Isaac ben Jacob

Isaac ben Jacob was one of the most prominent Jewish bankers and merchants of Poland in his day. He came from a well known family of businessmen whose founder was his father, Jacob Bogaty (Jacob the Rich).

Isaac owned houses and building sites in Kazimierz and shops in Cracow. Between 1638 and 1644 he erected a magnificent synagogue in Renaissance style on one of his building plots at his own expense, known as “Reb Eisik Reb Jekeles Shul.” Besides building a synagogue he cared for the Jewish community of Cracow by successfully representing in a lawsuit in 1608 against the municipality. From then until 1647 (with the exception of 1638), he have been the leading parnas of the community.