Epstein

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The surname "Eppstein" ("Epstein", "Ebstein") is one of the oldest Jewish family names in the Slavic countries.

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[edit] Family history

Nathan ha-Levi Eppstein and Solomon ben Jacob ha-Levi Eppstein are mentioned in the responsa (No. 37) of Rabbi Moses Minz about the middle of the fifteenth century. Meïr b. Jacob ha-Levi Eppstein was a printer in Prague in 1522. Meïr Eppstein was a leader of the community of that city in 1601; and Samuel ben Judah ha-Levi Eppstein, a pupil of Mordecai Joffe (Lebush), flourished there about 1615. In 1635 Abraham b. Meïr ha-Levi Eppstein, a descendant of the above Rabbi Nathan, was rabbi of Brest-Litovsk (see "Keneset Yisrael" for 1111, "Liḳ-Ḳuṭim," 43). Wolf b. Jacob ha-Levi Eppstein, who came from Kremenetz, Volhynia, was rabbi of Friedberg, 1669-81 (see Nehemiah Brüll's Jahrb. vii. 46). The cabalist Israel Joffe of Sklov mentions among the friends of his youth a certain Aryeh Löb Epstein, which places him about the end of the 17th century (see "Ha-Shaḥar," vi. 229). Michael ben Abraham ha-Levi Epstein flourished in Moravia 1670-80; another Michael ha-Levi Eppstein in 1699; and a Judah ha-Levi Eppstein in 1690 (Mordecai Rothenberg, Responsa, No. 14). A Joseph ben Wolf ha-Levi Epstein of Konitz is mentioned in the preface to "Iggeret Musar" (1713).

About the beginning of the eighteenth century Mordecai ha-Levi Epstein, a great-grandson of R. Abraham of Brest-Litovsk, was one of the chiefs of the Jewish community in Grodno. One of his sons, Zebi Hirsch Epstein, who died in 1772, was also a prominent leader in that city. His other son, Aryeh Löb Epstein, author of "Ha-Pardes", was rabbi of Königsberg. One of the latter's descendants, in his biography of the rabbi of Königsberg, collected much material for the history of the family, and according to his data the accompanying family tree may be constructed.

The number of families named "Epstein" is very large. There were two little cities named "Eppstein", one in Bavaria and one in Hessen-Nassau, whence they are supposed to have originated. It is certain that many families assumed the name "Epstein" at a later period, while in other families the name was changed to "Ebstein", "Eppenstein", or similar forms.

The number of individual Epsteins who have achieved prominence is also correspondingly large. Among the Epsteins who merit mention are: Jehiel Michael Epstein, author of "Darke ha-Ḥeshbon," Wilna, 1836; Isaac Baer Eppstein, author of "Yesode ha-Dat ha-Yisraelit", an adaptation of Philippson's "Kurzgefasster Katechismus", Königsberg, 1849. The more important of the Epsteins are treated in separate articles below:

  • Abraham Epstein (born 1841), Russo-Austrian rabbinical scholar; born in Staro Constantinov, Volhynia.
  • Alois Epstein, Austrian pediatrist (born 1849); born at Kamenitz-an-der-Linde, Bohemia
  • Aryeh Löb Epstein ben Mordecai (Aryeh (Löb) Epstein b. Mordecai) (Ba'alha-Pardes), Polish rabbi (1708-1775); born in Grodno
  • Jacob Epstein (banker) (1771 - 1843), Polish banker and philanthropist; born in Zarki, Poland
  • Jehiel N. Epstein (17c), Son of Rabbi Abraham Segal Epstein; flourished about the middle of the seventeenth century.
  • Jehuda Epstein (1870-1946), Ukrainian-born Viennese painter of Jewish life in small Austro-Hungarian villages
  • Joseph Lazar Epstein, Russian educator and author (1821-1885); born ; died in Shavli April 19. For the last twenty-four years of his life he taught at the government school of Shavli.
  • Joshua Chayyim ben Mordecai ha-Levi Epstein (Joshua Ḥayyim b. Mordecai ha-Levi Epstein), Lithuanian rabbinical scholar and communal worker (1820-1900); born in Wilna
  • Julius Epstein (born 1832), Austrian pianist; born at Agram
    • His two daughters Rudolfine (cellist) and Eugénie (violinist) made a concert tour through Germany and Austria during the season of 1876-1877, which was very successful. His son Richard was a professor of piano at the Vienna Conservatorium.
  • Sigismund Stefan Epstein (pseudonym, Schimon Simel), German author (born 1866); nephew of Abraham Epstein; born at Warsaw.
This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

[edit] Other people

There have been many notable people named Epstein (means; person who came from Eppstein, Hesse):

[edit] Others

[edit] Eppstein

  • Eppstein, this original place associated with this name
  • David Eppstein, computer scientist.
  • Paul Eppstein, Elder of Theresienstadt.
  • a name of the noble family of Eppstein (Lords of Eppstein)
    See Herren von Eppstein/The Nobility Eppstein, or German article

[edit] Eppenstein

  • Eppenstein, Bezirk Judenburg, Steiermark, Austria
  • House of Eppenstein (nobility of Germany and Austria)

[edit] Ebstein

[edit] External links

[edit] References

[edit] Bibliography of Jewish Encyclopedia

  • Leopold Zunz, Z. G. pp. 270-271;
  • catalogues of the British Museum and of the library of the surgeon-general's office of the United States army, s.v. Eppstein;
  • Fürst, Bibl. Jud.;
  • Zeitlin, Bibl. Post-Mendels. s.v. Epstein;
    • Geburot ha-Ari, Wilna, 1870;
  • Friedenstein, 'Ir Gibborim, pp. 44, 60-61, Wilna, 1880;
  • Efrati, Dor we-Dorshaw, p. 64, ib. 1889;
  • Eisenstadt, Dor Rabbanaw we-Soferaw, p. 42, Warsaw, 1895.J. P. Wi.
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