets published by different institutions in the cities of Europe, particularly Amsterdam, are the type of material that tends to be very ephemeral. So, such booklets are rare. This one presents the constitution and by-laws of the Holy Society of "Menachem Avelim" of Rotterdam. The pamphlet was not printed in Rotterdam, but rather in Amsterdam as there was no Hebrew printing press in Rotterdam at that time.
Yochanan Lefi Rofe was the son of printer Naftali Hertz Levi Rofe, who operated an Ashkenazic press in Amsterdam beginning in 1726. In 1770 Yochanan set up his own press in partnership with his brother-in-law Baruch and Baruch's brother. They printed in partnership (mostly prayerbooks) until 1786. Later, in 1788-1793, the press was operated by Yochanan and Baruch alone. From 1789 they printed catalogues of books for sale. From 1797 to 1827, the press operated under the ownership of Yochanan and his son Binyamin.