Isaac Sholal

Isaac Sholal (Sulal) was a grain trader and the last Egyptian nagid. Sholal’s direct forebears were residing in Tlemcen, Algeria, where they came from Spain. Isaac came to Egypt during the latter half of the 15th century, and was actively engaged in the grain trade and other pursuits. In 1502 he became Egyptian nagid, serving in this capacity until the Ottoman conquest in 1517, which saw the termination of the negidate.

Isaac’s influence was not confined to Egyptian Jewry, he was intensely involved in the affairs of the Jerusalem and Safed communities as well as the Syrian communities on several levels. In Jerusalem he made a significant contribution to intellectual life by supporting two yeshivot. He reopened one, and founded the other. He also supported the Sephardi yeshivah in Safed. In 1517, Isaac settled in Jerusalem, but by then he was an impoverished man, no longer able to contribute financially to the upkeep of the yeshivot. Nevertheless, he continued to exercise spiritual influence.