Nahman ben Isaac Nachmanovich

Nahman ben Isaac Nachmanovich was born into prominent and wealthy family in Lvov, Poland. His father was among the leaders of Jewish community of Lvov, and was also highly successful spice merchant and financier.

Nahman took over his father’s affairs, including his tax farming and moneylending undertakings, and acquired the lease of the market imposts and other revenues of Lvov. While performing his duties as tax collector, Nahman had frequent conflicts with the local inhabitants who accused him of overcharging the customs dues, but the city council, which was dependent on his loans, rejected their complaints. Nevertheless, he served as head of the community a number of times, and was admitted to the citizenship of Lvov, being known among Christians by the honorific “Generosus.”

From 1603 till 1609, Nahman struggled with Lvov’s Jesuits who wished to convert the synagogue erected by his father into a church and seminary. The synagogue was left in the ownership of the Nachmanovich family, while the Jewish community undertook to procure a suitable site for the needs of the Jesuits in the suburbs of Lvov for a sum of 20,600 zlotys.

After Nahman’s death, his wife Rojse took charge of his business affairs until her death in 1637.