I found a particularly interesting short piece >from the 1901 Jewish
Encyclopedia regarding a prominent Jewish merchant >from the latter part
of the 1500's, who was involved in documented business affairs in Belarus
(Mohilev), Latvia (Riga), Lithuania and Poland (Lublin) and what was then
Livonia. A fascinating fellow, this 16th Century business magnate was
Affras Rachmaelovich or Aphraschus Rachmailowicz. You can read more
about him and his multitude of activities in the Encyclopedia at:
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/878-affras-rachmaelovich
He is also mentioned in a piece >from the Ospovat-Ichlove-Beck Family
site regarding the history of Riga at:
http://ospovat-ichlove-beck-family.weebly.com/riga-latvia.html
and on the JewishGen Belarus SIG under Mohilev.

As the bibliography with the piece >from the 1901 Encyclopedia an also

from books such as Salo Baron's "A Social and Religious History of the

Jews" show, there are quite old records which exist for Jews and their
communities and activities that genealogists have not yet really touched
on. This is possibly due to language barriers and inaccessibility perhaps
of the records. The vital and tax/census records that genealogists have
focused on have been so voluminous, that these other significant records
have lain untouched and will perhaps remain that way except for individual
researchers' efforts.

Ann Rabinowitz
annrab@...