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EZRA Origin of surname

EZRA, ESRA

Surnames derive from one of many different origins. Sometimes there may be more than one explanation for the same name. This family name is a patronymic surname based on a male ancestor's personal name, in this case of biblical origin.

Ezra/Esra means "help" in Hebrew. The biblical Ezra, surnamed 'the Scribe', was a priest who played a major role in there building of the Temple after the return of the Jews from the Babylonian exile (Ezra 7.6). Ibn Ezra is documented as a Jewish family name in the 11th century, Ezra in the 19th century, and Ezrahi in the 20th century. Other variants comprise the Slavic Ezrin and Ezdrin, as well as North African forms such as Alezera, Azra, Lezrah, Benazera and Benlezra.

Distinguished bearers of the Jewish surname Ezra include members of a Baghdad family which settled in India, among them David Ezra (1797-1882), president of the Calcutta Jewish community and philanthropist.

AZURI, AZZURI, AZZURRI

Surnames derive from one of many different origins. Sometimes there may be more than one explanation for the same name.

This family name derives from Azur, a hypocoristic form of the Hebrew male given name Ezra used by the Jews of Iraq.

Azuri is documented as a Jewish family name with Albert Azuri (1934-2001), a resident of Petach Tikva, Israel.

Gideon Ezra (1937-2012), Israeli politician born in Jerusalem, Israel. He studied political science at the University of Haifa from where he graduated in 1961, before joining the Shin Bet security service where he worked until 1995. The following year he was elected to the Knesset representing the Likud party. In 2004 he became Minister of Tourism and then Minister for Internal Security. In 2005 he left the Likud to join the newly formed Kadima party and in 2006 was made Minister for the Protection of the Environment. In the 2009 elections he was reelected to the Knesset to represent Kadima, but he no longer held office since the party went into opposition.

Jaén 

A town in Andalucia, southern Spain.

A Jewish community existed there in the Muslim period. The Ibn Shaprut family originated in Jaen, whence Isaac b. Ezra, the father of Hisdai Ibn Shaprut, moved to Cordoba. The Jews in this period engaged in all branches of commerce, and especially in tanning. In the 11th century Jews from Jaen even emigrated to Eretz Israel. After the murder of Joseph Ha- Nagid, the son of Samuel Ha-Nagid, when a rebellion broke out in Jaen, the Jews had to pay a heavy indemnity.

At the end of the 11th century the community was headed by Rabbi Isaac who corresponded with Isaac Alfasi. The community was brought to an end during the Almohad persecution.

In 1246 Jaen was captured by Ferdinand III of Castile. It was not until 1290 that the Jews of Jaen were required to send a representative to the King to negotiate on the amount of annual tax for which the community was liable.

The Jews in Jaen pursued the same occupations as the rest of Andalusian Jewry, cultivating vineyards and engaging in crafts and commerce. As customary in that period, many had business partnerships with Christians. The community suffered during the civil war between Pedro the Cruel and Henry of Trastamara in the 1360s. Pedro, who called the Muslims of Granada to his aid, permitted them to take the Jews of Jaen captive and sell them into slavery. The community then numbered 300 families.

No details are known about the fate of the Jews in Jaen during the persecutions of 1391, but the number of Jews who left the faith increased. In 1473 riots against the conversos in Jaen broke out. Ten years later an edict of expulsion was issued against the Jews in Jaen as in all the other Andalusian communities. In that year the inquisition established a tribunal at Jaen. Apparently the tribunal did not continue to sit in Jaen but returned there in 1509 and was reconstituted as a district court. In 1526 it was amalgamated with the tribunal in Cordoba.

Niram

A rural settlement in the district of Aqrah (Akre), central Iraqi Kurdistan, north Iraq.

According to a tradition among the Jews of Kurdistan, they had come to Kurdistan as exiles from Eretz Israel at the time of King Shalmaneser of Assyria, before the destruction of the First Temple, and did not return to Eretz Israel. At first the Jews of Niram were not aware of that tradition and were not acquainted with the history of the Jews of Kurdistan, but in the course of time they learned that history from Jewish peddlers who happened to visit the place. Rabbi Benjamin of Tudela found Jewish communities in the region on his visit before the year 1170.

In the 17th century the leaders of the communities at that time were the families of Rabbis Adoni (Barazani), Mizrahi, Duga and Hariri. Much later, in 1880, the traveler Mordecai Edelman visited the region. He reported having found poor rural communities of Jews who were very strict in observing all the mitzvot (religious precepts) and spoke a language they called Targum (the Aramaic
Bible translation) which is in fact distorted Aramaic mixed with Syrian. The Jews were under the patronage of the sheikh or “agha”, the feudal local ruler, who was the head of the tribe. He gave them protection and in return they looked after his property and provided him with guards.

The Jews of Kurdistan often moved from the small villages to bigger settlements and the towns for safety reasons. This occurred also at Niram, hence the frequent changes in the number of Jews living at Niram.

In Niram there was an ancient synagogue named after King David. Another tradition called it the Synagogue of Joab ben Zeruiah. The synagogue was close to a source of water, and the entrance was narrow. It had a spacious court and was surrounded by walls. Three steps led down to the prayer hall. In the center of the hall there was a bimah for the reading of the torah. The life of the community centered around the synagogue, in which the members gathered for public prayers on Sabbath and festival days. There were no rabbis and teachers at Niram and the education of the children was sporadic. Travelling preachers who happened to visit the village taught the children verbally on Sabbath days, telling them stories and legends. On weekdays the children helped their families in the fields.

In 1929 the family of Ezra arrived in Niram from Agra. At that time only a few Jewish families were living at Niram. In 1933 the community was very poor and its members were illiterate and ignorant of the prayers. The children were not given any tuition. The Jews of Niram spoke Kurdish and most of them were weavers, some bred cattle and sheep, some engaged in farming and trade. Their houses were made of mud, the roofs built of wooden beams covered with mud. In 1949 the Jews of Niram organized themselves for Aliyah to Israel. They travelled on small boats down the Tigris to the sea and from there embarked on boats to Israel.

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EZRA Origin of surname
EZRA, ESRA

Surnames derive from one of many different origins. Sometimes there may be more than one explanation for the same name. This family name is a patronymic surname based on a male ancestor's personal name, in this case of biblical origin.

Ezra/Esra means "help" in Hebrew. The biblical Ezra, surnamed 'the Scribe', was a priest who played a major role in there building of the Temple after the return of the Jews from the Babylonian exile (Ezra 7.6). Ibn Ezra is documented as a Jewish family name in the 11th century, Ezra in the 19th century, and Ezrahi in the 20th century. Other variants comprise the Slavic Ezrin and Ezdrin, as well as North African forms such as Alezera, Azra, Lezrah, Benazera and Benlezra.

Distinguished bearers of the Jewish surname Ezra include members of a Baghdad family which settled in India, among them David Ezra (1797-1882), president of the Calcutta Jewish community and philanthropist.
Written by researchers of ANU Museum of the Jewish People
AZURI

AZURI, AZZURI, AZZURRI

Surnames derive from one of many different origins. Sometimes there may be more than one explanation for the same name.

This family name derives from Azur, a hypocoristic form of the Hebrew male given name Ezra used by the Jews of Iraq.

Azuri is documented as a Jewish family name with Albert Azuri (1934-2001), a resident of Petach Tikva, Israel.

Gideon Ezra

Gideon Ezra (1937-2012), Israeli politician born in Jerusalem, Israel. He studied political science at the University of Haifa from where he graduated in 1961, before joining the Shin Bet security service where he worked until 1995. The following year he was elected to the Knesset representing the Likud party. In 2004 he became Minister of Tourism and then Minister for Internal Security. In 2005 he left the Likud to join the newly formed Kadima party and in 2006 was made Minister for the Protection of the Environment. In the 2009 elections he was reelected to the Knesset to represent Kadima, but he no longer held office since the party went into opposition.

Jaen

Jaén 

A town in Andalucia, southern Spain.

A Jewish community existed there in the Muslim period. The Ibn Shaprut family originated in Jaen, whence Isaac b. Ezra, the father of Hisdai Ibn Shaprut, moved to Cordoba. The Jews in this period engaged in all branches of commerce, and especially in tanning. In the 11th century Jews from Jaen even emigrated to Eretz Israel. After the murder of Joseph Ha- Nagid, the son of Samuel Ha-Nagid, when a rebellion broke out in Jaen, the Jews had to pay a heavy indemnity.

At the end of the 11th century the community was headed by Rabbi Isaac who corresponded with Isaac Alfasi. The community was brought to an end during the Almohad persecution.

In 1246 Jaen was captured by Ferdinand III of Castile. It was not until 1290 that the Jews of Jaen were required to send a representative to the King to negotiate on the amount of annual tax for which the community was liable.

The Jews in Jaen pursued the same occupations as the rest of Andalusian Jewry, cultivating vineyards and engaging in crafts and commerce. As customary in that period, many had business partnerships with Christians. The community suffered during the civil war between Pedro the Cruel and Henry of Trastamara in the 1360s. Pedro, who called the Muslims of Granada to his aid, permitted them to take the Jews of Jaen captive and sell them into slavery. The community then numbered 300 families.

No details are known about the fate of the Jews in Jaen during the persecutions of 1391, but the number of Jews who left the faith increased. In 1473 riots against the conversos in Jaen broke out. Ten years later an edict of expulsion was issued against the Jews in Jaen as in all the other Andalusian communities. In that year the inquisition established a tribunal at Jaen. Apparently the tribunal did not continue to sit in Jaen but returned there in 1509 and was reconstituted as a district court. In 1526 it was amalgamated with the tribunal in Cordoba.

Niram

Niram

A rural settlement in the district of Aqrah (Akre), central Iraqi Kurdistan, north Iraq.

According to a tradition among the Jews of Kurdistan, they had come to Kurdistan as exiles from Eretz Israel at the time of King Shalmaneser of Assyria, before the destruction of the First Temple, and did not return to Eretz Israel. At first the Jews of Niram were not aware of that tradition and were not acquainted with the history of the Jews of Kurdistan, but in the course of time they learned that history from Jewish peddlers who happened to visit the place. Rabbi Benjamin of Tudela found Jewish communities in the region on his visit before the year 1170.

In the 17th century the leaders of the communities at that time were the families of Rabbis Adoni (Barazani), Mizrahi, Duga and Hariri. Much later, in 1880, the traveler Mordecai Edelman visited the region. He reported having found poor rural communities of Jews who were very strict in observing all the mitzvot (religious precepts) and spoke a language they called Targum (the Aramaic
Bible translation) which is in fact distorted Aramaic mixed with Syrian. The Jews were under the patronage of the sheikh or “agha”, the feudal local ruler, who was the head of the tribe. He gave them protection and in return they looked after his property and provided him with guards.

The Jews of Kurdistan often moved from the small villages to bigger settlements and the towns for safety reasons. This occurred also at Niram, hence the frequent changes in the number of Jews living at Niram.

In Niram there was an ancient synagogue named after King David. Another tradition called it the Synagogue of Joab ben Zeruiah. The synagogue was close to a source of water, and the entrance was narrow. It had a spacious court and was surrounded by walls. Three steps led down to the prayer hall. In the center of the hall there was a bimah for the reading of the torah. The life of the community centered around the synagogue, in which the members gathered for public prayers on Sabbath and festival days. There were no rabbis and teachers at Niram and the education of the children was sporadic. Travelling preachers who happened to visit the village taught the children verbally on Sabbath days, telling them stories and legends. On weekdays the children helped their families in the fields.

In 1929 the family of Ezra arrived in Niram from Agra. At that time only a few Jewish families were living at Niram. In 1933 the community was very poor and its members were illiterate and ignorant of the prayers. The children were not given any tuition. The Jews of Niram spoke Kurdish and most of them were weavers, some bred cattle and sheep, some engaged in farming and trade. Their houses were made of mud, the roofs built of wooden beams covered with mud. In 1949 the Jews of Niram organized themselves for Aliyah to Israel. They travelled on small boats down the Tigris to the sea and from there embarked on boats to Israel.