Alms List

This document, found in the Cairo Geniza, lists the allocation of loaves of bread (indicated by the number next to each name). These donations were given on the eve of the Sabbath preceding the fast of Av, which would have been observed among Rabbanite Jews on Sunday, the 10th of Av that year. The physical state of this document indicates that it was originally part of a larger, bound notebook, presumably belonging to the scribe or to the charitable trust. Many of the beneficiaries are disabled, refugees, widows (here termed “wife of”), and orphans; Karaites are also included among the distribution. Double brackets indicate that a word was crossed out, and double slashes indicate a word written above the line.