Jahacob Curiel

For the 17th century merchant and great-grandfather of Jahacob, see Jacob Curiel.

Don Jahacob Hisquiau Curiel (1687–20 March 1747; Hebrew name Jacob Haim, also Iacob, de Curiel, and de Abraham Curiel) was a Dutch merchant, who spent part of his life on the Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao.^[1] He was born into a Sephardic Jewish family in Amsterdam.

Jahacob Curiel
Born	1687 Amsterdam, Netherlands
Died	20 March 1747
Nationality	Dutch
Occupation	Merchant

Business and philanthropy

Curiel traded in commodities, such as cacao, tobacco, cotton, and port wine, between Africa, the Americas, and Europe, often with partners.^[2] He was also active in the slave trade,^[2] a market in Curaçao that was dominated by non-Jewish traders.^[3]

Curiel filled several leadership positions in the Jewish community of Curaçao. During one Hebrew calendar year, starting in 1741 and ending in 1742, Curiel served as president. He donated large sums to the building of the Curaçao synagogue, and to Hebrew and Dutch scholarship.^[1][4]

Family

Curiel was born in Amsterdam to Abraham Curiel (1662–1708), a Dutch merchant, and Ribca Franco da Silva (1661–1691). Jahacob was the great-grandson of Jacob Curiel, after whom he was named.^{[5][page needed]}

Jahacob Curiel married Ribca Mendes de Gama, daughter of Isaac Mendes de Gama, in February 1722. They had eight children: Abraham, Isaac, Jeosuah, Josseph, Lea, Moseh, Sara, and Selomoh.

References

1. Emmanuel, Isaac (1957). Precious Stones of the Jews of Curaçao: Curaçaon Jewry 1656-1957. Bloch. Retrieved 2021-06-19 – via Google Books.
2. Brito, Nadia (1989). Merchants of Curacao in the early 18th century (Thesis). Paper 1539625499. Williamsburg, VA: College of William & Mary. doi:10.21220/s2-b1z5-xg21. Retrieved 2021-06-19.
3. Scheib, Ariel. "Curacao Virtual Jewish History Tour". Jewish Virtual Library. AICE. Retrieved 2021-06-19. It should be noted, however, that very few Curaçao Jews were involved with the slave trade which was in essence the domain of the Dutch.
4. Emmanuel, Isaac; Emmanuel, Suzanne (1970). History of the Jews of the Netherlands Antilles. American Jewish Archives. Retrieved 2021-06-19.
5. Hertzberger, Menno, ed. (1922). Bijdragen en mededeelingen van het Genootschap voor de Joodsche Wetenschap in Nederland (in Dutch). Genootschap voor de Joodsche Wetenschap in Nederland.